Willamette Broadband Deploys Gemstar-TV Guide's i-Guide EPG

--Operator had Previously Used Microsoft TV's EPG

EPG developer, Gemstar-TV Guide, contacted [itvt] Monday to let us know that Willamette Broadband, a regional cable operator serving various communities just south of Portland, Oregon, has launched its new i-Guide EPG (note: the operator has also launched Gemstar's TV Guide Channel). The i-Guide is designed to be VOD-, PVR-, and HD- friendly. Among other things, it features dual-tuner DVR support, and offers multiple access points to cable operators' VOD services, including improved menuing systems, links between listings of a channel's linear TV schedule and that channel's on-demand offerings, banner ads at the bottom of the screen, and a "flip bar" display that viewers can access when watching a channel to find out more about that channel's on-demand programming.

The Willamette Broadband deployment sees i-Guide replacing Microsoft TV's EPG. Willamette and its parent company, Uvision (which is also dropping the Microsoft TV EPG), were, in fact, the first operators to deploy the Microsoft TV guide--back in April, 2003. [itvt] asked Microsoft TV marketing and communications director, Ed Graczyk, why the operators had decided to drop its guide: "Microsoft TV no longer offers a separate, standalone IPG product," he explained in an email. "We are instead focusing resources on our two signature digital TV platforms, Microsoft TV Foundation Edition and Microsoft TV IPTV Edition. Willamette Broadband and Uvision have no immediate plans to grow their services beyond the IPG, and as a result we've mutually decided to part ways. While we're sorry to see the relationship come to an end, we're pleased with the successes we've shared with Willamette Broadband and Uvision. It's been a valuable experience and a pleasure to work together."

Red Fig Launches Mobile Backchannel Service

Participation TV specialist, Red Fig (note: the latter, which was recently acquired by digital TV production company, enteraction tv, in a deal worth around £3 million, offers red-button application development services and technologies for integrating multiple types of interactivity in a single show, but is perhaps best known for technologies that allow viewers to interact with programming by using land-line and mobile phones), has launched a service that will allow advertisers to use mobile phones as a backchannel through which viewers can interact with their TV commercials. The service is centered on the creation and delivery of WAP or Java branded content microportals, dubbed "MiAds." Consumers will first be invited to respond to TV commercials (brands will also be able to use the service to enhance and add interactivity to their radio, print and outdoor advertising) by texting a keyword to a shortcode; then, by following what Red Fig says will be "some simple steps," they will be able to access the MiAds, which will feature images, videos, and live newsfeeds, and which will allow them to request additional information and download supplemental content. According to Red Fig, the service will also allow advertisers to personalize messages to consumers, and will provide them with greater visibility through in-store coupons, bar codes and online redemption; in addition, the service will enable advertisers to track detailed customer data, the company says. Red Fig claims that it is currently in discussions with several advertisers, agencies, and commercial broadcasters that are interested in the new service. "By the end of the year, almost 75% of all mobiles will be able to access the Web via GPRS, and with billions of WAP impressions viewed per month, mobile interactivity is already a mass market tool," James Penfold, business development director at Red Fig's parent company, enteraction tv, said in a prepared statement (note: Penfold is leading the MiAds project). "As consumers replace their handsets regularly and with the mobile becoming more sophisticated with the ability to provide a richer, multimedia experience, it's clear that the mobile will become the new killer platform for branded content."

Australia's Fox8 Uses conVISUAL's Technology for Live 8 SMS-to-TV

Germany's conVISUAL says that it has secured a deployment of its Mobile Interactive TV Platform technology with Australian broadcaster Fox8. The broadcaster used the technology to allow its viewers to send in their names via SMS during its broadcast of the recent Live 8 concert event. Their names were then automatically displayed on-screen and added to a petition supporting Live 8's goal of "making poverty history." ConVISUAL secured the deployment through its Australian partner, IAM Mobile. Financial terms of its agreements with Fox8 and IAM Mobile have not been disclosed.

