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Tag: hd-content

  • 4SeTV Streaming Device Brings Four-in-One Viewing Experience to Big Screen TVs, Tablets and Smartphones

    4SeTV Streaming Device Brings Four-in-One Viewing Experience to Big Screen TVs, Tablets and Smartphones

    4SeTV

    A new TV streaming device from 4SeTV lets you watch any four live television shows at once on a tablet, smartphone or TV. Alternatively, up to four people can view an individual live show of their choice on four different devices, at the same time.

    Built on patent pending technology, 4SeTV uses over-the-air broadcasting and streams the HD content you want to see to your connected devices in your home network. It is said to be the first-ever device that lets you select and watch four channels on the same screen.

    4SeTV hooks up to your HDTV antenna and connects to your router with an Ethernet cable. From there, simply switch the box on and go, at the push of a button.

    How it works:

    • Content is broadcast (i.e. free HDTV content over-the-air, clear QAM)
    • It is captured by an antenna and relayed to the 4SeTV device
    • Broadcast content is captured by the 4SeTV device
    • 4SeTV streams the content to connected devices in your home network (smartphones, tablets and TVs)

    4SeTV is now at the production unit stage and conducted live demonstrations of its device at the Showstoppers media event held yesterday at the NAB show in Las Vegas.

    4SeTV is available for pre-order on Kickstarter and is priced at $99 for early adopters. The first units are slated to ship in August.

  • Akamai Brings HDTV-Like Experience Online

    Akamai Technologies has launched the Akamai HD Network, its next generation video delivery offering and the first platform to deliver HD video online to viewers using Adobe Flash technology, Microsoft Silverlight, and to the iPhone, at broadcast-level audience scale.

    The new HD Network combines Akamai’s patented HD EdgePlatform, adaptive bitrate streaming and DVR technology. It supports live and on-demand HD streaming.

    It was designed as one, comprehensive HD network reaching multiple playback environments and devices (including Flash, Silverlight, and the iPhone) especially for large-scale broadcasters and film distributors.

    According to the press release, the network leverages the following functionalities:

    • Adaptive Bitrate Streaming – a streaming process that is designed to enable uninterrupted playback at HD bitrates that seamlessly adjusts to fluctuations in available bandwidth
    • Instant Response – Immediate response to viewer interactions with the video player, including sub-second time-shifting (such as pause, rewind, seek and play commands) video startup times, and seamless stream switching
    • HD Video Player – Open, standards-based video player for faster time to market
    • HD Player Authentication – Authenticates player for all three environments ensuring only authorized players access content

    What makes this new HD network unique is that it delivers video from HTTP servers located closest to end users (over 50,000 in 900 networks in 70 countries) minimizing packet loss and maximizing streaming.

    “We’re entering a different online world, where many content owners and publishers need to deliver HD-quality video to a much wider online audience, with a higher level of interactivity for consumers. Delivering ‘web-quality’ content to ‘web-sized’ audiences is one thing, but delivering HD-quality content to broadcast-scale audiences is another," said Paul Sagan, President and CEO of Akamai.

    The firm says, two key trends have made it necessary to now evolve how streaming media is delivered on the internet. First, online audiences have grown to broadcast scale. Second, those viewers are demanding higher quality content. Studies show that when higher quality video content is offered, viewer engagement time increases. According to Jupiter Research, 60% of regular online video users are less likely to return to a site for video content if the viewing experience is poor.

    Supporting this level of traffic requires a global network that can manage millions of simultaneous users streaming very high bitrate content, they claims.

    "We are excited to see Akamai’s commitment to HTTP adaptive streaming as the future of online video delivery, as we have worked closely over the past year to build a robust end-to-end media delivery platform with IIS Smooth Streaming and Silverlight," said Steve Sklepowich, director for Silverlight at Microsoft Corp.

    "Together, we’ve proven that these true HD experiences can dramatically increase online viewing times for broadcasters,” he added

  • HD Streaming and Blu-ray "Can Co-exist" – For Now


    There are already more digital delivery devices connected to HDTVs in US homes than Blu-ray players, thanks largely to the Xbox 360 and the likes of TiVo, Roku, AppleTV and Vudu.

    Yet despite the numerical supremacy of players capable of streaming HD content, digital downloads are not expected to be a serious competitor to the Blu-ray format anytime soon.

    Why not? Well most consumers don’t have fast enough broadband connections to stream HD video. And the amount of content available is limited.

    Even without these factors, most companies say HD streams can’t yet match the quality of Blu-ray.

    Despite this, Vudu, Apple iTunes and Amazon Video on Demand have all added high-def titles in the last six months.

    They will be joined shortly by Microsoft, via the Xbox 360, and Roxio CinemaNow in a major high-def push.

    But because of broadband limitations, most companies in the space are positioning HD downloads as a complement to Blu-ray.

    Their rationale for this is covered in detail by Jennifer Netherby at Video Business, who quotes a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report predicting that digital sales won’t come near that of Blu-ray in the next five years.

