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Tag: hdtv

  • Orange Brings Mobile HDTV to Hybrid Phones


    Orange is to offer high definition mobile TV to users of hybrid mobile/fixed Unik handsets.

    From next month, its customers in France will have access to more than 60 HD mobile TV channels, 20 of which will be with unlimited access.

    In September, Orange announced the world’s first 3G+ UMA platform, combining the two technologies to allow customers with hybrid phones to connect whether at home, near an Orange WiFi hotspot or on the move through the 3G network.

    Initially, the mobile HDTV service will only be available through LG’s KF757 handset or on the Sony Ericsson G705u.

    Orange currently has one million Unik subscribers.

    The channels are available on the Orange TV Player or, if the handset does not support the software, on the Orange World portal.

  • How will Xbox's streaming HD Fare Against PS3's Blu-ray?


    For a while now, Sony’s PS3 has done very well out of being the best Blu-ray player in its price range – oh, and you can play games with it too.

    So it will be interesting to see how it fares now that Microsoft’s Xbox is offering US users streaming HD content from Netflix.

    That, and the fact that Blu-ray player prices generally are falling drastically, may have some impact on the Sony console.

    PS3 sales figures for the third quarter showed a very respectable 56 per cent increase year-over-year, even if total numbers were lagging behind Nintendo’s Wii and the Xbox 360.

    There are also now 14 million active PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts worldwide – equalling the number of Xbox Live (XBL) subscribers, according to Sony.

    Registered PSN users have leapt by four million since July, with the total amount of content downloaded shooting up from 170 million pieces to 273 million pieces.

    That said, the Xbox 360 isn’t doing badly. Microsoft forecasts that by the end of this month, 25 million Xbox 360 consoles will have been sold worldwide.

    The NPD Group reported in September that the Xbox 360 was ahead of the PlayStation 3 in sales for the first time in months – even if only by a slim margin.

    So Microsoft will be hoping that today’s Xbox update will add further appeal to its console and keep those totals climbing higher.

    It will be offering HD content from Netflix, the latest entrant to the rapidly growing streaming digital market that has seen a series of set-top boxes begin offering the service.

    Movies from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment subsidiary, Columbia Pictures, will not be available to Xbox 360 users streaming via Netflix, though.

    Shortly before Xbox 360’s update went live, the list of movies available for Netflix Watch Instantly streaming suddenly dropped all Columbia’s offerings.

    All the blocked content can still be viewed online and through all other Netflix enabled TV devices except for the 360.

    Rivalry issues aside, as well as the lure of high-def programming, the Xbox changes offer a new interface with a simpler panel and new customizable avatars to display users in the friends list and certain games.

    A LIVE Party function can be used to virtually host up to seven friends for voice chat, game play, and photo sharing.

    There is also a community games channel which allows users to play games that have been created by private individuals.

    Among the new games to be launched are "You’re in the Movies" and "Lips".

    So, plenty of entertaiment for Xbox users to get their teeth into – but will it be enough to halt the march of the PS3?

  • Funai Seeks To Ban US Imports Of TV Makers


    A US judge has ruled that the digital television products of 14 companies, including Vizio, infringe patents held by Funai.

    The Japanese company is seeking a limited exclusion order barring importation of the infringing products into the US as well as a cease and desist order to prevent sale or distribution of infringing products there.

    Included are certain models of the brand names of Vizio, Ölevia, Proview, AOC and Envision, among others.

    Funai, which produces Philips-branded LCD TVs, saw its operating income increase by 108.8 per cent in the last quarter, largely off the back of sales of Blu-ray players and DTV converters.

    Last October, Funai filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) against 14 respondents claiming infringement of Funai’s digital television patents.

    Three respondents settled and entered licenses with Funai during the course of the proceedings, and the ITC case continued as to the other 11 respondents.

    Two of the respondents defaulted during the course of the ITC case.

    Upon completion of the ITC proceeding, Funai expects to resume its suits that are pending in the US District Court against the same parties, seeking damages resulting from infringement of Funai’s digital television patents.

    An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) of the ITC has now issued an Initial Determination (ID) as to Funai’s claims that Vizio, TPV, Amtran, Proview, Syntax-Brillian and other respondents violate Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930.

    The ALJ has determined that the respondents’ digital television products infringe asserted claims of Funai Electric’s US Patent No. 6,115,074. Based on such determination, the ALJ will issue a Recommended Determination on Remedy by December 1, 2008.

    The ALJ’s ID is subject to review by the full Commission and, if reviewed by the Commission, a final determination is expected by the end of March 2009.