Two Way TV Australia in Mobile ITV Deal with Australia's Sky News

Two Way TV Australia--a company that holds exclusive perpetual licenses to use technologies and content from Two Way TV UK in Australia and New Zealand, and which, following an IPO in which it raised AUS$40 million to fund its expansion, recently signed a licensing deal with the UK company that will allow it to use the latter's technologies in a number of new Asian markets--says it has signed a two-year deal with Australia's Sky News. The deal calls for TWTV Australia to create an interactive TV service for the latter that will allow its viewers in Australia and New Zealand to vote on issues via their mobiles. The service will be based on a technology, dubbed Simcast, which was acquired by TWTV UK via its purchase of the company of the same name last year, and which TWTV Australia has now licensed to Sky News. The technology handles incoming mobile messages and votes, provides moderation tools for studio personnel, and displays messages and poll results on-screen in real time. The deal between TWTV Australia and Sky News calls for them to share revenues from mobile messaging on a 50/50 basis, after third-party costs. In addition, Sky News will pay an upfront installation and license fee for the Simcast technology and an ongoing support license agreement. Earlier this year, TWTV Australia signed a deal to provide Simcast-based services to New Zealand broadcaster, Prime TV.

Global Interactive Gaming Signs SportXction MOU with Littlewoods

Interactive Systems Worldwide says that its subsidiary, Global Interactive Gaming (GIG), has signed a memorandum of understanding with Littlewoods Betdirect. The MOU calls for the companies to work together to formalize plans for GIG to supply its SportXction play-by- play betting system to Littlewoods Betdirect, for use on the latter's Internet, mobile, and interactive TV platforms. Littlewoods Betdirect plans to offer the system on its Internet platform in the third quarter, and the companies say they will at the same time evaluate whether they should also launch it on Littlewoods Betdirect's other platforms. The ITV version of the platform is marketed under the brand, WINPlay. It has been deployed on a trial basis by BSkyB's Skybet service where it supports play-by-play betting on soccer, cricket, golf, rugby, tennis and snooker via the remote. It also displays constantly updated wagering propositions and odds information on-screen during Sky's coverage of a game (note: odds are updated using artificial intelligence software which is designed to reflect punter sentiment, as deduced from the latters' betting patterns).

Mobile Media, MyThum Enable Interactivity on CHUM's PunchMuch Channel

The Mobile Media Company--a provider of wireless games, interactive entertainment services and mobile marketing applications, which last year purchased two Telenor subsidiaries, Telenor Interactive and Cee.tv Format (the Mobile Media Company counts Telenor Venture as a major investor)--says that it and its Canadian partner, mobile- messaging solutions provider, MyThum, are enabling the mobile-based interactive services that accompany CHUM Television's newly rebranded PunchMuch channel (note: the latter was previously known as MTV2, but MTV has since ended its participation in the channel). PunchMuch is a completely automated music video channel that lets viewers use their mobiles to request videos, and participate in polls and on-screen SMS chats. According to the partners, PunchMuch's interactive elements are powered by Mobile Media's Viz|Response ITV technical platform and based on its content concepts. (Note: the Viz/Response platform is designed to enable SMS-to-TV services. It consists of three main elements: a design program called "Viz/Artist"; a "Viz Engine" that renders Viz/Artist-created graphics to SDI output; and the "Viz/Response Media Sequencer," which allows broadcasters to set up frame-accurate play lists, configure communication with messaging solutions, and set up synchronized automation control of both the graphics engine and the messaging handling.) Its ITV ground operation, meanwhile, is being managed by MyThum. "MyThum and Mobile Media have worked together for several years and supplied a large portfolio of clients with interactive mobile services, including advanced interactive TV platforms and content concepts," MyThum CEO, Michael Carter, said in a prepared statement. "The deal with CHUM is one of the most extensive ITV agreements in North America, allowing access to a variety of interactive mobile experiences and embracing a truly multi-channel and multi-media viewer experience."

In other CHUM news: the broadcaster has promoted Maria Hale to the newly created position of VP of content business development. Her duties will include leading its interactive department, and she will report to the former head of that department, Roma Khanna, who is now CHUM's SVP of content (note: Hale herself headed up the interactive department prior to Khanna). "Maria's experience in both television and interactive businesses and her keen understanding of the ever-evolving broadcasting industry make her perfectly suited to developing and exploring innovative ways of doing business across new platforms," Khanna said in a prepared statement.

Continued below...

