Cablevision Systems & ActiveVideo Networks Announce Significant Rollout of CloudTV Interactive Channels

Cablevision Systems and ActiveVideo Networks, the global leader in cloud-based interactive solutions, announced that Cablevision has deployed and delivered more than two dozen new interactive channel experiences to its entire digital video customer base using the ActiveVideo CloudTV platform.

Cablevision, the nation’s fifth-largest cable system operator, is utilizing CloudTV to offer an expansive menu of personalized television content -- including hyper-local sports and news, advertising showcases, and mosaic programming -- to approximately 3 million subscribers in the New York tri-state area. The lineup includes MSG Varsity Interactive, News12 Interactive and a variety of other channels and advertising showcases that are designed to serve specific interests of Cablevision subscribers. In addition, the ActiveVideo platform is powering Quick View kids, sports and news navigational mosaic channels.

Using the ActiveVideo CloudTV platform and content developer’s kit (CDK), Cablevision is able to write Web-based content once for delivery as a single MPEG stream to any digital set-top box. Because CloudTV development is based on standard Web tools and talents, applications that previously took years to create can now be built, tested and deployed in just a few months. Subscribers use standard remote controls to search for, select and engage with video and information just as they can on the Web, but within the “lean-back” environment of television.

ActiveVideo Networks Acquires TAG Networks

ActiveVideo Networks, the global leader in cloud-based interactive television solutions, announced that it has completed an acquisition of TAG Networks, adding the world's most scalable network game platform to its CloudTV interactive streaming platform.

The acquisition extends ActiveVideo’s CloudTV development platform to include games development, a growing and profitable segment of the entertainment market. The combined entity leverages TAG Networks’ successful technology and content portfolio with ActiveVideo’s proven CloudTV to create a powerful and versatile platform that supports both casual and twitch or fast-motion games.

Using TAG’s extensive portfolio of licensed titles, ActiveVideo can enable the development of new revenue streams for cable system operators and the CE industry through the delivery of advertising supported casual games to any digital set-top box or CE device. ActiveVideo, which currently is in approximately 5 million homes, anticipates that the combined benefits of TAG and CloudTV, the addition of compelling new titles and the ultimate introduction of faster-paced games will significantly drive distribution of both services for the foreseeable future.

CONNECTIONS Europe agenda: Connected Devices & Services

CONNECTIONS Europe will be held in Amsterdam on November 4 and covers the international landscape for connected devices and services with a European emphasis, including:

• Internet video and the TV experience
• Cloud computing and advanced TV and communications services
• Residential gateway or set-top box
• The impact of 3D TV
• The three-screen ecosystem
• The interface for online and user-generated content
• The companies best positioned to lead the connected home ecosystem

Attending CONNECTIONS Europe provides executives with networking and strategic planning opportunities.

• The development roadmap of the technologies and applications that will define the European and global digital lifestyle
• Identification of existing and emerging leaders in the connected home ecosystem
• Adoption and revenue forecasts of key connected device and service categories
• An examination of the business models which will drive the convergence in video and entertainment content and applications, online services, and communications.

ActiveVideo Enhances Product Engineering and Development Leadership to Support Increased Demand, Accelerated Deployment Worldwide

ActiveVideo Networks, a leading global provider of cloud-based interactive services that are redefining television (iTV 2.0), announced enhancements to the leadership of its product engineering and development team to drive accelerated deployment of ActiveVideo products and solutions.

In order to address growing market demand worldwide, ActiveVideo announced that Greg Brown has been promoted to the position of Vice President, Product Development, and that Mark Dawson, Vice President, Product Management, and Dr. Lena Pavlovskaia, Vice President, Advanced Development, have assumed expanded roles. All three executives report to John Callahan, CTO of ActiveVideo Networks.

Earlier this year ActiveVideo Networks strengthened its position in the fast-growing market for delivery of interactive services from the network "cloud" through the acquisition of Avinity Systems BV, a Netherlands company that now serves as ActiveVideo's European headquarters. ActiveVideo Networks anticipates that its cloud-based interactive TV solutions will be available to more than 5 million homes worldwide by the end of 2009.

For the full release, click here.

ActiveVideo Networks Acquires Avinity Systems, Creates Powerful InteractivePlatform to Redefine iTV on Global Scale

ActiveVideo Networks announced at the end of May that it has reached an agreement to acquire Avinity Systems BV, bringing together the two leading providers of cloud-based interactive TV platforms and applications, and expanding the reach and availability of the Web-based user experiences that are redefining interactive television (iTV 2.0).

The transaction strengthens ActiveVideo Networks' technology and application offerings and creates a global leader in the fast-growing market for delivery of cloud-based services to televisions around the world. The acquisition combines two companies that will have deployed interactive services to more than five million homes worldwide by the end of 2009. Post-acquisition, ActiveVideo Networks will have publicly-disclosed deployments with a wide variety of service providers, including Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Grande Communications in the United States; Tele2 and Reggefiber in Europe; and PCCW in Hong Kong.

ActiveVideo Networks and Avinity have consistently advocated that the future of content delivery -- including VoD navigation, Web-based video, interactive advertising and other services -- will be driven by server-based technologies. Both platforms use an ultra-thin client in the set-top box to pass user keystrokes to servers in the network. The servers create compressed videostreams in response to user interaction and unicast them over IP or cable back to the home to be decoded and displayed by the set-top box. When combined,the ActiveVideo and Avinity RenderCast platforms will be capable of delivering Web-like personalization and interactivity to a worldwidetelevision audience through both legacy and next generation digital set-topboxes and broadband-connected devices.

To view the full press release, click here.