    The following is a list of the current respondents:

    Vizio, Inc., formerly known as V. Inc. (US)
    Amtran Technology Co., Ltd (Taiwan)
    Proview International Holdings, Ltd. (Hong Kong)
    Proview Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (China)
    Proview Technology, Inc. (US)
    TPV Technology, Ltd. (Hong Kong)
    TPV International (USA), Inc. (US)
    Top Victory Electronics (Taiwan) Co., Ltd (Taiwan)
    Envision Peripherals, Inc.(US)
    Syntax-Brillian Corporation (US)
    Taiwan Kolin Co., Ltd (Taiwan)

  • HDTV Now In Over A Third Of US Households


    HDTV penetration has doubled in the past two years with 34 per cent of US households having at least one high definition television (HDTV) set.

    Representing about 40 million households, this figure is set to double again over the next two years, according to consumer research from the Leichtman Research Group.

    The findings also showed that 22 per cent of all households purchased a new TV set in the past 12 months.

    Of these, 43 per cent of this group spent over USD $1,000 on a new TV.

    The results are based on a survey of 1,302 households throughout the US, and are part of a new LRG study, HDTV 2008: Consumer Awareness, Interest and Ownership.

    Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, said while more people than ever before have HDTV sets, educating consumers on HD programming remains an issue.

    The survey found that about 18 per cent of individuals with an HDTV continue think that they are watching HD programming, but are not.

    “About 40 million US households now have at least one HDTV set, and LRG forecasts that this number will double over the next four years,” he said.

    Other findings include:

    • Combined, 38% of HD owners say that replacing an old/broken set or wanting to buy a new TV set was the most important reason for getting their HDTV – compared to 22% citing picture quality, and 7% the quality of HD programming or the number of HD channels
    • 44% with annual household incomes over $50,000 have an HDTV compared to 20% with annual household incomes under $50,000
    • 33% of HDTV owners have more than one HDTV set, and 25% are likely to get another HDTV set in the next year
    • 9% of HD owners say that they switched multi-channel video providers when they purchased their HDTV
    • 42% of HDTV owners say that they were told how to receive HD programming when they purchased their set
    • LRG estimates that about 58% of all HD households are now watching HD programming from a multi-channel video provider – up from 53% last year. 

  • When Will Wii Go HD?


    Nintendo’s lead game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, has been making comments that suggest Wii could go HD sometime soon.

    The ability to support true next-gen graphics on HDTVs is one area the Wii falls down on compared to competitors Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

    Although rumors have appeared on the Internet that the Japanese company might be working on a version of the Wii capable of supporting HD gaming, no official statements have been delivered by Nintendo.

    Now Miyamoto, one of Nintendo’s most influential people, has expressed his opinion on a possible HD Wii console, according to Softpedia.

    The man responsible for hits like Mario and The Legend of Zelda said that technology is constantly changing and that Nintendo should change with it.

    “I’m afraid we cannot confirm what we are doing today,” he said.

    “But the fact of the matter is that technology is evolving all the time and in Japan, for example……all the analogue broadcast will be stopped and shifted into the digital broadcasting. So many things are taking place and we are working in terms of the changes of the technologies all the time.”

    Hardly confirmation but it would seem that an HD Wii has become a "when" not an "if".

  • HDTV Was Too Far From HP's Core Business


    Hewlett-Packard is just the latest PC OEM to learn a lesson about straying from its core business, according to Michael Wolf, Digital Home research director at ABI Research.

    Wolf’s comments follow reports that suggest HP is about to cease production of its HP MediaSmart LCD TV range in favor of focusing efforts on their HP MediaSmart Connect extender.

    Citing the experiences of Dell and Gateway, he asserts that it’s hard for a PC company to make a business in living room consumer electronics.

    "What was interesting about HP’s business was their focus on next-generation network connected HDTVs, adding Media Center functionality and IP connectivity to all of their devices," he said in his blog.

    "I don’t think this exit is so much a judgement on the idea of Internet connected HDTVs as it is on the ability of a PC OEM to enter a business that is much different than its core PC business.

    "PC brands, particularly around high-end systems like an HDTV, haven’t been successful at transferring their brands."

    Wolf’s advice to others considering entering new markets is to start a wholly new brand.

    He said this allows consumers to develop their own fresh connotations around the new brand – rather than associating it with established brands linked to "IT" or "PC".

    Do you agree? Please send us your comments.

  • Price Deals Fuelling Surge in HDTV Sales

    Sales of high definition plasma TVs have risen by 37 per cent in the third quarter compared to last year’s figures.

    A survey by DisplaySearch has shown that consumers are being enticed to buy plasma sets by sweeping price cuts, especially on 32-inch sets.

    The leading brand is Panasonic, with around 40 per cent of revenue on plasma TVs, followed by Samsung (29%), LG (22%), Pioneer (5%), and Hitachi (4%).

    The clear favorite in terms of screen-size for plasma is 42-inch sets (49%), although 50-inch sizes are increasingly popular (29%).
    Shipments of 32-inch screens accounted for 12% of the market.

  • WD Brings Simplicity To Streaming


    Storage expert Western Digital has launched a standalone media box that streams content from your USB drive.

