Multi-screen

Comcast unlocks vault of Fox TV Everywhere content

February 12, 2013 3:02 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

Comcast and Fox Networks announced a multi-platform distribution deal that gives nearly 22 million Xfinity TV customers access to a wide range of video content from Fox across linear TV, online, tablets, mobile devices and gaming consoles.

TWC adds VOD content for PCs, Macs on Web browser

February 11, 2013 2:55 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

After offering VOD content on its TWC TV app for iPads, Time Warner Cable has upgraded its TWCTV.com Web portal to do the same on Macs and PCs. With the upgrade to TWCTV.com, Time Warner Cable is now serving up 4,000 VOD titles to subscribers.

Milius and milestones

February 8, 2013 5:02 pm | by Brian Santo | Blogs | Comments

Ray Milius and his team are responsible for engineering matters at Starz. Starz is not among the largest programmers, but it frequently is among the first programmers to adopt new technologies. Recently, Ray and his team got Starz into TV Everywhere with its Encore and MoviePlex On Demand And Play services.

Making the second screen work

February 7, 2013 12:52 pm | by Brian Santo | Articles | Comments

Years after Netflix, smartphones and tablets all hit the scene, even those service providers capable of multi-screen delivery continue to struggle with the multi-screen phenomenon. That’s because even as service providers respond to viewers’ increasing appetite for video on screens other than the TV, consumers’ multi-screen behavior continues to evolve.

A kaleidoscope of moving parts

February 7, 2013 11:34 am | by Craig Kuhl, Contributing Editor | Articles | Comments

The once heavily tech-driven business model of small Tier 2 and Tier 3 cable and broadband service providers is morphing into a kaleidoscope of moving, interchangeable parts. Smaller operators whose subscriber counts number in the four- and five-figure range are fiddling with and tweaking their business models like never before.

Managing the multi-screen video transformation

February 7, 2013 10:56 am | by Paul Casinelli, product manager at IneoQuest Technologies | Articles | Comments

The multi-screen transformation has taken the video world by storm. Customers now expect the same video services they receive on their set-top box on their video-capable devices. Adoption of multi-screen services is occurring across the spectrum, running the gamut of service providers, content providers and enterprises.

Malone’s Liberty Global eyes Virgin Media

February 5, 2013 3:02 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

John Malone’s Liberty Global is in the process of cooking up a deal to buy Virgin Media. Virgin Media’s price tag could be in the range of $24 billion, while its market capitalization stands at $10.4 billion. Including debt, its enterprise value is around $19.4 billion.

TWC tips off multi-screen access to TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes

February 4, 2013 3:27 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

Authenticated subscribers of Time Warner Cable and DirecTV can now catch all of the Los Angeles Lakers games on their iOS devices, home computers, and Android tablets and phones. Time Warner Cable has made its TWC SportsNet and TWC Deportes video content available for Internet and mobile viewing.

Axtel launches IPTV with Ericsson

February 4, 2013 3:22 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

Mexican telephony and broadband provider Axtel just fired up an IPTV. Ericsson said it is providing managed services, consulting and systems integration for the service. The initial launch is in Mexico's three largest cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

DirecTV preparing for TV Everywhere ad insertion

January 31, 2013 2:49 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

DirecTV will introduce ad insertion for its DirecTV Everywhere service later this year, using technology from FreeWheel, in which DirecTV has also just invested. FreeWheel raised $16 million and then another $12 million in two previous rounds of funding.

Time Warner Cable gears up for launch of cloud-based UI on IP boxes

January 31, 2013 2:33 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

On a fourth-quarter and year-end earnings conference call, Time Warner Cable President and COO Rob Marcus outlined some of the cable operator’s key initiatives for this year, which included the rollout of a cloud-based user interface on IP set-top boxes and gateways.

ThinkAnalytics 1st recommendation vendor to sign up for Comcast RDK

January 29, 2013 3:09 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

United Kingdom-based ThinkAnalytics continues to make inroads into the United States. To wit: ThinkAnalytics’ recommendation engine is the first and only one to date to license the Comcast Reference Design Kit (RDK) software stack. Vendors have been lining up in droves to take part in Comcast’s RDK efforts.

Comcast’s thePlatform puts HTML out front on new video player service

January 29, 2013 3:03 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

It’s a fragmentized ecosystem when it comes to enabling video content across various devices and browsers, but Comcast’s thePlatform hopes to build a more unified front with an updated video player service that puts HTML5 in the leadoff position.

Cablevision stirs in Watch Disney offerings to TV Everywhere mix

January 25, 2013 2:56 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

Cablevision has added video from Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney XD and Watch Disney Junior for authenticated customers of its Optimum TV to Go service. Cablevision customers who receive the networks as part of their monthly video service can now stream these channels live or view popular shows in on-demand.

Cable One ups TV Everywhere with Synacor, bows guarantee program

January 24, 2013 1:56 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

Cable One has added more TV Everywhere content via an expanded agreement with Synacor, and it also announced a new 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee program. Cable One signed on early last year with Synacor for its first crack at TV Everywhere services and a new customer Web portal.