Belgacom Commercially Launches Siemens-Powered IPTV Service

Belgium's incumbent telco, Belgacom, has now commercially launched its DSL-based IPTV service. The service is powered by Siemens' "Siemens Surpass" end-to-end IPTV solution: the latter features middleware that Siemens acquired through its acquisition earlier this year of Seattle-based Myrio, as well as a variety of products from Siemens' technology partners, including, VOD servers from nCUBE, content protection from Verimatrix, and video broadcast equipment from Tandberg Television (note: last month, Siemens announced that Dutch operator, KPN, plans to launch Surpass-based IPTV services over its DSL network this year). The service provides subscribers with linear TV channels, an EPG, VOD with trickplay features (note: Belgacom's VOD service currently offers only movies, priced at between 2 and 6 Euros, but the company says it will eventually also offer TV programs), and pay-per-view content. Later this year, it will offer Web browsing, PVR and other services; at some future stage, it is expected to incorporate applications that allow viewers to interact with programming, using their remote controls. The commercial launch of the service--which Belgacom says is now available to over half of Belgium's population (the company says that ongoing VDSL and ADSL2+ roll-outs mean that the service will be available to 60% of that population by the end of the year)--was preceded by a six-month, 1,000-subscriber trial.

All Access Technologies to Use Eagle/GlobeCast IPTVComplete

IPTV technology provider, Eagle Broadband, and France Telecom- subsidiary, GlobeCast, say that All Access Technologies plans to use their IPTVComplete end-to-end IPTV system to provide video services to its residential subscribers in Florida, Texas and Nevada. Access, which builds and operates private fiber-to-the-user (FTTU) networks that deliver data, voice and security services to high-end MDU's and planned communities, will initially offer IPTV services in South Florida, and then in Texas and Nevada.

According to Eagle and GlobeCast, IPTVComplete incorporates over 200 channels of standard- and high-definition IPTV programming, VOD and pay-per-view services, and digital music services. The companies say they have secured full multicast video content rights for distribution of the programming over fiber, DSL and other private IP networks. They claim that IPTVComplete can save operators that want to deploy IPTV services up to $2 million in up-front capital expenditures which would otherwise have to be made to acquire and install an IP headend, secure all the necessary content rights, provision circuits, aggregate content, operate and maintain the headend, and perform various other tasks involved in launching and offering such services. Eagle brings to the partnership IP video content rights that it says it has secured over the years, its line of IP set-top boxes, and its experience in delivering IP video services, while GlobeCast brings its IP network and global IP satellite distribution capabilities. The partners say that GlobeCast's satellite distribution infrastructure will allow them to offer a high-quality IPTV video signal anywhere in the US, that can then be distributed over an operator's existing fiber or DSL broadband network. Operators pay a monthly fee for the service, alongside a per- subscriber fee.

J:COM Broadband Rolls Out VOD Service in Sapporo and Kyushu

Jupiter Telecommunications, which provides service under the brand, J:COM Broadband, and which operates the largest broadband and hybrid fiber coax cable network in Japan, has launched its Concurrent Computer-powered J:COM On Demand VOD service in Sapporo and Kyushu--which means that it has now rolled out the service across its entire footprint. It has also expanded the service's library via deals with NHK, Toshiba Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, and other providers. Its library now contains around 2,400 titles--including Japanese and Hollywood movies, children's programming, educational and self-improvement programming, karaoke content and music videos--which are offered on a pay-per-view, subscription or free-to- view basis.

SureWest Deploys Version 2.0 of Minerva's iTVManager

IPTV technology provider, Minerva Networks, says that its existing customer, independent telecommunications provider, SureWest (delivers service to around 16,000 customers in California, over fiber- to-the-premises networks), has deployed version 2.0 of its iTVManager software, in order to improve its service. According to Minerva, the upgrade means that the service now features better scalability; improved on-screen navigation; enhanced parental controls; and intelligent use of multicast technology to refresh and cache EPG and VOD preview data (thus reducing overall network traffic and improving system response). The software also incorporates a native set-top box application, in order to speed up channel changing and scrolling through VOD menus. Last month, Minerva announced that Dublin, Ireland-based Smart Telecom had chosen iTVManager 2.0 and its VC8000 headend system to deliver a range of advanced television services, including live TV, PVR, VOD and SVOD, over an FTTH network.