    Rather than hooking your computer to your HDTV and streaming video and other multimedia files, the WD TV HD Media Player accepts content from a separate WD portable backup drive.

    The media player has two USB ports that will also connect to flash drives and flip video players, and connects to your HDTV via an HDMI cable.

    It can playback virtually any type of multimedia file including most picture formats and H.264, DivX, and MPEG-2 video in 1080p resolution.

    The media player costs USD$129, but compatible storage devices are sold separately.

    As friendly to use as it is, WD’s new product is entering a market which is attracting increasing attention.

    Various companies are focussing on consumers’ living rooms, including Netflix which is working alongside Microsoft, Roku, and several Blu-ray manufacturers to make its streaming service more widely available in the living room.

    The WD TV HD Media Player’s basic features:

    • Compatible with My Passport portable hard drives and other USB storage devices
    • Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation
    • Dock-and-play convenience
    • Provides access to 2 USB drives simultaneously
    • HDMI and composite video interfaces for easy connection to a TV
    • Ultracompact design for easy portability
    • Includes My Passport hard drive stand, compact remote with batteries, composite A/V cable, AC adapter, media converter software and owner’s manual

  • Consumers Driving Indian HDTV Market


    Growth of The HDTV Market In India

    The general trends in the HDTV market shows that this will probably swell up to 78% as most of the consumers are planning to replace their old television sets with the HDTVs.

    Moreover, this fact is supported by the survey conducted in United States by “Hitachi America”.

    The expansion prospective of the HDTV market in India is equally promising. People, who earn a decent income per month, feel that this can be a proud possession for them and it is fine to pay a good amount as the quality of picture and other facilities associated with it are simply great.

    The surveys revealed the fact that 85% of the people with an annual income of more than Rs. 14.3 lakhs and about 70% of those with the annual earnings of less than Rs.14.3 lakhs are keenly interested in purchasing a HDTV.

    • What are the triggers to success?

    The secret to success of the HDTV market in India depends mainly on the intense desire of the consumers.

    In fact, the women are keener about getting these high definition televisions just like the other consumer durable products.

    They are the ones who take interest and spend ample time to browse the HDTVs available in the market from various companies.

    About 73% women and 51% men take interest in knowing more about the televisions and the specs.

    The functionality and designs of the HDTVs are very much important to acquire the huge market in India.

    In fact this is a general trend that the larger would be the TV screens, the more consumers will be enticed. In fact people are often ready to go beyond their budget to purchase a HDTV with bigger screen.

    • What are the barriers to entry?

    Though the HDTV market in India is quite promising but still there are a few barriers to be conquered.

    First of all, most of the consumers are not much aware of the difference among the available HDTV options.

    In fact, most of the customers do not have any idea what are the different technologies used in the DLP, Plasma and LCD televisions-they feel all of them are same and the features are similar as well.

    This is a complete wrong notion and the brands who wish to avail the huge market in India should put some light on this fact.

    Secondly, some of the buyers are prevented from buying these televisions because of the high price range compared to the normal televisions.

    Some of the local brands sell their products at a very reasonable price and this is why people take more interest in their goods.

    • What does a company need to do to be successful in these markets in India?

    Well calculated strategies are really important to capture the large HDTV market.

    The companies need to educate the buyers and let them know more about the technology, specs and other intricacies of the HDTVs.

    Now only the women but the men should also take equal interest in it.

    This is a great idea to provide as many features as possible keeping the price tag nominal.

    This is a competition market and the companies need to target on larger sales than making large profit from each sale.

    Quality of the products is definitely important and for this they should keep updating the technology and features on a frequent basis.

  • First US Cities Get Tru2way Digital Cable Service


    Consumers in Chicago and Denver will be the first in the US to experience Comcast’s video-on-demand without a set-top box.

    Panasonic and Comcast today unveiled a tru2way digital cable service for the two cities with additional cities expected to go live in the coming months.

    To coincide with the platform launch, Panasonic’s new tru2way VIERA HDTVs will be available in certain retails stores in Chicago and Denver.

    The Panasonic HDTVs are built with tru2way technology inside, enabling consumers to access two-way digital cable programming, such as video-on-demand, without a cable operator-supplied set-top box.

    Mark Hess, Comcast’s senior vice president of Video Product Development, said tru2way technology was a gateway for customers to experience the next generation of interactive television.

    "This common platform also will let us develop an exciting array of interactive services and applications that we can deliver on our advanced fiber network to a variety of consumer electronics devices," he said.

    Panasonic had announced at the May 2008 Cable Show that the first tru2way HDTVs would be available for consumer purchase at retail by fall 2008.

    Dr Paul Liao, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America, said the arrival of the first tru2way HDTVs at retail, combined with Comcast’s activation of its first tru2way head ends, were among the most significant milestones in the cable industry.