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

Comcast adds new Smart Home camera and voice controls
Jul 6, 2016 – Comcast has unveiled a Wi-Fi-enabled, HD, indoor/outdoor camera for its home security and automation platform, Xfinity Home. The company also added voice control to the platform.
News categories: Comcast, Daniel Herscovici, Cable TV, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA

ITU announces new standard for High Dynamic Range TV
Jul 5, 2016 – The ITU has announced a standard for High Dynamic Range Television. High Dynamic Range Television (HDR-TV) builds on the superior colour fidelity of ITU’s Ultra-High Definition Television (UHDTV) Recommendation BT.2020.
News categories: International Telecommunication Union, Houlin Zhao, François Rancy, Yukihiro Nishida, Andy Quested, Digital TV, Smart TV, Worldwide

Hitachi takes advantage of Roku Smart TV reference design
Jun 29, 2016 – Roku has announced that Hitachi is the newest brand to join the Roku TV licensing program. Hitachi will take advantage of Roku’s TV reference design to build smart TVs that run Roku OS. Consumers will be able to purchase both HD and 4K Ultra HD Hitachi Roku TV models this fall.
News categories: Roku, Hitachi, Chas Smith, Bill Whalen, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

More than half of TVs shipped in Q1 2016 were Smart
Jun 29, 2016 – More than half of TV sets shipped globally in first quarter 2016 were smart TVs. The acceleration in the uptake of internet-connected TVs was led by China, where four out of five TV sets shipped with smart functionality.
News categories: IHS, Paul Gray, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

Espial acquires Whole Home Solution platform from ARRIS
Jun 29, 2016 – Espial has announced an agreement to acquire ARRIS’s Whole Home Solution (WHS) platform. Espial will support current – and look to accelerate future – roadmaps for more than 40 WHS service provider customers spanning the US, Canada, and Latin America.
News categories: Espial, ARRIS, Jaison Dolvane, Bruce McClelland, Cable TV, Canada, Digital TV, DVR, Latin America, MandA, USA

Home Gateway Initiative makes specifications public prior to closure
Jun 28, 2016 – The Home Gateway Initiative (HGI), which has been the world’s leading organisation setting requirements for the broadband-connected Home Gateway since 2005, has confirmed it will cease operations as planned on Thursday, June 30, but will make its work available on a new archive website.
News categories: Home Gateway Initiative, David Thorne, Duncan Bees, Luca Giacomello, Digital TV, Gateway, Worldwide

HbbTV Association extends contract for HbbTV 2.0.1 Test Suites
Jun 28, 2016 – The HbbTV Association has announced that it has extended its contract with RT-RK for 104 additional test cases to cover the differences between HbbTV 2.0 and HbbTV 2.0.1.
News categories: HbbTV Association, Digital TV, HbbTV, Italy, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK, Worldwide

Cubiware middleware to be integrated with MStar STB SoCs
Jun 28, 2016 – Cubiware (NASDAQ: TIVO) has announced its continued expansion in Asia with a new partnership with MStar Semiconductor. The collaboration will integrate MStar's Hybrid Set-Top Box chipset solution with the full-featured CubiTV Hybrid Middleware.
News categories: Cubiware, MStar Semi, Jakub Gorski, Dennis Lai, Asia, Digital TV, Middleware, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide

SERAPHIC powers SONIQ Linux-based Smart TVs in Australia
Jun 24, 2016 – Australia's SONIQ has partnered with SERAPHIC to launch Linux-based Smart TVs powered by SERAPHIC's Sraf HTML5 browser. The partnership is SERAPHIC's first entry into the Australian TV market.
News categories: SERAPHIC, SONIQ, Ye Wang, Simon Wu, Australia, Digital TV, HTML5, Smart TV