BigBand Networks

Because the [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week, we are covering stories in this edition of the newsletter in round-up format:

US cable-industry research, development and standards organization, CableLabs, has provided some information on the technologies that were featured at its Innovation Showcase, Monday. The Innovation Showcase, which was part of CableLabs' Summer Conference, saw 11 companies pitching new technologies to conference attendees, who then voted for the one they deemed most likely to succeed in the marketplace. The winner was BelAir Networks' new BelAir100SP Strand Picocell (see below):

US cable-industry research, development and standardization body, CableLabs, is trumpeting the success of an Advanced Advertising Interop event it held, June 14th-18th, to prove interoperability, based on the SCTE-130 standard, across a number of advertising interfaces. The weeklong event was organized in partnership with SCTE DVS/Working Group 5, the SCTE committee charged with working on advanced advertising, and with Canoe Ventures, the company tasked with implementing the US cable industry's plans for interactive and addressable advertising.

International cable operator, Liberty Global, on Wednesday announced plans to work with Samsung, Intel, NDS and Nagravision to build a new multimedia home gateway device for its digital TV customers. According to Liberty Global, the device will be an all-IP platform, capable of distributing video, voice and data throughout the home and to multiple video displays; and will sport a user interface that will "seamlessly" integrate video content, widgets, apps, and an advanced search and recommendation engine that the company promises "will forever change how our customers experience digital TV and IP-based content." The device is scheduled for deployment to Liberty Global's European cable customers in the first half of 2011.