EchoStar set to acquire Sling Media in $380 million deal

EchoStar Communications Corporation (which primarily encompasses the US DTH operator DISH Network) has agreed to acquire Sling Media Inc, the company famous for Slingbox. The transaction values Sling Media at approximately $380 million, is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close Q4/07.

Cisco introduces channel-bonded modem with EMTA

Cisco has extended its ultra high-speed channel bonding solution with the Cisco EPC2607 cable modem, featuring an embedded media terminal adapter (EMTA). The EPC2607 with EMTA integrates VoIP services, helping cable operators to quickly provision advanced triple-play broadband services to customers. The unit is designed to enable up to 100Mbps data throughput over a traditional cable HFC network, helping operators prepare for broadband competition from IPTV operators using VDSL and fibre-to-the-home.

VC-1 pioneer Swisscom will expand Bluewin services with AVC

Swisscom is expanding its Bluewin IPTV services using MPEG-4 AVC, which means that one of the few broadcast-quality television providers in the world using VC-1 compression is now adopting AVC. Swisscom’s Bluewin service was originally based on the TANDBERG Television EN5920 SD encoding platform supporting VC-1, but new services will use TANDBERG’s iPlex UltraCompression solution, which supports MPEG-2 encoding for SD and MPEG-4 AVC for HD and SD.

Envivio supports new Microsoft VC-1 Encoder for Web and mobile

Envivio Inc. has licensed the new Microsoft VC-1 Encoder to support Windows Media Video (VC-1) within its Envivio Convergence Generation headend solution.  The convergence headend platform features the Envivio 4Caster C4 multi-channel IP encoder for IPTV and Internet TV applications and the professional VC-1 encoding capabilities of the C4 were recently demonstrated at IBC.

Israel's Yes DTH platform first to deploy NDS PC-TV content protection

The Israeli DTH platform Yes has become the first customer for NDS's VideoGuard PC, the DRM solution designed to secure content being delivered directly to PCs over the open Internet, including VOD. The system will be used for Yes's new web-based video content portal, where anyone in Israel can access content. The solution demonstrates how Pay TV operators can make premium content available on the PC as well as set-top box, and also illustrates how satellite operators can provide true content-on-demand.

UPC Broadband and Cisco record 120Mbps in next-generation DOCSIS trial

Cisco and UPC Broadband believe they have broken a new broadband speed record over cable with the delivery of 120Mbps in consumer homes on UPC’s cable network in Amsterdam. These fibre-like speeds - delivered over classic coax cable - have been enabled by EuroDOCSIS 3.0 based technology and M-CMTS (Modular-CMTS) and the two companies are confident that 200Mbps is now within reach.

Pace and CacheLogic highlight potential for P2P in Pay TV

It looks as if peer-to-peer technologies could provide network operators with a third option when it comes to architecting their on-demand systems. Besides VOD and network PVR (on-demand and time-shifting functionality with all storage in the network) and PVR (in-home hard disks supporting time-shift and push-VOD), P2P could combine the best of both worlds - using a population of PVR drives to pull content from other consumers on the same Pay TV platform, supported by operator-controlled servers for reliability and Quality of Service.

First DOCSIS 3.0 certification expected March 2008, says EuroCableLabs

EuroCableLabs says it will be ready to provide the first DOCSIS 3.0 certification for new cable modems as early as March 2008. The testing process prior to the certification will start in January. 

microSD CA could let broadcasters bypass mobile operators for DVB-H

Abel DRM Systems, a new content protection vendor specialising in mobile TV and especially DVB-H, believes it has the product that will open the way for traditional Pay TV operators like satellite to launch stand-alone broadcast mobile TV platforms without mobile phone operator partnerships.

Latens unveils Service Delivery Platform including its software CA

Latens Systems unveiled a dramatic addition to its product portfolio at IBC as the software-based CA/DRM vendor announced its ability to supply a Service Delivery Platform for IPTV operators. The company’s ‘middleware’ is already deployed at Norway’s fibre-based TV and VOD provider Lyse and according to Andy Mathieson, Director at Latens, it has enabled the operator to scale more effectively and dramatically accelerate customer acquisition.

Conax integrates Cinea and Thomson watermarking with its CA

Norwegian Conditional Access vendor Conax announced at IBC that it will integrate the Cinea Running Marks and Thomson NexGuard watermarking solutions into its security products. This is the latest in a string of announcements by CA vendors about the integration of watermarking with CA, confirming the desire among operators and content owners to add another layer of security before the deployment of HD-VOD and the hoped-for adjustments to VOD release windows.

Inuk Networks introduces ‘virtual set-top box’ for IPTV to the PC

Inuk Networks has announced the commercial launch of its igloo virtual set-top-box software solution, which it claims will enable IPTV operators to deliver a true television set-top experience to a desktop or laptop computer or Mac using standards-based, technology-agnostic software.

IBC: Akamai claims the Internet is ready for HD

Stand 11.252.
Akamai Technologies, Inc. is claiming that a consistent, high-definition video experience is now possible online via its global content distribution network. The company says its customers are now delivering HD quality content on its distributed edge delivery network, which is specifically tuned for optimal delivery of HD files online.

IBC: Envivio unveils encoder for simultaneous IPTV and Internet TV

Stand 4.260
Envivio will demonstrate its convergent, multi-platform video delivery credentials at IBC with the launch of the 4Caster C4 encoder, designed for simultaneous IPTV and Internet TV encoding. The product supports standard-definition broadcast TV plus CIF (Common Intermediate Format) Internet TV resolutions. It can encode in MPEG-4 AVC and Windows Media and QuickTime formats at the same time.

