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

Allegro DVT releases extended encoder and decoder IP variants
Mar 10, 2021 – The explosion in processing demands for video codecs in emerging verticals such as cloud gaming and automotive is pushing sample sizes from 8-bit to 10- and 12-bit and chroma sampling from 4:2:0 to 4:2:2 and 4:4:4.
News categories: Allegro DVT, Nouar Hamze, Automotive, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Gaming, Silicon IP, Streaming, Worldwide

Amazon takes lead as connected TV device sales hit new peak
Mar 9, 2021 – Global sales of connected TV devices soared to a record in Q4 2020, reaching 109.1 million units, according to Strategy Analytics. Amazon became market leader for the first time with a market share of 12.1%.
News categories: Strategy Analytics, David Watkins, Edouard Bouffenie, Digital TV, Gaming, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, Worldwide

Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer first vehicles with Fire TV for Auto
Mar 4, 2021 – The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be the first vehicles in the automotive industry to integrate Amazon Fire TV for Auto, giving passengers access to their favorite shows, movies, apps, unique vehicle features and Alexa.
News categories: Stellantis, Amazon, Christian Meunier, Sandeep Gupta, Automotive, Digital TV, Middleware, Streaming, USA

Megacable launches OTT service powered by Viaccess-Orca
Mar 4, 2021 – Megacable is expanding the delivery of its Xview+ OTT service to Android TV set-top boxes using Viaccess-Orca's TV Platform. Xview+ brings together content in one place, creating a unified experience for subscribers.
News categories: Viaccess-Orca, Megacable, Philippe Leonetti, Gerardo Seifert, Android TV, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Mexico, Set Top Box, Streaming

LG and Sony led OLED TV gains in advanced TV market in Q4
Mar 3, 2021 – While in recent years OLED TV has seen its share of the premium TV market deteriorate, OLED TVs and the brands that sell them regained much of that lost ground in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to DSCC.
News categories: DSCC, Bob O’Brien, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

MediaTek releases 4K Smart TV IC with integrated AI processing unit
Mar 3, 2021 – MediaTek (TWSE: 2454) has announced a 4K smart TV chip, the MT9638, with integrated AI processing. The MT9638 supports AI-enhancement technologies such as AI super resolution, AI picture quality and AI voice assistants, plus variable refresh rate and MEMC for smoother graphics.
News categories: MediaTek, Alex Chen, Digital TV, ICs, Smart TV, Worldwide

Virgin TV 360 now available to all Virgin Media customers
Mar 2, 2021 – Virgin Media has announced that the latest update in its TV line-up, Virgin TV 360, is now available to all its customers. Virgin TV 360 offers modern menus, quick navigation and a host of popular apps and channels all in one place.
News categories: Virgin Media, Annie Brooks, Cable TV, Digital TV, RDK, Set Top Box, UK

TVbeat to provide audience insights for OSN
Mar 2, 2021 – OSN is to use TVbeat's TV SaaS Framework services, in a step that will strengthen OSN’s position as a data-driven network and enable it to better address shifting viewership behaviour and trends in the MENA region.
News categories: TVbeat, OSN, Abbas D. Tahzib, Devrim Melek, Big Data, Digital TV, Middle-East, Satellite, Set Top Box

Roku to acquire Nielsen’s Advanced Video Advertising business
Mar 1, 2021 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has agreed to acquire Nielsen’s (NYSE: NLSN) Advanced Video Advertising (AVA) business, which includes Nielsen’s video automatic content recognition (ACR) and dynamic ad insertion (DAI) technologies.
News categories: Roku, Nielsen, Louqman Parampath, Scott N. Brown, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, MandA, Smart TV, Streaming, USA, Worldwide