Hardware (DVD, TV, PMP, Set-top Box, …) News

Charter and Comcast to build next generation streaming platform together
Apr 27, 2022 – Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) have announced that the two companies have formed a 50/50 joint venture to develop and offer a next-generation streaming platform on a variety of branded 4K streaming devices and smart TVs.
News categories: Comcast Corporation, Charter Communications, Dave Watson, Tom Rutledge, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Verance ATSC 3.0 watermark detection implemented on LG NextGen TVs
Apr 26, 2022 – Verance has announced that LG is the first TV manufacturer to implement ATSC 3.0 watermark detection on NextGen TVs. Without watermarking, viewers receiving TV via cable, satellite and OTT will be unable to receive ATSC 3.0 interactive services.
News categories: Verance, LG Electronics, Nil Shah, Matthew Durgin, ATSC 3, Content Identification, Digital TV, Smart TV, USA

MultiChoice to bring Disney+ to South African DStv subscribers
Apr 25, 2022 – MultiChoice has announced that it will bring Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, Disney+, to DStv subscribers in South Africa. Disney+ will launch on 18 May 2022 and will be available to DStv subscribers via the Explora Ultra decoder.
News categories: MultiChoice, Walt Disney, Calvo Mawela, Christine Service, Apps, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, South Africa

Nielsen brings in Inscape Smart TV data for local and national TV measurement
Apr 26, 2022 – Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) and VIZIO (NYSE: VZIO) have announced an agreement that provides Nielsen with Inscape glass-level Smart TV viewership data. Nielsen now has the rights to integrate Inscape data for both local and national audience measurement.
News categories: Nielsen, VIZIO, Peter Bradbury, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Smart TV, USA

Virgin Media O2 launches broadband streaming box
Apr 26, 2022 – Virgin Media O2 has unveiled Stream from Virgin Media, a way for its customers to bring together their favourite TV channels, video apps and streaming subscriptions all in one place via a small box powered entirely by the company's broadband.
News categories: Virgin Media, David Bouchier, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, UK

BitRouter ATSC3pak for Android to power ZapperBox M1 4K OTA receiver
Apr 24, 2022 – BitRouter has announced that its ATSC3pak for Android decoding software will power the ZapperBox M1 converter box. ATSC3pak includes BitRouter's implementation of ATSC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0, which is available for both Android and Linux.
News categories: BitRouter, ZapperBox, Gopal Miglani, ATSC 3, Digital TV, Middleware, NABShow, Set Top Box, USA

Stingray signs FAST Channels distribution agreement with TCL FALCON
Apr 20, 2022 – Stingray (TSX: RAY. A; RAY. B) has announced that it has reached an agreement for the distribution of a suite of free ad-supported channels (FAST channels) to TCL smart TVs in Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico and the United States.
News categories: Stingray, TCL FALCON, Manfred Orth, Rebecca Wan, Australia, Brazil, Content Distribution, Digital TV, India, Mexico, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Euronews launches apps in partnership with Alteox
Apr 20, 2022 – Alteox has announced that it has developed and launched a pair of digital products for Euronews. The products are an application for Linux set-top boxes and an Android TV application for the Google Play store.
News categories: Alteox, Euronews, Sven Breckler, Maxime Carboni, Apps, Digital TV, Europe, Set Top Box

Sony's share of U.S. Smart TV purchases grew in 2021
Apr 20, 2022 – According to Parks Associates, out of the top five U.S. brands, Sony showed clear growth, compared to 2020, for smart TVs purchased or received in the previous six months, pushing the brand past Vizio and into the top three for purchases in Q3 2021.
News categories: Parks Associates, Paul Erickson, Digital TV, Market Research, NABShow, Smart TV, USA