Chinese Set-Top Vendor, Coship, Licenses ANT's Fresco Browser

Cambridge, UK-based IPTV embedded browser, content control and interface software company, ANT plc, says that one of China's largest set-top box manufacturers, Coship, has licensed its ANT Fresco embedded HTML browser for use in IP set-tops targeted at the Asian and European markets. The browser--which ANT says has been pre- integrated with a range of commonly used IPTV middleware platforms, including those of Alcatel, Orca Interactive, Thales and Minerva Networks--will be shipped on Coship's low-cost AnySight200 set-tops. The companies plan to demo the combo at the upcoming IBC show in Amsterdam. "This is a true win-win relationship, in that ANT's international brand will help Coship extend beyond its home market and Coship's leadership in China will help ANT in further penetrating this rapid growth region," ANT's executive director of sales and marketing, Stephen Reeder, said in a prepared statement. In May, ANT announced that the Fresco browser and its PurePlay digital media manager technology had been licensed by two Taiwanese companies, Asky Computer Corporation and Alpha Networks, for use in IPTV set- tops. Last August, the company opened a Singapore office to serve the Asia Pacific region.

Tandberg Television Opens 24/7 Network Operations Center for VOD

Tandberg Television--which last year acquired Atlanta-based VOD infrastructure technology provider, N2 Broadband--has opened a 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) in Atlanta to provide technical support for its VOD and video compression technologies. According to Tandberg, the new NOC is currently supporting over 1,500 VOD systems. "We're clearly ahead of our competitors in providing a single support environment," Tandberg Television Americas president, Reggie Bradford (note: he was previously president and CEO of N2 Broadband), said in a prepared statement. "Our center is staffed with highly skilled VOD and compression engineers. Our number one focus has always been customer satisfaction and now we're best placed in the industry to help customers optimize system availability while reducing operational costs."

In other Tandberg Television news: the company said earlier this month that it has received an order, valued in excess of $9 million, from an unnamed North American cable customer. The new contract will see Tandberg delivering software to the customer over the next 12 months.

Federal Hill to Help Global Vision Gain VOD Business in Hollywood

Federal Hill Communications, which specializes in assisting companies in negotiating content-licensing and other types of agreements with movie studios and independent producers, says that it has been contracted by Canadian independent post-production facility, Global Vision, to help the latter establish business opportunities with Hollywood studios for its VOD content management system and encoding services for the Canadian market. Global Vision has developed an Internet-based asset management system, dubbed VOD Canada/Wired-Vision, which it says oversees metadata, window allocation, access control, promotional materials, virtual storage of assets, order tracking, and delivery authorization. After content orders have been approved by a distributor, Global Vision handles the encoding and the secure delivery of assets.

ADB Becomes First STB Vendor to Integrate STMicro's STi5100 Processor

Geneva-based Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) says that it has become the first set-top box manufacturer to integrate STMicroelectronics' STi5100 processor. Shipments of the first ADB set-top to incorporate the processor, the 3100S (for use with satellite services in Israel), began this month. The box is equipped with an Ethernet connection, allowing operators to enhance their service offering by using a broadband modem to deliver IP-based content; it also features a USB 2.0 port, which, via a software upgrade, can be used to connect peripheral devices such as digital cameras. According to STMicroelectronics, the STi5100 incorporates a 200MHz+ CPU, allowing it to enable swifter channel changing and faster rendering of on-screen graphics (for example, for advanced EPG's), and to optimize performance of middleware platforms such as OpenTV, NDS Core and MHP. "We are extremely pleased to see ADB launch a STi5100-based product in what is a very short development timescale," Armando Caltabiano, group VP of STMicroelectronics' Retail and Satellite Division, said in a prepared statement. "Clearly this market-first pays testament to the high quality and close collaboration of both companies' research and development teams. The new processor will provide operators with an advanced feature-set facilitating the launch of new services, in addition to providing their customers with benefits of more technically advanced silicon." ADB says that it also plans to launch STi5100-based set-tops for the digital terrestrial and cable markets.

