The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken delivery of HDTV MPEG-2 encoder equipment in order to expand capacity on its contribution network.
Supplied by NTT Electronics Corporation, the Encoder HE5100 will allow the organisation’s members to cope with the rising demand for HD content.
This is expected to increase further over the summer with the expansion of HD broadcasts for various major sporting events.
These include the Beijing Olympics, Euro 2008, the Tour de France, and tennis events at Paris’ Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The HDTV MPEG-2 Encoder HE5100 delivered to the EBU, the largest association of national broadcasters in the world, incorporates the internally-developed single-chip MPEG-2 codec LSI.
As well as allowing the EBU to meet the increasing demand for HD content, the encoder provides high image quality in a compact unit.
It supports both HDTV signals (1080p/1080i/720p) and SDTV signals (576i/512i/480i).
NTT Electronics has developed a variety of video compression technologies.
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European broadcasters expand HD capacity in advance of summer of sport
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Blu-ray recorder sales rising fast in Japan
Sales of high definition Blu-ray recorders are increasing rapidly in Japan as consumers take to the new generation of home movie entertainment.
Last month the more expensive Blu-ray recorders topped the old generation recorders in the value of sales for the first time.
The research firm BCN Ltd said that around a third of machines sold now carry the new format.
Shigehiro Tanaka, BCN chief analyst, said: “Full high-definition picture quality has become a main stream for big-screen TVs, and camcorders with higher picture quality are getting popular, too.
“From the input of data to output, high definition is taking root in Japan.”
The country was at the heart of the format war, which pitted the Blu-ray discs championed by Sony Corp against Toshiba Corp’s HD-DVD discs.
Analysts believe sales of Blu-ray players have been held back, first by indecision over the outcome of the format war and then by high prices.
However, the BCN survey showed April sales for Blu-ray in Japan were almost three times the 12.4 per cent share for both formats in January, before HD-DVD’s demise.
The researchers expect sales of the Blu-ray will rapidly expand in coming months as makers such as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd are likely to cut down prices in a lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. -
Sony commits to Tru2way TV
Sony has signed an agreement with the US’s six largest cable companies to produce a TV that will receive digital signals without the need for a set-top box.
The Japanese electronics company will make an LCD set based on the Tru2way cable platform introduced in January at CES by Comcast.
Tru2way allows interactive cable services to be integrated directly into devices without the need for set-top boxes, which are made by companies such as Motorola Inc and Cisco Systems Inc, which owns Scientific Atlanta.
The agreement is between Sony and Comcast Corp, Time Warner Cable Inc, Cox Communications Inc, Charter Communications Inc, Cablevision Systems Corp and Bright House Networks.
Between them the six companies serve more than 82 per cent of cable subscribers in the US.
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), which represents cable television operators in the US, said customers would still be able to attach their own devices – such as TiVo digital video recorders.
Under the new system, customers will still need to get a cable card from their provider.
The cable association said it was hopeful other electronics manufacturers would also agree to use the same technology.
Kyle McSlarrow, president of NCTA, said the Sony announcement meant they had headed off action by the US’s Federal Communications Commission to impose a two-way standard on the industry.
Cable companies and consumer electronics manufacturers have been feuding for a decade about how best to deliver cable services to customers while allowing them to buy equipment of their own choosing.
“Every member of the FCC has encouraged the parties to resolve these highly technical issues in private-sector negotiations,” said McSlarrow.
“This is a landmark agreement which will provide a national, open and interactive platform resulting in more choices of services and products for consumers.”
Sony is not the first consumer electronics company to announce a device based on the platform.
At CES, Panasonic announced two HD televisions and a portable digital video recorder that use Tru2Way.
And last month, Samsung, the world’s largest producer of HDTVs, announced its own Tru2way TV and high-definition DVR. -
First single-chip processing LSI developed by Panasonic for Blue-ray Disc players
Panasonic has announced that it has developed the first single-chip signal processing LSI for Blu-ray Disc players that can both read the disc and decode the content.
Previously these functions were performed by separate front end and back end LSI in addition to seven external memory chips.
By combining the functionality into one chip, 50 per cent less space is required and 25 per cent energy is saved.
As a result of the single chip solution, manufacturers will be able to make smaller Blu-ray players that consume less energy.
The innovation is also likely to result in cheaper Blu-ray playback devices.
