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

Motive releases TabletTV App for Apple TV in the U.S.
Feb 1, 2016 – Motive Television has announced that it has received approval from Apple for its App and released it for sale and use on the Apple TV platform.
News categories: Motive Television, Leonard M Fertig, Apps, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, USA

Magyar Telekom converts analogue cable customers to DVB-C
Jan 29, 2016 – Magyar Telekom (Reuters: MTEL.BU; Bloomberg: MTELEKOM HB) is to move its analogue cable TV service to digital in several regions including Budapest and Marcali. The company will provide converter boxes free of charge where required.
News categories: Magyar Telekom, Cable TV, Digital TV, Hungary, Set Top Box

Sky releases 4Q 2015 results
Jan 29, 2016 – Sky has released unaudited results for the six months ended 31 December 2015. In the UK and Ireland the company added 146,000 TV customers in the quarter. Sky added 120,000 customers in Germany and Austria, and 12,000 in Italy.
News categories: Sky plc, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Results, Satellite, Set Top Box, Streaming, UK

Sky Q goes on sale in February
Jan 29, 2016 – Sky has announced that Sky Q will go on sale in February. The Sky Q products connect wirelessly to create an ecosystem that makes TV viewing seamless – called Fluid Viewing. Fluid Viewing allows a user to pause a show in one room and pick up the action on another TV or tablet in the home.
News categories: Sky, Stephen van Rooyen, Apps, Digital TV, Mobile, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home, UK

Roku developing set-top box for operator partners
Jan 29, 2016 – Roku has announced that it is developing a hybrid set-top box that will be available for production by Roku Powered partners. Sky will be the first Roku Powered operator to deploy the box as part of its NOW TV service in the UK.
News categories: Roku, Sky, Andrew Ferrone, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Streaming, UK, Worldwide

HD+ subscribers up 11.3% in 2015
Jan 29, 2016 – SES (Paris; Luxembourg: SESG) has announced that its German HD platform HD+ recorded an 11.3 percent increase in subscribers in 2015. HD+ had 1.84 million subscribers at year-end 2015, compared to 1.65 million at year-end 2014.
News categories: SES S.A, SES S.A, Wilfried Urner, Digital TV, Germany, Satellite, Set Top Box, Subscribers

9 million broadband subscribers with DOCSIS 3.1 by 2017
Jan 28, 2016 – ABI Research has forecast that there will be approximately 9 million broadband subscribers using DOCSIS 3.1 equipment by 2017, representing slightly more than 1% of total fixed broadband subscriptions worldwide.
News categories: ABI Research, Michael Inouye, Sam Rosen, Cable Modem, DOCSIS, Market Research, Subscribers, Worldwide

FCC proposes to unlock the set-top box
Jan 27, 2016 – The FCC has announced that it is circulating for a vote a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would tear down anti-competitive barriers and pave the way for software, devices and other innovative solutions to compete with the set-top boxes that a majority of consumers must lease today.
News categories: FCC, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Regulation, Satellite, Set Top Box, USA

Smart TVs top U.S. list of preferred TV streaming platforms
Jan 27, 2016 – Despite the widespread availability of inexpensive ancillary TV streaming devices, TDG research finds that 32% of OTT TV users prefer having the native connectivity of a smart TV.
News categories: TDG, Michael Greeson, Blu-ray, Digital TV, Gaming, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, USA