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

Technicolor to acquire Cisco connected devices division
Jul 23, 2015 – Technicolor (Paris: TCH; OTCQX: TCLRY) has entered into an exclusive agreement with Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) to acquire its customer premises equipment (CPE) business for €550 million (or $600 million equivalent) in a cash and stock transaction.
News categories: Technicolor, Cisco Systems, Frederic Rose, John Chambers, Cable TV, CPE, Digital TV, Gateway, IPTV, MandA, Set Top Box, Worldwide

ACTV launches Nigeria's first CAM-Card for Smart TVs
Jul 23, 2015 – Nigeria's African Cable Television (ACTV) has announced the launch of its ACTV CAM-Card for satellite Smart TVs. ACTV has entered into a partnership with LG to bring the product to as many Nigerians as possible.
News categories: African Cable Television, Joseph Chitanta, CAM, Content Protection, Digital TV, Nigeria, Satellite, Smart TV

HEVC Advance announces patent royalty rate schedule
Jul 22, 2015 – HEVC Advance has announced several milestones to support the next generation of digital video through access to patents essential to the HEVC/H.265 standard. The milestones include the announcement of the primary royalty rate schedule for the HEVC Advance patent pool.
News categories: HEVC Advance, Peter Moller, Digital TV, Gaming, Licensing, Mobile, Patent, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

U.S. OTT TV viewing is higher in Gen X, Kid households
Jul 22, 2015 – According to a report from GfK, U.S. households with at least one member of Generation X (roughly ages 35 to 49), and those where children (ages 17 and under) are present, are much more likely to stream video and view other content using an Internet-connected device attached to a TV.
News categories: GfK, David Tice, Blu-ray, Digital TV, Gaming, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

WOW! selects TiVo to power multiscreen TV
Jul 22, 2015 – TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) and WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone have announced a joint development relationship with Evolution Digital. The agreement includes plans to deploy TiVo's software solution across mobile, web and a Hybrid HD Set-Top Box (STB).
News categories: Tivo Inc, WOW!, Evolution Digital, Thomas Elam, Cash Hagen, Cable TV, Digital TV, Middleware, Mobile, Set Top Box, USA

Digital TV Labs first approved lab for Malaysia DTT HbbTV receivers
Jul 22, 2015 – Digital TV Labs has received official accreditation from the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) to become the first lab facility for the Malaysian Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Broadcast Service Receiver Specification, including the interactive HbbTV profile.
News categories: Digital TV Labs, SIRIM, Andy Hickman, Digital TV, HbbTV, Malaysia, QoE, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial

Irdeto and SMiT launch CAM for Transvision in Indonesia
Jul 21, 2015 – Irdeto has announced, with Samsung and SMiT, the launch of the first broadcast Direct-2-TV (D2TV) system for the Indonesian market that does not require a set-top box. Irdeto’s security is integrated with SMiT’s USB CAM and a range of Samsung TVs that do not require IP connectivity.
News categories: Irdeto, Transvision, SMiT, Samsung, Bengt Jonsson, Hengkie Liwanto, CAM, Content Protection, Digital TV, Indonesia, Satellite, Smart TV

VTVCab, SmarDTV and Samsung deploy Conax-certified CAM in Vietnam
Jul 20, 2015 – VTVCab, SmarDTV (SIX:KUD.S) and Samsung have announced that they will bring to market a solution to provide access to VTVCab Pay TV services in Vietnam. VTVCab subscribers will then be able to enjoy content on their Samsung Cable TV model without using a set-top box.
News categories: SmarDTV, Samsung, VTVCab, Conax, Gregory Laloy, My Nguyen, Nam Bui, Cable TV, CAM, Digital TV, Smart TV, Vietnam

Sling Media introduces Slingbox M2
Jul 16, 2015 – Sling Media (NASDAQ: SATS) has announced the release of the Slingbox M2. With the Slingbox M2 bundle, today's generation has access to their live and recorded home TV content from anywhere on their personal computers, tablets and smartphones without the previous cost-by-device barrier.
News categories: Sling Media, Michael Hawkey, Apps, Digital TV, Mobile, Placeshifting, Set Top Box, USA