The Panasonic chips support Blu-ray 2.0 standard, MPEG-4 H.264 and VC-1 codecs and high-quality audio, including lossless coded content.
The chip is also able to play back video on two screens and can display 3D graphics.
It also supports CD and DVD playback.
Panasonic expects to start shipping the chips to manufacturers in June 2008. -
Plastics breakthrough could help cut cost of Blu-ray players
Scientists have moved a step closer to producing electrically-powered plastic laser diodes that could be used in Blu-ray players.
Currently the laser diodes in such consumer optical storage devices are made out of inorganic semiconductors like gallium arsenide, gallium nitride and other semiconductor alloys related to them.
Now, researchers at Imperial College in London have demonstrated a class of plastic semiconductor materials that may allow the low-cost manufacture of electrically-powered plastic laser diodes.
As well as reducing the cost of devices such as Blu-ray players the development could allow plastic laser diodes to operate across a much more substantial wavelength range.
Professor Donal Bradley, lead author of the new study and head of Imperial’s Department of Physics said the development was “a real breakthrough”.
“In the past, designing polymers for electronic and optoelectronic devices often involved maximising one key property in a material at a time,” he said.
“When people tried to develop plastic semiconductors for laser diode use, they found that optimising the material’s charge transporting properties had a detrimental effect on its ability to efficiently emit light, and vice versa.”
The study’s co-author, Dr Paul Stavrinou, added: “The modifications made to the PFO structure have allowed us to convincingly overcome this perceived incompatibility and they suggest that plastic laser diodes might now be a realistic possibility.”
One of the main stumbling blocks to using plastic semiconductor laser diodes is that, until now, no plastics had been found that could sustain a large enough current whilst also supporting the efficient light emission needed to produce a laser beam.
Now the Imperial physicists have done just that. The plastics studied, synthesised by the Sumitomo Chemical Company in Japan, are closely related to PFO, an archetype blue-light emitting material.
By making subtle changes in the plastic’s chemical structure the researchers produced a material that transports charges 200 times better than before, without compromising its ability to efficiently emit light – indeed the generation of laser light was actually improved.
The research team argues that the future laser diodes made out of the material they have developed may generate light emissions covering the spectrum all the way from near ultraviolet to near infrared. -
US firm signs deal to represent world's largest Beijing HD footage collection in advance of Olympic Games
MediaRecall is to represent a collection of more than 1,100 high quality HD clips shot in Beijing for licensing in advance of this summer’s Olympics.
The subject matter of the clips is diverse, ranging from Beijing lifestyle to footage of the venues and is being made available as stock footage for use in news and editorial programmes.
Made by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), MediaRecall is to be the only company to represent the footage in the USA.
It has agreed to represent MICO (Media International Corporation), the international distributor for the film-makers, for online stock footage licensing.
Over 90% of MICO’s award-winning documentaries, drama series and animations are produced in HD format.
Taneoka Hiroaki, President of Contents Gate, a Japanese content aggregator and MediaRecall partner for Japan, said the MICO cameramen had created something very special.
“Beijing footage is very rare to begin with, let alone HD,” he said. “We expect these clips to be widely licensed for commercial use by broadcast news outlets and for editorial programs.”
Contents Gate brings Japanese content such as anime, Manga, stock footage and film to the global marketplace.
Robin Rutledge, CEO of MediaRecall Holdings, said the Beijing footage would be available immediately on STOCKMediaRecall.com, its stock footage portal.
“The Beijing Olympics is surrounded with controversy, air quality, human rights issues,” he said. “Now we have HD footage available to support these important stories.”
Rutledge said he expected “explosive growth” in online content sales throughout Asia over the next few years.
He said creating trusted relationships with Japanese partners such as Contents Gate and MICO was the only way to be successful in acquiring quality Japanese content.
“We have a very close relationship with Contents Gate, who now represents MediaRecall in Asia,” he said.
“We expect to open a full digital facility in Tokyo by the end of 2008. Hiro Taneoka, is our key representative and is aggregating unique Asian content for online and mobile monetization, both in the USA and in Asia.
MediaRecall Holdings is a major provider of video archiving digital services and online delivery to TV stations, large video archives and collections and other video content holders. -
Samsung continues re-structuring following management changes
Samsung’s home-theater, DVD and Blu-ray-player businesses will be merged with the TV section as part of moves to change the way it operates.
