Broadband

Digital Rapids adds Netflix preset

April 5, 2013 2:36 pm | by Brian Santo | Products | Comments

Digital Rapids is making available presets for its media transformation and workflow solutions designed specifically to make it easier for suppliers to prepare their content for streaming on Netflix. The Netflix presets will be available for the Digital Rapids Transcode Manager 2.0.

Harmonic adopts Aspera’s fast transfer tech

April 5, 2013 2:26 pm | by Brian Santo | Products | Comments

Harmonic has integrated Aspera’s fasp technology in its Media Applications Server (MAS). The combined solution allows complex workflows to be orchestrated and enforced, allowing quick and efficient routing of content to the intended destination, the two companies explained.

Internet from lamps one step closer

April 5, 2013 2:20 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

Transmitting data using simple LEDs is still a research technology, but it took another step closer to practical implementation when the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute used off-the-shelf LED room lights for data transmission with data rates up to 800 Mbps in one laboratory experiment.

Motorola sets practical demos of HEVC

April 5, 2013 2:09 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

One of Motorola’s demos next week will feature a real-time HEVC encoder delivering streaming content to a Google Nexus 10 tablet for real-time decoding and playback, the company said. A second demo will showcase real-time HEVC HTTP live streaming to an Apple iPad (4th generation). A third will show an IP set-top box decoding HEVC.

Triveni Digital goes independent

April 5, 2013 2:04 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

The former LG Electronics R&D lab was purchased by a group of employees led by company president Mark Simpson. Triveni Digital now provides a variety of systems that enable television service products for program guide and metadata management, data broadcasting, and video quality assurance.

Rdio launches Vdio for TV, movies

April 4, 2013 2:33 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Rdio, the music streaming service started by a co-founder of Skype, is getting into video. New and current subscribers of a $10-a-month unlimited music plan from Rdio will get $25 to spend in the new digital store for video, called Vdio.

Simple.TV draws $5M in venture money

April 4, 2013 2:27 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

Really Simple Software said it closed $5 million in Series A funding from New World Ventures. Simple.TV is based on a DVR that streams both live and recorded TV shows to tablets, phones, or connected TVs. The system is designed for consumers looking to supplement over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV with over the top (OTT) services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Telenor Sweden readies for multi-screen

April 4, 2013 2:21 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

Telenor Sweden will deploy Ericsson Multiscreen TV solution for its customers, enabling it to deliver content to a wide range of connected devices. Separately, Ericsson will be showing its LTE video delivery system at the NAB Show next week.

SCTE outlines CALM Act best practices

April 4, 2013 2:15 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

The CALM Act requires that the audio level of commercial messages be at the same average loudness as the associated programming content. SCTE 197 provides guidelines for cable operators for recording measured loudness and loudness metadata value.

Midcontinent launches whole home service

April 4, 2013 1:59 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

The MSO has begun deploying a whole-home service based on TiVo equipment and technology. It will roll out the service in Rapid City and the Northern Black Hills area in South Dakota, followed by Minnesota, North Dakota and the remaining South Dakota markets in the coming months.

BCI buying James Cable

April 4, 2013 1:54 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

The company formed by former executives from Bresnan Communications is buying James Cable. The value of the purchase of James Cable was not disclosed, but could be in the neighborhood of $150 million. The move follows BCI’s purchase of the Allegiance cable systems in January.

Broadcom launches first 5G WiFi hotspot

April 3, 2013 1:59 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | News | Comments

Broadcom continues its push to support 5G WiFi with the announcement today of a router that supports the technology; it has made the 5G WiFi hotspot available through SK Telecom. Broadcom's 802.11ac Wi-Fi boasts speeds up to three times faster and up to six times more power efficient than previous generations of Wi-Fi.

Cisco intends to buy Ubiquisys

April 3, 2013 1:49 pm | by Ben Munsen, Wireless Week | News | Comments

Ubiquisys provides 3G and LTE small cell technologies to help close the seams in wireless connectivity. The Ubiquisys purchase will mesh with other recent Cisco acquisitions, like Intucell and Broadhop, and further strengthen the company’s mobile strategy.

Verizon denies Vodafone buyout rumors

April 3, 2013 1:45 pm | by Andrew Berg, Wireless Week | News | Comments

A post on the Financial Times' Alaphaville blog yesterday cited "usually reliable people" who said Verizon Communications and AT&T are mulling a breakup bid for Vodafone at a 40 percent premium to Vodafone’s current price, or about $3.65 a share. The supposed bid would value Vodafone at approximately $245 billion.

RGB upgrades video processor

April 3, 2013 1:37 pm | by Brian Santo | Products | Comments

The company’s Video Multiprocessing Gateway (VMG) Gen 2 incorporates a new scalable plug-in module the company says offers more than double the transcoding capacity of its VMG predecessor. The system is particularly suited for delivering TV Everywhere services.