    She goes on to explain that many digital services are planning to deliver them through Blu-ray players in an attempt to expand their reach into the home.

    Sonic and Netflix already have deals with LG Electronics to offer their services on BD players coming this fall.

    Vudu’s director of content acquisitions Rob Holmes acknowledges that HD streaming and Blu-ray can co-exist.

    "We certainly don’t see ourselves as competing with Blu-ray," he told Video Business.

    Some comfort for Blu-ray then, but it is surely just a breathing space?

  • Silicon Image Appoints New Vice President of Worldwide Marketing


    Silicon Image     has announced the appointment of Tim Vehling as vice president of worldwide marketing.

    Vehling will be responsible for product marketing, corporate marketing and technical marketing operations worldwide Silicon Image, which specialises in semiconductors and intellectual property for the secure distribution, presentation and storage of high-definition (HD) content.

    His expertise includes identifying and fostering strategic partnerships, driving system-on-chip (SoC) product roadmaps and definitions, and leading global teams.

    Steve Tirado, president and chief executive officer at Silicon Image, said Vehling would be driving the company’s advanced digital connectivity strategy, initiatives and solutions to emerging and established markets.

    Vehling joins Silicon Image from Micronas GmbH, where he held the position of vice president of marketing and applications engineering and managed a global organization of over 150 employees.

    Prior to that, Vehling was vice president of consumer marketing at LSI, where he helped establish LSI as an industry leader in DVD recorder processors and launched the DVFX video quality branding program.

    Previous appointments include product and technology marketing positions with C-Cube Microsystems, ATI Technologies, Chromatic Research, and VLSI.

  • SiBeam CEO Welcomes Wireless HD "Competition"

    INTERVIEW: With a third group now entering the race to deliver a high-speed wireless technology in the home – and wireless HDTV products hitting the market – momentum is building.

    John LeMoncheck, president and CEO of SiBEAM, and a leading member of the WirelessHD (WiHD) consortium, tells hdtv.biz-news that he welcomes the addition of the rival Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Alliance to the fray.

    Over the past few years a number of wireless technologies have announced their intention to rid homes of cables and stream content around the home.

    Their number was enlarged recently when the newly formed WiGig Alliance declared that it is to develop a high-bandwidth wireless specification before the year end.

    The fact this group has the backing of household names such as Microsoft, LG, Dell, Samsung, Marvell, Nokia, NEC, Intel and Broadcom (among others), might have been cause enough for the competing groups to worry.

    But WiGig’s plans to use the 60 GHz spectrum would have been a particular worry for the WirelessHD (WiHD) consortium, which also uses 60 GHz to send signals.

    Not so, said John LeMoncheck, president and CEO of SiBEAM, and a leading member of WiHD.

    He told hdtv.biz-news that, in general, WiGig’s arrival was very good for the 60 GHz spectrum.

    "This is the way in which the rest of the wireless world is going," he said. "There is room for multiple uses of the spectrum."

    For LeMoncheck the adoption of the 60 GHz spectrum is also something of a personal vindication.

    "When we first started talking about 60 GHz, they laughed me out of the meeting," he said.

    "Now it is satisfying to see the big guys focusing on this technology."

    He added: "There’s not a better or more cost-effective way to do this."

    Growing Interest

    WiGig joining the other competing groups – WiHD and the Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) – also highlights the growing interest in wireless technologies.

    However, LeMoncheck said he would question whether WiGig was actually in direct competition with WiHD – which he described as very consumer electronics focused.

    "WiGig have not been able to clearly elucidate what they want," he said.

    "They are trying to be a lot of things to a lot of people, which can lead to a standard that’s not any use to anyone."

    That’s definitely not the case with WiHD, according to LeMoncheck, who said he was very happy with the progress being made.

    This year has seen the first WiHD-enabled products come to market in Japan and Korea, with launches from Panasonic, LG and Toshiba.

    Panasonic’s Z1 WirelessHD Plasma

    He said more HDTVs are going to be launched in the US and Europe this summer.

    "It has been a very exciting first half of the year for the rollout of the product," he said.

    "We are working hard to have products come out and work seamlessly."

    This has included publishing compliance test procedures in January – tests that all products have to pass before being able to carry the WiHD logo.

    And facilities offering WiHD testing are now also operational.

    A further boost has come from Philips joining the WiHD consortium as a promoter company.

    This brings the total number of promoter companies up to 10 and there are 40 firms associated with the WiHD standard.

    Pieces in Place

    "All the infrastructure is there to bring products to market," said LeMoncheck.

    "We have had tremendous traction in the market and other tier 1 guys should be launching in the fall."

    While products using the WiHD technology are in the high-to-mid range price bracket, LeMoncheck said they were working on bringing the cost down.

    The use of general-purpose complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology is expected to help with this, and he expected to see products in 42" range and lower as a result.

    "We can pick very friendly CMOS geometry, so we have room to migrate down as smaller geometry gets further down the cost curve," he said.