Video Networks Replacing Defective Set-Top Boxes

Video Networks--the company which operates the ADSL-based IPTV service, HomeChoice, in London and Stevenage, and which, until recently was one of only two companies in the UK to offer VOD (the other was Kingston Interactive Television)--has confirmed that certain of its set-top boxes are equipped with an internal power supply that is prone to wearing out early. "Video Networks has experienced a problem with early wear-out of the internal power supply unit that is housed within certain HomeChoice set-top boxes," Video Networks chairman and CEO, Roger Lynch, wrote in an email to [itvt]. "We take this issue extremely seriously and are proactively replacing the set-top boxes that have the power supplies in question. This will ensure that, wherever possible, the customer will not experience a break in their HomeChoice service."

Amino Receives $5 Million Set-Top Order from "Tier-One" Russian Telco

Cambridge, UK-based IP set-top box company, Amino Technologies, says that it has received a new order, worth close to $5 million, from an unnamed "tier-one telco" in Russia. The telco, which has been trialing Amino's AmiNET 110 IP set-top since last fall, is an existing Amino customer: it has already taken delivery of 15,000 units of the box and committed to taking an additional 5,000 this summer. The new order will see it taking another 49,000 units, which are scheduled to be delivered by next January. "Although this new order has already been included in our business plan, we are delighted to see the first volume roll out by a tier-one telco of IPTV services using Amino technology," Amino CEO, Bob Giddy, said in a prepared statement.

Pace Set-Tops to Power Viasat's PVR Service

UK-based set-top box vendor, Pace Micro Technology, has signed an agreement with Scandinavian satellite TV provider, Viasat Broadcasting, to supply the latter with Pace TDS460 set-top boxes for its new PVR service. The box features twin tuners (allowing end-users to record one show while watching another, or to record two programs at a time, while simultaneously watching a previously recorded program) and a 160GB hard drive. Shipments of the box are due to commence in the third quarter: it will be available directly from Viasat or through Pace's Scandinavian distribution partners. Pace, which manufactures BSkyB's Sky+ DVR, recently announced that it had secured an agreement to provide DVR's to German pay-TV provider, Premiere. It also recently unveiled an HDTV set-top, dubbed the "Tahoe," for the US market.

VWB Begins Shipping its MediaREADY 5000

Video Without Boundaries (VWB) says that it has begun shipping its high-end digital media center, the MediaREADY 5000, to retailers and OEM's around the world. The new Linux-based box provides a DVR, DVD/MPEG 1, 2 and 4 playback, storage/retrieval via its internal 120GB hard drive or a PC-based home-networked hard drive, an EPG, Internet browsing, email, MP3, WAV and CD playback, streaming video and audio, karaoke, games, a media jukebox, a full-sized wireless keyboard, Firewire (400Mbps) and 802.11 (54Mbps) wireless or Ethernet (100Mbps) wired support. For the European market, it also provides digital terrestrial television reception, a DVB-T program guide, European PAL broadcast support, and power conversion suitable for all European electrical currents. Its MSRP is $899.

Alticast Integrates Weather Channel App with its MHP and OCAP Stacks

South Korean MHP and OCAP specialist, Alticast (note: the latter is responsible for the world's first commercial deployment of OCAP--with Korean pay-TV operator, CJ CableNet; it also recently signed an agreement with OpenTV to integrate its AltiCaptor MHP-compliant receiver software stack with OpenTV's Core Middleware), and The Weather Channel say that they have successfully integrated an interactive TV weather application, which was designed by The Weather Channel for use in OCAP and MHP environments, with Alticast's MHP- and OCAP-based middleware stacks. The app offers a range of local and national weather information and other features that appear as overlays to live broadcasts. It presents viewers with various forecast options, including current conditions and outlook, a five-day planner, a weekend planner and Doppler radar. It also offers "lifestyle" features such as allergy information, a UV index and an Almanac. In addition, users can look up weather information for cities across the country. An Alticast spokesperson told [itvt] that "The Weather Channel and Alticast are using this integrated package to co-demo to potential customers, and there is not a targeted commercial deployment that can be announced yet."

