Motorola Develops tru2way Multi-Room DVR Solution for Time Warner Cable

Motorola announced last week that it has been tapped by Time Warner Cable, the second-largest cable MSO in the US, to develop a multi-room DVR solution based on Motorola tru2way set-top software. The company says that the so-called Follow Me TV solution will be deployed by Time Warner Cable later this year, making the latter the first cable operator to deploy a multi-room DVR service in a tru2way environment. It says it developed the multi-room DVR solution to work with tru2way software running on its DCX3400-M and DCX3200-M set-top boxes.

The solution leverages MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) technology to create a multimedia network using existing coaxial cable in consumers' homes. According to Motorola, the network is capable of transporting HD video, high-quality digital voice and high-speed data to televisions, DVR's, game consoles, wireless access points and home PC's. "Motorola's tru2way technology is a key enabling component of media mobility as demand for new, broadband-connected devices in and around the home grows," Larry Robinson, VP of product management for Motorola's Home and Networks Mobility business, said in a prepared statement. "As an open specification, tru2way enables the set-top to be a platform for new media mobility applications such as whole-home DVR. This industry-leading collaboration will help Time Warner differentiate its offerings, retain customers, and increase revenue opportunities." Added Louis Williamson, senior engineering fellow at Time Warner Cable: "Consumers expect more flexibility and control with today's premium TV services and we are excited to be offering the whole-home DVR with Motorola. This is the first OpenCable tru2way system with home network extensions. It is fully interoperable, providing Time Warner Cable more flexibility and choice in determining what equipment is made available in its footprint."

In other recent interactive TV-related news from Motorola:
--Last month, the company unveiled its new B-3 Video Server, which it says is designed to address the needs of small- to medium-sized streaming sites, and can also be used to complement its widely deployed B-1 VOD server. When used in conjunction with Motorola's CPS1000 Content Propagation System, the B-3 server addresses "rapid growth in on-demand usage and content libraries while optimizing operator storage, streaming and network resources," the company says. According to Motorola, the B-3, which is slated for availability this quarter, leverages industry-standard hardware to create a high-performance, highly scalable and fault-tolerant server that supports VOD, timeshifted TV, on-demand ad insertion, network DVR and other advanced services. The company claims that the new server can easily scale from several hundred to over 3,000 streams, and can be configured as a standalone server with an integrated content library, or as an edge server deployed alongside a B-1. Motorola's on-demand platform leverages a technology, called Adaptive Media Management (AMM), which the company says consists of algorithms that were developed by analyzing data from 160 B-1 deployments encompassing 900,000 streams worldwide: according to the company, the CPS1000 uses AMM to efficiently distribute content and assign streaming resources across the network and to share content libraries between services. AMM enables the B-1 and B-3 servers to select the optimal storage and streaming technologies, Motorola says, in order to optimize usage of streaming and network resources and reduce storage costs. "The new B-3 server expands Motorola's on-demand hardware and software portfolio, organized around the Adaptive Media Management framework," Sean Welch, director of on-demand video at the Motorola Home and Networks Mobility business, said in a prepared statement. "Adaptive Media Management enables our service provider customers to optimize their streaming, storage and network bandwidth resources, reducing operational and capital expenses even as they face unprecedented growth in on-demand libraries and consumer demand for personalized media experiences."
--In February, the company announced that AMX-subsidiary Codetel, a telco operating in the Dominican Republic, has been using its Communications Convergence Engine (CCE) to launch a new IPTV service called Claro TV (note: the service is based on the Microsoft Mediaroom software platform and various technologies from Alcatel-Lucent). The CCE is billed by Motorola as an "open, flexible" IPTV software solution that allows operators to rapidly conceive, design, package, deploy and manage a broad range of IP-based content and services. According to the company, Codetel selected the solution because it enables rapid introduction of revenue-generating services, efficient management of application resources, significant reduction of integration costs, constant access to best-in-class applications and effective optimization of network investments. Using the CCE, Motorola says, Codetel will be able to streamline management of complex IPTV operations, manage VOD pricing and packaging more effectively, and offer bundles of IPTV and VOD with music, games and IP services. The solution is comprised of two products: the CCE Service Broker and the CCE Content Manager.
--At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas January, the company announced the launch of an update to the CCE, dubbed Storefront 1.0. According to Alcatel-Lucent, Storefront 1.0 is a marketing and bundling tool that enables IPTV operators to create rich, personalized on-demand experiences and to offer new bundled services that include multimedia content. The company says that the resulting "storefront experience" allows consumers to browse personalized catalogs of content via TV, the Web and mobile devices. "With the latest CCE updates, IPTV operators can differentiate their content packages through personalized offers and promotions, packaged with personalized advertisements, thus getting the most value out of their premium video assets," Alan Lefkof, general manager and corporate VP of Motorola's Broadband Home Gateways and Software group, said in a prepared statement. "The introduction of Storefront 1.0 demonstrates further evidence of our commitment and experience in IPTV. With personalization and three-screen capability, this game-changing software provides new revenue streams for many telecom operators along with a significant competitive advantage."
--The company also used CES to launch a new remote control for its VIP series of IPTV set-top boxes. The remote is rechargeable and features a base station equipped with a digital clock and with RF "find" functionality: pressing a switch on the base station triggers an audible tone and a flashing light. Power is provided either directly from a wall socket or, via USB, from the set-top box. "We're constantly listening to consumer feedback to help us develop new functionality," Motorola VP of marketing, Kevin Wirick, said in a prepared statement. "Losing a remote control is an issue that many end-users find infuriating. With this product we're not only addressing this frustration but we've created a platform to extend the utility of the VIP set-tops and remote control units by adding a USB or Bluetooth-connected accessory to the set-top architecture." According to Motorola, the new remote is also capable of learning functions, allowing it to replace controls for other CE devices.