    "We can cut a lot of the cost from a system."

    That will undoubtedly be welcomed by consumers – as will the fact that wireless-enabled products are finally making their way onto the shelves.

  • Belkin Flywire Delayed, Price Rises


    The launch of Belkin’s FlyWire has once again been delayed – this time until August.

    First announced at CES 2008, the initially promising-sounding wireless device streams 1080p HD content from multiple HDMI inputs to HDTV televisions using the 5GHz band.

    So the Flywire hub can be used to wirelessly connect devices such as Blu-ray players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors.

    The company claims its device offers whole-home range that penetrates walls or windows. An IR backchannel allows users to control AV devices hidden behind cabinet doors or in other rooms.

    Automatic frequency hopping is designed to reduce conflicts with Wi-Fi or other signals.

    Originally due for release in the US in January, this has now shifted back to the end of the summer.

    Along with the release changes, Belkin has raised the price of the FlyWire from USD $1,000 to $1,500.

  • Europe's HDTVs "Starved of HD Content"


    FutureSource Consulting has produced an interesting chart (see below) that highlights the gulf between HDTV ownership and the penetration of Blu-ray disc players in Europe.

    It shows that there are 69 million HD-ready TV sets but just 8 million Blu-ray players,including PS3 consoles – prompting the title: "61 million TVs starved of HD content".

    While HD content is obviously available from other sources – such as VOD and HD broadcasting TV stations – the chart clearly shows how much work remains for backers of Blu-ray to get the high-def format into the mainstream.

    The UK tops the chart with 42 per cent of households owning a HDTV and 9 per cent a Blu-ray player.

    Germany comes bottom with 24 per cent with HDTVs and 3 per cent with a Blu-ray player.

    FutureSource is bullish that the numbers of HDTVs seemingly devoid of HD content will soon be reduced.

    It forecasts a strong rise in Blu-ray Player sales – up to 19 million in Western Europe for 2009 and 45 million players by the end of 2011.

  • Euro HD To Nearly Triple In Five Years


    The number of HDTVs in European households is set to rise from 59 million now to 170 million by 2013.

    What’s more encouraging is the number of HD channels distributed in Europe should go from the current 130 to more than 600 in the same period, according to a study by NPA Conseil and Euroconsult.

    The boost to high-def content should hopefully go some way to address Europe’s dismal performance compared to the US and Japan.

    An In-Stat study recently highlighted the fact that 61 per cent of the global total of 36 million HDTV households – defined as households having both an installed HD-capable TV set and also receiving and watching HD programming – are in the US.

    Last year, France was the first in Europe to launch an HD platform on DTT.

  • Thirst For HD Drives Freesat Sales To 200,000


    Demand for HD content has helped drive sales of Freesat devices past the 200,000 mark since the UK service was launched last May.

    While the figure is impressive, it further highlights the gulf that has opened up between the US and Japan and the rest of the world.

    An In-Stat report earlier this week showed that the bulk of households with an installed high-definition television is decidedly biased towards these two countries.

    That said, steps are being taken in the UK to improve the amount of HD content available.

    Freesat has quickly established itself as a leading provider of high def channels.

    The BBC-ITV joint venture said that HD had become a key selling point, with 61 per cent of a "customer panel" choosing the availability of high definition content as their "primary reason" for purchasing.

    Freesat offers its HD channel with no subscription.

    BSkyB announced this week that 779,000 now have its HD receiver and it hopes to make further investment in HD programming.

    Apple has also just announced that the first HD show is available for download from the iTunes store for AppleTV owners in the UK.
    Other European nations are also making in-roads into the HD world.

    A study from market researchers GfK states that the German market for Blu-ray players is in great shape, with strong sales in the final three months of 2008.

    GfK said that with average prices approaching the €300 barrier, sales figures of Blu-ray Players finally reached the 100,000 mark in December when more than 30,000 units were sold.

    Despite this positive development in the last quarter of 2008 the new format is not yet a resounding success.

    In December, there were already more than 11 million HD-ready or Full HD TV sets on the market in Germany compared to only 110,000 Blu-ray Players.

  • BSkyB Adds HD Customers And Promises More High Def Content


    BSkyB has added 171,000 new customers in the second quarter and reduced churn to below 10 per cent.

    It will be hoping to build on the interim results for the six months to 31 December 2008 helped by the the news that further investment is to be made in HD programming.

    The announcement that the price of the Sky+ HD receiver is to drop to £49 will undoubtedly provide a massive boost to that ambition.

    Over 50 per cent of BSkyB customers now opt for either Sky+ HD or Sky+.

    The standard definition product is installed in 4,650,000 homes, while 779,000 have the HD receiver.

    As of December 31, 2008, the number of subscribers to the DTH platform in the UK and Ireland stood at 9.24 million.

    BSkyB’s commitment to increasing HD content comes as Apple announces it is making the first HD show available in the UK through its iTunes service.