Sky Forms Beta Program, Reveals Technology Partners, for New ITV Portal

Sky Interactive has announced that it is establishing a beta program for Web site operators interested in participating in its new--as yet officially unnamed--interactive TV portal which will launch later this year and which will allow businesses and individuals to make their Web sites available to Sky subscribers (note: for more on the portal, see [itvt] Issue 6.09 Part 3). According to Sky, operators that register for the program will receive detailed information about the portal, will be able to review relevant products and services, and will have access to online forums where they can ask questions, with answers being provided by a dedicated Sky team.

Sky has also revealed its technology partners for the new portal. They are:

Software development company Azoth. Sky says that it has collaborated with the latter on a desktop development suite and editor for WTVML-based sites (note: WTVML was developed by Sky, which subsequently made it available as a public standard; operators wishing to adapt their Web sites for the new service will be required to use WTVML). Dubbed WTVStudio, the new product will be offered in "Lite" and "Professional" versions that give site operators a choice between templated content formats and a more advanced editor with full preview and simulation capabilities.
• Web hosting company, Demon. According to Sky, Demon will provide "flexible and secure" hosting services on the new portal that will be priced from £11.75 per month (including the UK's Value Added Tax). Demon has adapted its Web hosting platform to automatically enable interoperability with ITV and support sites that will be available via the new portal.
• Microsoft and ArtemisCorp. The new portal will employ ArtemisCorp's CMS.RAPID content management system to enable the development, deployment and maintenance of its WTVML-based services. The system is based on Microsoft's Content Management Server 2002, which provides various authoring tools and which is billed by Microsoft as streamlining the Web-publishing process.
• ITV authoring tools provider, Tamblin. The latter is set to launch a software tool for developing and publishing WTVML-based content on the portal. Dubbed i-ZoneTV On-Demand for e-business, the new tool will, according to Tamblin, offer pre-tested templates and an on- demand pricing model, in order to allow Web site operators to launch services on the portal quickly and at low cost: according to Tamblin CEO, Stuart Waite, Web site owners that use the new tool will be able to create and publish interactive services "within 24 hours." The company plans to offer several "starter packages" of templates: each package will be targeted at a specific vertical market, such as radio stations, advertisers, charities, telecommunications companies and SMS operators. The new tool is, of course, based on Tamblin's i-ZoneTV Core engine, which is used extensively in Sky Active, and which, according to Tamblin, has been used to publish over 60 ITV applications to more than 20 channels on the Sky platform over the past two years.

Sky Interactive says that it will provide more information on the new portal at a free conference it will hold at BAFTA's London headquarters on July 28th. The conference will provide an overview of the e-business opportunities available on the portal, and will provide information on how Web site operators can adapt their sites for it.

In other Sky Interactive news: the division appears likely to let go a small number of its 190 staff, following a company-wide review whose goal is to improve the efficiency of BSkyB's operations. A BSkyB spokesperson contacted by [itvt] told us he was not at liberty to say how many positions would be cut, but [itvt] believes that it could be fewer than 10: "We have been undertaking a review process which seeks to ensure we are operating with the most efficient structure possible," the spokesperson said. "Any changes that are made are designed to support the continued growth of the Sky Interactive business in terms of revenue and usage volumes and profitability."

Growth of Non-Linear TV Forces Nielsen to Adopt Time-Based Prompting

Television audience measurement company, Nielsen Media Research, says that it has decided to prompt audience panel members who are using its new Active/Passive Meters every 42 minutes rather than whenever they change channels. The shift to time-based prompting is because of the growth of non-linear viewing options, such as VOD and PVR, that render the old channel-based prompting model inadequate.

BBC Backstage Offering 7-Day TV Listings Feed in TV-Anytime XML Format

BBC Backstage (backstage.bbc.co.uk), a Web site which the BBC says it has set up to "provide data, resources and support for users who wish to build prototypes and proofs of concepts using BBC material," and which has not yet officially launched, is offering a feed containing seven-day BBC TV and radio listing information in TV-Anytime XML format. The feed, which is offered as a daily snapshot, will initially be available for a three-month trial period, and, the BBC stresses that, like all other BBC Backstage feeds, it is "provided strictly for non- commercial purposes." TV-Anytime's Phase 1 interactive TV standard (TVA-1 standard) is published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) as TS 102 822: it addresses the means by which viewers will be able to search, select, and acquire broadcast and online audiovisual content via PVR's.

up to headlines

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