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

Synopsys, Realtek and UMC collaborate on Ultra HD Smart TV SoC
Feb 12, 2014 – Synopsys (Nasdaq: SNPS), Realtek (TWSE: 2379.TW) and UMC (NYSE: UMC;TWSE: 2303) have announced that their collaboration has resulted in first-pass silicon success of Realtek's RTD2995 UHD Smart TV Controller SoC implemented in UMC's 40LP process.
News categories: Synopsys, Realtek, UMC, Jessy Chen, Steve Wang, John Koeter, Digital TV, ICs, Semiconductor, Silicon IP, Smart TV, Worldwide

Kabel Deutschland joins RDK community
Feb 11, 2014 – Kabel Deutschland has announced that it has licensed the Reference Design Kit from RDK Management aimed at accelerating the development of in-home devices and video services.
News categories: RDK Management, Kabel Deutschland, Lorenz Glatz, Steve Heeb, Cable TV, Digital TV, Germany, Licensing, RDK, Set Top Box

Mobile video growth to continue to outpace viewing on connected CE
Feb 10, 2014 – Despite continued growth of online video viewing on connected CE devices and excitement from new platforms, annual increases in mobile online viewing are higher than any other category, according to ABI Research.
News categories: ABI Research, Sam Rosen, Michael Inouye, Digital TV, Market Research, Mobile, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Smartphone, Streaming, Tablet

Opera brings Blink-based SDK to Entropic RDK implementations
Feb 10, 2014 – Entropic (Nasdaq:ENTR) and Opera Software have announced their RDK (Reference Design Kit) collaboration using the OpenEmbedded core technology and the Yocto Project Linux development environment.
News categories: Entropic, Opera Software, Roger Gregory, Aneesh Rajaram, Cable TV, Digital TV, RDK, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide

US television market shrank 9 percent in 2013
Feb 7, 2014 – The U.S. television market fell a steep 9 percent in 2013 despite the usual last-minute rally during the holiday season in the fourth quarter, which failed to compensate for low demand among Americans throughout the year, according to IHS.
News categories: IHS Technology, Veronica Gonzalez-Thayer, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, USA

Internet capable TVs in 22% of Australian homes
Feb 7, 2014 – OzTAM has announced the release of its Q313 Australian Multi-Screen Report. Internet capable TVs are now in 22 per cent of homes. With the analogue switch-off imminent, 99 per cent of homes had converted to DTT by Q3 2013.
News categories: OzTAM, Australia, Digital TV, DVR, Market Research, Mobile, Smart TV, Streaming, Terrestrial

Alticast to demo RDK-based 'Set Top Box on a Stick'
Feb 6, 2014 – At the RDK User's Conference in Denver, Alticast will demonstrate to operators how they can expand their TV Everywhere service offerings with the company's software for HDMI sticks.
News categories: Alticast, John Carlucci, Cable TV, Digital TV, RDK, Set Top Box, USA

Entropic Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2013 Results
Feb 5, 2014 – Entropic (Nasdaq:ENTR) has reported fourth quarter results. Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2013 were $259.4 million, a decrease of 19% from the $321.7 million reported for the year ended December 31, 2012.
News categories: Entropic, Results, Satellite, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide

Espial to demo HTML5 UI at RDK User Conference
Feb 5, 2014 – Espial has announced that it will show a high performance HTML5 TV user experience demo on multiple RDK IP and hybrid set-top boxes (STB) for attendees of the upcoming RDK User Conference in Denver, Colorado.
News categories: Espial, RDK Management, Kirk Edwardson, Cable TV, HTML5, RDK, Set Top Box, USA