IBC: ICTV debuts "first personalised navigational mosaic"

Stand 5.238
ICTV is giving the European debut to what it claims is the multi-channel video industry's first personalised navigational mosaic - the company's P:Mosaic. It will help viewers find their favourite programmes and new things to watch in an environment where the growth of on-demand and user-generated content makes content discovery a key issue.

IBC: Latens unveils an IPTV Service Delivery Platform

Stand: 5.235
Latens Systems, which supplies smartcardless CA solutions for cable, IPTV and now even satellite and DTT, has dramatically expanded its product portfolio with an IPTV Service Delivery Platform, which is being unveiled at IBC. The platform integrates the company’s security with a new IPTV management system and is designed to scale from 100,000 subscribers to IPTV operations with millions of set-top boxes.

IBC: Pace Networks introduced as new business unit of Pace Micro Technology

Stand 1.221
Pace Micro Technology is extending its reach in the digital TV industry with the launch of a new business unit called Pace Networks. Pace Networks focuses on  networking technologies for use outside the customer home, drawing upon Pace’s experience in TV, DOCSIS and IP solutions. The first product developed within Pace Networks is Pace MultiDweller, a headend-in-a-box that delivers triple-play services over existing coaxial wiring in multi-dwelling buildings.

IBC: Widevine demonstrates multi-platform security including TV-to-PC

Stand 4.159
Widevine Technologies is emphasising its multi-platform, multi-format content protection capabilities at this year’s IBC. The company will demonstrate how Widevine Cypher secures content over any network infrastructure to a wide range of consumer devices including set-top boxes, PCs and mobile handsets. There will also be demonstrations of PC protection and forensic watermarking and tracking.

IBC: ADB launches powerful IP/DTT hybrids and demonstrates push-VOD

Stands 5.248, IP213
At IBC, set-top box vendor Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) is putting the emphasis on solutions designed to open new service and revenue opportunities for digital television. These include push-VOD, multi-room content sharing and Internet TV. ADB will headline its latest range of IPTV, MPEG-4 AVC and HD set-top boxes across multiple platforms and there will be a number of new launches at the show.

IBC: TANDBERG Television boosts iPlex with powerful transcoding module

Stands 1.568, IP255, M257

TANDBERG Television will use IBC to highlight the increasing flexibility of its iPlex UltraCompression video processing platform, which now includes transcoding combined with the latest generation ICE3 compression engine. Telecoms video providers can use the transcoding module to decode MPEG-2 SD or HD feeds and encode again in MPEG-4 AVC, without requiring separate decoder and encoder units. They can also convert AVC HD signals off satellite from Variable Bit Rate to Constant Bit Rate, ready for DSL access networks, downconvert HD (MPEG-2 or AVC) to SD AVC, or upconvert SD (either codec) to HD AVC. The transcoder module will also cross-convert HD from 1080i to 720p (an HD resolution that is slightly easier to encode, keeping bit rates lower over DSL).

IBC: Osmosys highlights STB graphics advances and push-VOD

Stand IP233
Osmosys, which develops open standards Java based interactive TV solutions, will launch its new graphics technology at IBC, claiming that it  delivers “a new, visually inspiring look-and-feel that is streets ahead of the graphical capability of today's set-top boxes”. The company claims E.G.G. (Enhanced Graphics enGine) opens up exciting new opportunities for channel owners, programme makers, games developers and
the advertising community.

IBC: Pixelmetrix puts the spotlight on Quality of Experience

Stand 1.339a
Quality of Experience is a major focus in Amsterdam for Pixelmetrix,  which specialises in preventative monitoring for digital TV networks. The company says its Electronic Couch Potato (ECP) and Consolidator products are an indispensable solution for every video services operator. “Key functions include monitoring customers' true Quality of Experience (QoE) and intelligent data presentation of end-user experience as meaningful information,” the company says.

IBC: SIDSA highlights mobile TV headend and Conditional Access

Stands 4.348, M245
Spanish headend vendor SIDSA will use IBC 2007 to highlight its POLAR PLUS delivery platform for DVB-T, DVB-C, DVB-S and DVB-H. The company has been selected to run an official DVB-H mobile TV service during the show, providing the perfect opportunity to demonstrate POLAR PLUS in this capacity.

IBC: Verimatrix and GoBackTV offer integrated cable IPTV security

Stand 5.316
Verimatrix hopes to expand the reach of its software-based, smartcardless CA beyond the IPTV marketplace and into cable IPTV - protecting IP video content delivered over DOCSIS on cable last miles. The company is using IBC to launch its VCAS for Cable IPTV product and highlight an OEM partnership with GoBackTV whereby Verimatrix has integrated its VCAS solution with GoBackTV’s ‘CMTS Bypass’ technology.

IBC: C-COR highlights on-demand advertising and DOCSIS Bypass

Stand 1.550
Profitable VOD, dynamic on-demand advertising, a new DOCSIS Bypass solution and a 1GHz edge-QAM are among the technologies and demonstrations available on the C-COR stand this year. The DOCSIS Bypass technology is part of the company’s unified on-demand platform and is said to reduce the costs of decoupling DOCSIS core components.

IBC: Amino demonstrates Internet TV and HD/HD-PVR for telcos

Stand 4.240
IPTV set-top box vendor Amino Communications says it will be demonstrating Internet TV, HD IPTV and high-definition PVR services for IPTV at this year’s show.

IBC: Aspera highlights Internet file transfers

Stand 1.583
Aspera says its technology is becoming the industry standard for transferring massive digital media files over the Internet and private IP networks. “It is virtually transforming business workflow for major Hollywood studios, production facilities, media content producers, broadcasters, game developers as well as Fortune 500 companies and government agencies,” the company claims.