Smart Home (connected home, home networking) News

HDMI Licensing Announces HDMI Version 1.4 Features
May 28, 2009 – HDMI Licensing has announced the features that will be incorporated in the upcoming HDMI 1.4 specification including capabilities such as Ethernet connectivity and an Audio Return Channel to enable upstream audio connections via the HDMI cable.
News categories: HDMI Licensing, Digital TV, DVD, Gaming, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV

Service Provider In-Home Networks Using Coax/Phone Wire Growing
May 27, 2009 – By 2013, the average household will have 2.5x as many digital media devices in use as in 2008, according to In-Stat. Networking over wiring in homes is becoming increasingly important, particularly for service provider entertainment networks.
News categories: In-Stat, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR, Gateway, IPTV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart Home

ViXS Enables New Hitachi HD Flat Panel TVs with built-in HDD
May 21, 2009 – ViXS Systems has announced that the XCode® 3290 has been selected by Hitachi (Tokyo:6501; NYSE:HIT) to enable their latest generation of HD Flat Panel TVs featuring a built-in Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for Personal Video Recording (PVR).
News categories: ViXS Systems, Hitachi, Conditional Access, Content Protection, Digital TV, DRM, DVR, ISDB-T, Japan, Middleware, Semiconductor, Smart Home, Smart TV, Terrestrial

Entropic Announces Channel Stacking Switch for Free-To-Air Satellite Market
May 19, 2009 – Entropic Communications (Nasdaq:ENTR) has announced that its next-generation Channel Stacking Switch (CSS) technology has been tapped by several OEMs for the large free-to-air (FTA) European satellite market.
News categories: Entropic Communications, Axing, Jultec, Unitron, Wisi, ANGA COM, Digital TV, DVR, LNB, Satellite, Semiconductor, Smart Home

SlingPlayer Mobile launched for iPhone and iPod touch
May 13, 2009 – Sling Media (NASDAQ: SATS) has announced the availability of a Wi-Fi-only version of its SlingPlayer Mobile application for iPhone™ and iPod® touch. Now iPhone and iPod touch users have access to their home TV experience in the palm of their hand.
News categories: Sling Media, Digital TV, DVR, Mobile, Placeshifting, Smart Home, Streaming, Tablet, USA

Opportunities for Internet Video on the TV
May 13, 2009 – An IMS Research study reveals that an estimated 65 million households worldwide had the capability of viewing Internet video on their television set at the end of 2008. This represents growth of 134% over year end 2007.
News categories: IMS Research, Blu-ray, Digital TV, DVR, Gaming, Market Research, Peripherals / Accessories, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming

Cisco Advances the Connected Life at Home at ANGA Cable 2009: Helping Service Providers Become Experience Providers
May 13, 2009 – At ANGA Cable 2009, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is demonstrating new technologies and solutions that help enable Internet Protocol (IP) networks to become the intelligent platform for a new generation of video and rich-media applications and services.
News categories: Cisco Systems, ANGA COM, Cable Modem, Cable TV, Content Distribution, DOCSIS, Fibre, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming

Wireless Gigabit Alliance Formed to Promote 60 GHz Wireless Technology
May 7, 2009 – More than 15 technology companies have announced the Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Alliance, an organization formed to establish a unified specification for 60 GHz wireless technologies to connect consumer electronics, handheld devices and personal computers.
News categories: Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Digital TV, Smart Home

Iliad ends Q1 with 4.3 million subscribers
May 6, 2009 – Iliad Group (Paris: ILD) strengthened its position as the leading ADSL alternative operator in France. At 31 March, Free had a subscriber base of 3,531,000 subscribers with Alice having a subscriber base of 806,000.
News categories: iliad, Free, DVR, France, Gateway, IPTV, Results, Router, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Subscribers