Samsung Electronics Co, the flagship company of South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group, said the re-organisation within the digital-media division was part of a wider re-structuring.
Earlier this month, the executive who led Samsung Electronics Co to the top of the global electronics industry in the past decade, Yun Jong-yong, resigned as vice chairman and chief executive.
In April, the company’s chairman left abrubtly as part of a broad management shuffle.
Lee Yoon-woo, 62, the former chief of its chip division and a vice chairman, succeeded Mr. Yun. -
Blue Ray Technologies expansion includes Hollywood plant to serve new BD and HD demand
Blue Ray Technologies is planning to open multiple Blu-Ray disc production facilities across the U.S, starting with a facility near Hollywood to be close to the indie and major studios that have now all adopted Blu-ray.
The new facilities are designed to be capable of handling the next generation of movie and game discs, Blue-ray 2.0, which gives an interactive web dimension to the consumer, and offer up to “five layers of entertainment”, according to BRT founder Erick Hansen.
Erick Hansen, founder BRT Hansen, whose Hollywood move puts him closer to the studios he has worked with for years, has also been in negotiations with the major studios through an affiliated company for downloadable high definition content over the Internet.
While being a pioneer in DVD and now championing Blu-ray discs, Hansen also believes in delivering the best in movie and game content in whatever form the consumer wants it.
With the end of the format war, and 70% of the US having bought or buying HD screens (according to Nielsen figures) there is an “overwhelming” demand now for instant products in Blu-ray. Hansen says this is the present and future in the arena.
He said this means multiple production and shipping locations are needed to serve the demand, something never done before at this end of the industry.
Especially for TV shows, ranging from major sports reality TV shows, audiences want the programmes quickly.
The company is upgrading its Spokane, WA, plant and the new facilities will be closer to Hollywood studios and networks.
“We are looking for additional facilities in Southern California for the overwhelming demand for Blu-ray,” said Hansen.
He added: “We will be looking to add additional capacity in the Mid-West and East Coast.”
BRT’s expansion plans extend beyond the US: “By the end of the year, we will be working with strategic partnerships in Europe to build a world-class global digital distribution system.” -
Results shows global LCD TV sales outstripped plasma TV by 8:1 for Q1 of 2008
Over 21 million LCD TVs were sold in the first three months of 2008 compared to 2.8 million plasma sets, according to a data compiled by research firm DisplaySearch.
The total number of TVs sold during the period was 46.1 million, up only 1% compared to sales in 2007.
The slow-down in sales is largely attributed to a weaker US economy.
Overall revenue rose 8%, however, to $24.8 billion USD, thanks to increasing sales of larger, more expensive LCD and plasma displays.
Aging CRT TVs were still the best selling, with 22.1 million sold, with LCD closely behind at 21.1 million.
Plasma and rear projection televisions had sales of 2.8 million and 134,000 sold respectively.
Year-over-year CRT sales were down 21%, LCD up 45%, plasma up 20% and RPTV down 79%.
In terms of brands, Samsung led in revenue for the 9th straight quarter, with an impressive 39% year-over-year growth
Flat panel TV demand is expected to be strong overall in 2008 and manufacturers are to use smaller screen sizes and low-cost models to stimulate demand among price conscious consumers.
This strategy is also expected to be adopted to maintain growth in mature markets, particularly as many consumers look to buy their second or third flat panel TV.
In terms of brand, Samsung was the global brand share leader in revenues for the ninth straight quarter, improving to more than 20% for the first time on robust 39% year-on-year growth.
Samsung also had the top ranking on a unit basis. Sony was ranked second on a revenue basis for the third straight quarter, declining about a point to 13.2% revenue share after a very strong Q4 performance.
LGE remained in third place, leveraging a second place unit share position to offset lower ASPs. -
Chinese manufacturers given approval to produce Blu-ray discs
Eleven Chinese disc manufacturers, including TCL, Malata and Desay, have been authorized by Blu-ray Disc Association to produce Blue-Ray discs, CDs, and disc players next year.
According to president of Blu-ray Disc Association, each of the manufacturers have now turned to BD development since Toshiba’s withdrawal from the HD DVD camp in February this year and BDA’s member number has increased to 187 while that of International DVD Forum has decreased to 163 from 240.
It is estimated that the demand for consumer electronics and computers adopted with BD technology will reach 5.3 million this year and top 11 million by 2009.