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

SFR launches set-top box with Google Play in France
Nov 19, 2013 – SFR is the first operator in Europe to offer a set-top box based on Android 4.2, giving access to Google Play services on the television. In addition to receiving VOD services, the box can receive up to 25 channels of terrestrial broadcast TV.
News categories: SFR, Digital TV, France, Set Top Box, Streaming

Blue Ridge selects TiVo to deliver multiscreen viewing experience
Nov 19, 2013 – TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) and Blue Ridge Communications, a cable provider in eastern Pennsylvania, have announced that Blue Ridge has selected TiVo to provide its whole home television solution and user experience for its advanced TV offerings.
News categories: TiVo Inc, Blue Ridge, Mark Masenheimer, Tom Elam, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR, Middleware, Mobile, Set Top Box, USA

Italy's TivùSat activates two millionth smartcard
Nov 19, 2013 – Italian satellite TV platform TivùSat has announced that it now has more than 2 million active smart cards in 1.68 million households. The pay-as-you-go satellite platform offers 63 channels of TV and 38 of radio.
News categories: Tivù, CAM, Digital TV, Italy, Satellite, Set Top Box, Subscribers

Amper wins Telefónica Latin America STB contract
Nov 18, 2013 – Amper Group, through its subsidiary Amper Sistemas, has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Telefónica to supply set-top boxes for its services in Latin America.
News categories: Amper Group, Telefónica, Digital TV, Latin America, Peru, Satellite, Set Top Box

Sling Media announces SlingPlayer Channel on Roku
Nov 18, 2013 – Sling Media (NASDAQ: SATS) has unveiled three new clients. SlingPlayer 3.0 and the SlingPlayer channel on the Roku® streaming platform are both available for download today. Sling Media will also introduce an app for Windows 8.1 in December.
News categories: Sling Media, Roku, Michael Hawkey, Ed Lee, Apps, Digital TV, Media Player, Placeshifting, Set Top Box, Smartphone, Streaming, Tablet, TV Everywhere, USA

Mediacom rolls out Pace media gateway with TiVo user interface
Nov 18, 2013 – Pace (LSE: PIC) has announced that Mediacom Communications has chosen to deploy the Pace MG1 Multi-tuner Media Gateway with TiVo’s Advanced User Interface (UI) as its flagship platform.
News categories: Pace plc, Mediacom, TiVo Inc, JR Walden, Tim O'Loughlin, Cable TV, Digital TV, Gateway, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA

Time-shifted viewing increasingly becoming the norm for UK TV viewers
Nov 15, 2013 – Kantar Media's futurePROOF study on the ownership and use of digital technologies and media in Britain reveals that, whilst most people currently prefer to watch 'must-see TV' at the time of broadcast, the signs are that this will soon change.
News categories: Kantar Media, Trevor Vagg, Cable TV, DVR, Market Research, Satellite, Streaming, Terrestrial, UK

Sizeable advances in US OTT TV viewing
Nov 14, 2013 – According to research from TDG, more than half of consumers with a net-connected TV have increased their use of over-the-top broadband TV sources in the last year, with 24% reporting a sizeable increase.
News categories: TDG, Michael Greeson, Laura Allen Phillips, Market Research, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Rovi to power TV data on Xbox One
Nov 14, 2013 – Rovi (Nasdaq:ROVI) has announced Rovi Video, a leading database for global TV, movie and celebrity metadata, will supply data for the TV electronic program guide experience, OneGuide, on Microsoft's Xbox One.
News categories: Rovi Corp, Xbox, Bob Shallow, Martin Sacchi, Digital TV, Gaming, Middleware, Set Top Box, Streaming