SIGMA DESIGNS’ HOMEPLUG AV WITH CLEARPATH RECEIVES TWO PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY AWARDS

Sigma Designs, a leading provider of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for delivering entertainment and control throughout the home, today announced that it is the recipient of two prestigious industry awards. Sigma’s HomePlug® AV with Clearpath™ (CG2110CP) has been named an International CES Innovations2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree in the Enabling Technology category. It was also named a TelcoTV Vision Award Winner.

HomePlug AV with ClearPath is a breakthrough home networking technology that enables unprecedented, carrier-class streaming of HD video, voice, and data over existing powerlines in the home. Sigma’s chipset uses all three wires – phase, neutral, and ground to deliver improved performance and up to twice the throughput. It is the only MIMO (multiple in, multiple out)solution available over powerline. Sigma’s HomePlug AV with ClearPath gives substantially better coverage, throughput, and the ability to deliver HD where it is not possible today. Both ClearPath and MIMO over powerline are Sigma patented technologies.

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Vidiator - Company Highlight

Vidiator have made a major product transition from being focused on mobile streaming (typically this means RTSP to mobile devices) to investing their resources and mobile video experience into delivering a converged HTTP streaming platform. This change has been very successful.

They now truly have a great product.

Vidiator believes they are the strongest player in the market because they offer all essential parts of the mobile video distribution from encoding to delivery. For example, they offer integration software that ensures HTTP streaming can be used with proper tracking and billing methods. Their flexible product and the fact that they go onsite and build large systems and ensure high class support to their customers, makes them unique in the business.

They are really excited to be releasing the 6th generation of our Xenon platform in the next few months. It contains delivery of iPhone, Flash and Silverlight in HD. Vidiator has a unique encode once for all formats approach where our customers can save a lot of hardware in converged solutions using our method.

Their company mission is to ensure service providers can deliver an excellent and consistent user experience on any device and network.

Technicolor to supply advanced HD set-top boxes to Astro

Technicolor recently announced that it has won a further contract from Astro, Malaysia’s leading integrated cross-media group. Already an established supplier of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 set-top boxes for standard definition broadcasting, Technicolor is now to supply High Definition (HD) MPEG-4 STBs with local recording capability to support Astro’s move to offer more technology-adapting services and products to its close to 3 million and growing customer base.

The innovative HD enabled STB to be supplied by Technicolor includes the ability to record to an external disk or disks, allowing subscribers the convenience and flexibility to tailor their recording capability to meet their own requirements.

Deliveries of the new STB are now underway, while at the same time Technicolor will also provide locally-based and extensive logistics and after-sales support to Astro.

Verizon FiOS Scores First NFL Game on 3D TV

Verizon is kicking off the football season with the production and broadcast of the first National Football League game in 3D on television for the company's FiOS TV customers in parts of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island for the Sept. 2 preseason match-up between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

Verizon FiOS1 is producing the 3D broadcast, which will be shown on FiOS Channel 834 for FiOS TV subscribers. Similar to previously offered 3D programming from Verizon, customers must have 3D TV sets, 3D glasses and a high-definition set-top box to view the broadcast.

The broadcast marks Verizon's third major 3D initiative this summer. On July 10 and 11, the company broadcast the first Major League Baseball games in 3D, between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. And on July 15, Verizon announced that it will carry 3D programming on FiOS TV Video on Demand from WealthTV.

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thePlatform Selected by Outdoor Channel for Online Video Publishing

thePlatform, the leading white-label video management and publishing company, announced that its mpx Beta video management system has been chosen to manage and publish online video for Outdoor Channel's popular website, OutdoorChannel.com. In addition, the network is using thePlatform's video player technology, including features for sharing video across social networks.

Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV, broadcasts prominent outdoor programs focused on hunting, fishing, shooting, off-roading, adventure, and conservation. The network is available through a multitude of cable, satellite and telco providers across the United States, reaching 36 million homes, according to Nielsen Media Research.

OutdoorChannel.com, Outdoor Channel's comprehensive online platform, is the premier digital destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering in-depth show and host pages, useful information on state hunting and fishing licenses and destinations, and an interactive community section where fans can connect and share their passion. The centerpiece of OutdoorChannel.com is a state-of-the-art broadband video player that enables users to watch an extensive library of thousands of videos – the majority in an HD viewing experience.

In addition to using thePlatform's centralized video management system, mpx Beta, Outdoor Channel is also utilizing the social media capabilities of thePlatform's video player. The player includes 10 integrations with leading social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Yahoo! Buzz, and provides Outdoor Channel with the flexibility to add more.

thePlatform publishes video and other media to PCs, mobile devices and TV. Media companies rely on thePlatform as their open, central hub for managing, monetizing and syndicating billions of professionally produced video views annually. thePlatform currently provides online video management services to numerous programmers, leading media companies, and five of the top cable TV service providers in North America, including the largest "TV Everywhere" deployments.

Panasonic opens Full HD 3D Theatre at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games

World invited to experience highlights of the Olympics in full HD 3D at Panasonic's Olympic Pavilion

Panasonic Corporation, the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, opened the doors of its Olympic Pavilion "Panasonic FULL HD 3D THEATRE" featuring two 103-inch full HD 3D theatres at LiveCity Yaletown, official celebration site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Panasonic's Full HD 3D Theatre at the 2010 Winter Games offers the public the first opportunity to experience a new era of immersive visual entertainment that will soon be available for consumers to enjoy at home. It is a 3D experience that easily rivals the best that can be seen in cinemas.

With Panasonic's frame sequential technology, images are alternately reproduced at 60 frames per second for each eye for a total of 120 frames per second. These images are viewed alternately through high-precision 3D eyewear with shutters driven in synchronization with the video. As a result, each eye views a separate 1920 x 1080 full-HD image for beautiful, clear 3D images with no degradation in quality.

Highlight videos of 2010 Winter Games screened in the full HD 3D theatre are sourced from the International Olympic Committee.

Thomson takes a further leap forward with next generation interactive HD cable set-top boxes

Thomson, a worldwide leader of services to content creators, is demonstrating two new cable set-top boxes, based on its third generation technology and delivering high speed data as well as comprehensive digital cable services. The set-top boxes allow cable operators to offer broadband to the home at up to 100Mb/s with home networking and content sharing using the MoCA (Multimedia over Co-ax Alliance) standard.

The new DCI708 set-top box is ready for both standard and high definition television using MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 coding, including 1080 line progressive HD. It is based on a new system on a chip device, which incorporates full support for Docsis and EuroDocsis, including channel bonding to achieve internet access speeds of up to 100Mb/s. The DCI804 set-top box offers the same features and additionally includes an internal disk recorder, using fast and compact 2.5” disk drives for local recording, timeshifts and downloading data from the network operator.

The new boxes support multiple middleware and conditional access solutions. The integral high speed data connectivity gives the operator ready access for advanced interactive applications such as video on demand, and secure communications, as well as remote diagnostics and updates to minimise support costs. Where the home has existing co-ax cable connecting rooms, the implementation of MoCA allows a single set-top box to distribute content to multiple rooms within the home, allowing the users to take advantage of home networking.

For the full release, click here.

Verimatrix and Envivio Extend Adaptive Rate Streaming Beyond the iPhone

Verimatrix, setting the standard in content security technologies that enhance the value of pay-TV networks, and Envivio, Inc. announced a collaborative solution that enables pay-TV operators to use Apple's HTTP adaptive bitrate streaming technology for the iPhone to deliver IPTV and over the top (OTT) content that scales effectively across mobile devices, PCs and other client types. The solution pairs Envivio's 4Caster C4 three screens encoder/transcoder with the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) to create a unified headend that delivers protected standard (SD) and high definition (HD) content over unmanaged networks to any Internet-connected consumer playback device.

Introduced as a component of Apple OS 3.0 for the iPhone, adaptive bitrate streaming delivers smooth audio and video streams using Internet-standard HTTP protocols. The technology supports automatic adaptation to available network types and automatically switches to the optimal bitrate for a smooth quality playback experience. Envivio 4Caster C4 enables its deployment by ingesting analog or digital sources and then encoding and encrypting the content for delivery at multiple bitrates to multiple devices. In this solution, the 4Caster C4 is integrated with Verimatrix VCAS, which provides for key management, user authentication and unified right managements. The combination enables pay-TV operators to create unique service offerings for multi-screen delivery. Furthermore, live and video-on-demand (VOD) content can be delivered using the same protocols with easy incorporation of targeted advertising segments.

For the full press release, click here.

Dogan TV Standardizes on Grass Valley for HD Production

Dogan TV, the leading independent media group in Turkey, is migrating its television production capabilities to high definition with Grass Valley. As a central part of this long-term partnership with Grass Valley™, Dogan TV will standardize on LDK 8000 Elite Multi-Format HD cameras, LDK 8300 HD Super SloMo cameras, and Kayak™ production switchers for all of its HD facilities.

Dogan TV has two HD studios and seven SD studios with its own HD and SD control rooms at its headquarters in Istanbul. The smaller studio (300m2) has four Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite HD cameras and a 2.5 M/E Kayak production switcher – the larger (1000m2) is equipped with eight LDK 8000 Elite cameras and a 3.5 M/E Kayak switcher.

The company’s largest outside broadcast truck has also been re-equipped for HD production, with 16 Grass Valley cameras including two LDK 8300 HD Live Super SloMo camera systems and a Kayak HD 3.5 M/E production switcher. Local sales and support is being provided by Grass Valley’s principal distributor in Turkey, Istanbul-based consulting company Arttek.

The contract, negotiated in association with Arttek, represents the largest order in the country for HD production equipment. The installation of this equipment allows Dogan TV to produce much of its own premium content for its new Kanal D HD channel, already on air. The upgrade to the truck ensures that remote HD production capability is available for high profile sporting events, such as the Champions League and UEFA Cup football games for which Dogan TV has the broadcast rights in Turkey.