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

Dial Telecom launches KUKI TV for its fibre customers in the Czech Republic
Mar 6, 2015 – Dial Telecom has launched KUKI TV for its fibre customers in the Czech Republic. The IPTV service can be viewed either on a television via an HD set-top box or on up to four mobile devices.
News categories: Dial Telecom, SMART Comp, Czech Republic, Digital TV, Fibre, IPTV, Set Top Box, TV Everywhere

South Africa to provide free STBs to 5 million poor households
Mar 5, 2015 – South Africa's government has said that it will provide free STBs to more than 5 million poor television household owners. The priority will be given to those households in the border region areas of the country.
News categories: Department of Communications, Conditional Access, Digital TV, Set Top Box, South Africa, Terrestrial

Kenya's Safaricom applies for digital broadcasting licence
Mar 5, 2015 – Kenyan telecoms operator, Safaricom, has applied for a digital broadcasting licence in order to be able to offer television along side its other broadband products. The company has also received approval to import set-top boxes for sale in the local market.
News categories: Safaricom, Digital TV, IPTV, Kenya, Regulation, Set Top Box

snakebyte STB to feature Nexway games app store
Mar 4, 2015 – Nexway has announced that snakebyte's QEUS SmartTV set-top box will feature a snakebyte-branded white label Android app store powered by Nexway. The GameStore will allow users of the QEUS SmartTV system to download core and casual Android games.
News categories: Nexway, snakebyte, Gilles Ridel, Mike Steup, Apps, MWC24, Set Top Box, Worldwide

Nearly 50% of US homes to own a 4K TV by 2020
Mar 4, 2015 – The USA will emerge as the leading market for 4K or Ultra HD TVs in terms of household penetration by 2020 followed by the leading Western European markets, Australia, South Korea and China, according to Strategy Analytics.
News categories: Strategy Analytics, David Watkins, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, USA, Worldwide

NVIDIA launches its first living-room entertainment device
Mar 4, 2015 – NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) has introduced NVIDIA® SHIELD™, the world's first Android™ TV console, which delivers video, music, apps and games to the home. SHIELD can play 4K video content and includes access to Google Voice Search and Android's app ecosystem.
News categories: NVIDIA, Jen-Hsun Huang, Android TV, Digital TV, Gaming, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA

Zenterio and RiksTV launch support for companion devices in Norway
Mar 3, 2015 – Zenterio has announced that it continues to collaborate with Norway’s second largest pay TV distributor RiksTV. The latest launch includes support for companion devices as well as an improved user interface for a seamless experience of RiksTV’s digital and OTT services.
News categories: Zenterio, RiksTV, Robin Rutili, Christopher Knudsen, Digital TV, Middleware, Norway, Set Top Box, Streaming

Connected TVs surpass connected Blu-ray Disc players in the U.S.
Mar 2, 2015 – According to The NPD Group, ownership of Internet connected TVs is now more common than Internet connected Blu-ray Disc players, of which U.S. consumers own 20 million. Video game consoles and streaming media players, however, are still the most used TV app platforms.
News categories: Connected Intelligence, NPD Group, John Buffone, Blu-ray, Digital TV, Gaming, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Expway LTE Multicast middleware ported to Technicolor OTT set-top-box
Mar 2, 2015 – Expway has announced that its LTE Multicast middleware is now available on a Technicolor (Paris:TCH) Over-the-top (OTT) set-top-box. The result of this integration has been successfully tested on the Ericsson LTE Multicast platform.
News categories: Expway, Technicolor, Claude Seyrat, 5G, Digital TV, Middleware, Mobile, MWC24, Set Top Box, Streaming