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

Technicolor makes HDR single-stream HEVC reference code available
Jun 24, 2015 – Technicolor (Paris: TCH; OTCQX: TCLRY) has announced the availability of its High Dynamic Range (HDR) single-layer solution, for testing. The solution enables HDR coding and delivery in a single stream for viewing regardless of display type.
News categories: Technicolor, Thomson Video Networks, Mark Turner, Stéphane Cloirec, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Media Player, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide

Amazon first to offer HDR videos in U.S.
Jun 24, 2015 – Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has announced that Prime members in the US can watch the debut season of the Amazon Original Series, Mozart in the Jungle in high dynamic range (HDR) at no additional cost, marking the first video service to offer HDR.
News categories: Amazon, Michael Paull, Digital TV, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

SPB TV provides technology for Lebara Play OTT
Jun 23, 2015 – SPB TV has announced that Lebara Play is based on SPB TV’s turnkey OTT TV solution. Lebara Play provides users with an opportunity to watch TV and video content on all devices: smartphone, tablet, computer, or via your television set using a set-top box.
News categories: SPB TV, Lebara, Kirill Filippov, Sebastian-Justus Schmidt, Yoganathan Ratheesan, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Europe, Middleware, Mobile, Set Top Box, Streaming

Manhattan developing a range of Freeview Play set-top boxes
Jun 23, 2015 – Digital UK and Freeview have announced that set-top box manufacturer Manhattan TV will launch a range of Freeview Play products early next year. The UK-owned company will offer a standalone receiver (T3) and two digital recorders (T3-R).
News categories: Manhattan, Digital UK, Freeview, Abbas Arbab-Zadeh, Ilse Howling, Guy North, Digital TV, DVR, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK

Video infrastructure spending outstrips client hardware and software revenue
Jun 22, 2015 – Q1 data from Synergy Research shows that revenue growth from video infrastructure network hardware and software is far outstripping growth from client hardware and software. While revenue from all video infrastructure grew by 7% Y-o-Y, network hardware and software grew at 10% and 17%.
News categories: Synergy Research, John Dinsdale, Content Distribution, Content Protection, Digital TV, Market Research, Middleware, Set Top Box, Worldwide

Leading TV brands now more reliant on Chinese manufacturers
Jun 22, 2015 – TVs made by outsourcing specialists are expected to reach an industry record of 43 percent of LCD TVs shipped globally in 2015, according to IHS (NYSE: IHS). Outsourcing manufacturing has become one of the most important business strategies for TV brands.
News categories: IHS Inc, Deborah Yang, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

Set-top Box market consolidation to continue
Jun 19, 2015 – ARRIS’ acquisition of Pace created the largest set-top manufacturer. Broadcom was also acquired by Avago, an acquisition not directly impactful to the set-top market, but a sign of the significant consolidation that will continue to impact the market, according to ABI Research.
News categories: ABI Research, Sam Rosen, Digital TV, MandA, Market Research, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide

Lebara diversifies into migrant OTT TV
Jun 19, 2015 – Lebara has announced the launch of an entertainment service for migrants. Lebara Play will be the only multi-ethnic entertainment service bringing together free and premium, fully licensed content in 13 languages in one place, without long-term commitments.
News categories: Lebara, Lebara Play, Yoganathan Ratheesan, Aditya Thakur, Digital TV, Europe, Set Top Box, Streaming

Keepixo tests HEVC encoder interoperability with STMicroelectronics' SoCs
Jun 16, 2015 – Keepixo has announced the successful completion of HEVC tests using Keepixo's Genova encoding solution running on STMicroelectronics' latest-generation Ultra-HD HEVC 10-bit STiH418 system-on-chip (SoC).
News categories: Keepixo, STMicroelectronics, Jérôme Blanc, Ismail Allalcha, Content Distribution, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide