News Round-Up

Here is a round-up of some other recent interactive TV-related stories that we didn't have room for in this issue:

• Wireless home networking specialist, AirTies, has announced a partnership with Anevia, a provider of video streaming solutions and service infrastructure for live TV and VOD, which the companies says will see AirTies' Air 7124 HD 802.11N wireless IP set-top box supporting Anevia's video server and adaptive bitrate solutions to enable operators and broadcast service providers to offer OTT services. "Anevia's video streaming and infrastructure solutions provide fixed and mobile telecom operators, cable companies and satellite service providers with a full range of carrier grade products for flexible, scalable and manageable video services that can be delivered to TV's, PC's, Internet-connected devices and mobile phones," the companies state in their press materials. "Anevia has also developed 3Screens--a platform that manages delivery of video content to multiple devices for IPTV, mobile, broadcast, and many other services. The Air 7124 is the first self-install, high-definition, 802.11N wireless STB featuring secure wireless network enabled by AirTies' AirTouch technology, which makes it possible for anyone to set up a complex wireless network automatically at the touch of a button. AirTies' distinct technology also allows IPTV or OTT service providers to offer seamless wireless video distribution at home without the user losing video quality. The Air 7124 model carries ample memory and storage capacity for the most demanding and innovative interactive TV features including adaptive bitrate support for perfect OTT video experience. Due to the cost advantage, the STB's default 2GB NAND flash offers pause-live TV functionality or progressive download application as a standard TV experience to all the subscribers of a service provider."
• Celeno Communications, a provider of semiconductors for multimedia WiFi home networking applications, has announced a solution which it says allows operators to leverage IP video and WiFi to "easily converge their paid services with new video-on-demand (VOD) and over-the-top (OTT) Internet-based content."
• Civolution, a provider of solutions for identifying, managing and monetizing media content, and ATEME, a provider of video compression solutions, have announced a joint solution that they say protects premium VOD content while streamlining operational workflows. The solution sees Civolution's NexGuard pay-TV and online watermarking technology integrated with ATEME's KFE multi-format file-based transcoder: according to the companies, it will enable content owners to confidently offer premium content to pay-TV operators in an early-release window. It embeds a watermark during the encoding of premium content and then adds a second unique watermark when the content is accessed by each individual consumer, the companies say. "The combination of streamlined workflow processes and robust piracy deterrence tools for premium content means that satellite, cable and IPTV operators, video Web services and etailers on the one hand and content owners on the other can collaborate to now offer movies in earlier release windows," Wim Bus, Civolution's SVP of product management, said in a prepared statement. "This solution, which is already being deployed, has significant revenue potential as a new business avenue for platform operators and content creators." The companies plan to demo their joint solution at the IBC (Civolution: 2.C28; ATEME: 1.D70).
• Comcast said Tuesday that it has launched its A28 i-Guide--an EPG that was developed by GuideWorks, which was originally a joint venture with Rovi (formerly Macrovision)--to its customers in Indiana (note: the guide is designed for Motorola systems; earlier this year, Comcast announced plans to roll out the Cisco/Scientific-Atlanta version of the i-Guide, designated as "S25"--see the article published on itvt.com, May 19th). It has also launched version 2.0 of its Comcast Mobile iPhone/iPod touch app to those customers. More information on the various features offered by the new EPG can be found here. New features offered by Comcast Mobile 2.0, according to the MSO, include a full EPG with local listings; the ability to sort EPG listings by category (e.g. Movies, Sports, Kids and HD); remote recording/scheduling and management for multiple DVR's; a "Quick Record" capability; TV show reminders; access to Comcast.net email; email alerts; visual voice mail; and address book sync.
• During the closing keynote at the IFA in Berlin, Tuesday, Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, stated that the company's Google TV platform (which will be available on an HDTV set and a Blu-ray player from Sony, as well as on a dedicated set-top box from Logitech--for more on Google TV and its feature set, see the article published on itvt.com, May 24th) is on track to launch in the US this fall and that it will launch internationally next year. Schmidt also stated that the platform will offer "support for applications," and stressed that the platform's Web browsing/OTT video capability will be free to consumers. After his speech, he explained to journalists that while Google "will work with content providers...it is very unlikely that we will get into actual content production." Meanwhile, Google TV product marketing manager, Brittany Bohnet, revealed during a product demonstration in the IFA closing keynote that viewers will be able to use their Android and iPhone smartphones to control Google TV devices, and that Google is also working on voice-recognition technology for controlling the devices. Video of Bohnet's demo and of Schmidt's keynote can be seen here (note: the demo begins at about 31 minutes into the video).
• The South Korean government plans to help drive the commercialization of smart-TV/connected-TV technology over the next two years, according to a report in the Korea Herald. The government's efforts will focus on research and development and on creating a favorable regulatory environment, the newspaper reported. "Companies already have the technology for smart TV, but the industry requires an overall streamlining of related regulations and possibly more research and development in order to allow commercialization," a government official told the Korea Herald. "In short, we need the right infrastructure in place."
• Interactive TV and conditional access technology provider, NDS, has announced that it is powering a hybrid TV service in Germany for Vodafone, which is slated to launch at the end of the year. In addition to providing the "Vodafone TV" service (which will be part of a "Vodafone Connected Home" offering) with middleware and content protection, NDS is also serving as its system integrator and is helping market it (note: [itvt], whose knowledge of technical German is admittedly a little sketchy, plans to cover this story in more depth shortly).
• Online video platform provider, Ooyala, has announced a deal to power video for DECA, the company behind Momversation.com, GoodBite.com, ParentsAsk.com and various other entertainment and community sites that target a female demographic. According to Ooyala, its platform will make it easy for DECA to offer ad-supported video content and will allow viewers of that content to share it easily via services such as Facebook, Twitter, Digg and email.