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

10% of U.S. broadband households have bought a streaming media device to date in 2014
Dec 2, 2014 – Parks Associates have announced updated streaming media device data showing that 10% of U.S. broadband households purchased one of these devices, either a streaming media player or stick, in the first three quarters of 2014.
News categories: Parks Associates, Barbara Kraus, CES2025, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA

ACTV DTH satellite TV launches in Nigeria
Dec 1, 2014 – African Cable Television (ACTV – pronounced 'Active') has launched its DTH satellite pay TV service in Africa. ACTV offers four packages ACTV Prime, ACTV Family, ACTV Family Max and ACTV Premium, ranging from 19 to over 60 channels.
News categories: African Cable Television, Digital TV, DVR, Nigeria, Satellite

Home entertainment device sales to reach 2 billion units in 2018
Dec 1, 2014 – According to IE Market Research Corporation (IEMR), the Smart TV segment is experiencing considerable growth globally, increasing at a CAGR of 22.5%. The analyst firm expects sales of Smart TVs to rise to 268 million units sold in 2018.
News categories: IE Market Research, Nizar Assanie, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

SeaChange selected by Layer3 TV for cable TV delivery
Dec 1, 2014 – Layer3 TV has selected SeaChange International (Nasdaq:SEAC) as a key vendor for its in-home platform, which will launch in 2015. Layer3 TV will use SeaChange's open Nucleus video gateway software to deliver a service that incorporates the best of television, social and digital life.
News categories: SeaChange, Layer3 TV, Jay Samit, Jeff Binder, Cable TV, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Gateway, Smart Home, USA

Digital media players both enhance and detract from regular TV viewing
Dec 1, 2014 – 19% of U.S. TV viewers now own at least one of the three major digital media players. While digital media players enable use of streaming video and other platforms that enhance viewer control, GfK research suggests that they may actually provide a net gain for traditional TV viewing.
News categories: GfK, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA

Alticast provides software for Videotron H8 PVR
Dec 1, 2014 – Alticast has announced that its engineers were responsible for developing much of the software for Videotron's X8 multiroom HD PVR. The X8 enables Videotron subscribers to simultaneously record up to eight different programs.
News categories: Alticast, Videotron, John Carlucci, Marie-Ginette Lepage, Cable TV, Canada, Digital TV, DVR, Middleware

Digital TV Labs announces world’s first HbbTV 2.0 test suite
Dec 1, 2014 – Digital TV Labs has announced an HbbTV 2.0 Test Suite developed to support Digital UK’s Freeview connected service. Digital TV Labs' Ligada iSuite covers components of HbbTV 2.0, DVB DASH, Microsoft PlayReady DRM and HTML5 as well as those specific to the Freeview service.
News categories: Digital TV Labs, Digital UK, Keith Potter, Ilse Howling, Digital TV, HbbTV, QoE, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK, Worldwide

GS Group launches STB based on custom processor
Dec 1, 2014 – Russia's GS Group has announced the launch of a new set-top box (STB) to support the upgrade of Tricolor TV customers to high definition (HD). The GS B211 is based on a System-in-Package IC, SiP Amber S2, developed by sister company GS Nanotech.
News categories: GS Group, GS Nanotech, Tricolor TV, Digital TV, Russia, Satellite, Semiconductor, Set Top Box

Sky Deutschland releases app for Samsung Smart TVs
Nov 28, 2014 – Sky Deutschland has announced that an app for its streaming TV plus video-on-demand service, Sky Online, is now available for Samsung Smart TVs. Sky Online was launched at the end of October 2014.
News categories: Sky Deutschland, Samsung, Apps, Austria, Digital TV, Germany, Smart TV, Streaming