Smart TV (Connected TV, Integrated Digital Television, IDTV) News

Subjective testing confirms importance of frame rate for UHDTV
Aug 7, 2013 – The EBU's Broadcast Technology Futures (BTF) group is conducting a series of subjective tests at IRT's facilities. Early results give a clear indication that higher frame rates are appreciated by the observers, to a significantly greater extent than increased resolution.
News categories: European Broadcasting Union, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV

Hisense, Loewe establish strategic cooperation
Aug 6, 2013 – Loewe has announced that Hisense will provide the company with the latest TV panel and smart TV software technology in a move to assist it in expanding in the premium TV market. In turn, Loewe will offer Hisense a distribution network in Western Europe.
News categories: Loewe, Hisense, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV

58% of TVs sold in Germany are now smart
Aug 5, 2013 – According to a survey carried out by GfK for Germany's Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM), 58% of the televisions sold so far this year in the country are capable of being connected to the internet.
News categories: BITKOM, Blu-ray, Gaming, Germany, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming

Digital TV Group launches the UK UHD Forum
Aug 1, 2013 – The Digital TV Group has announced the launch of the UK UHD Forum. The group will co-ordinate UK requirements to build a knowledge base for the future interoperability of Ultra HD, and will work hand-in-hand with FAME and other European standards organisations.
News categories: Digital TV Group, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, UK

Ofcom releases UK Communications Market Report 2013
Aug 1, 2013 – Huge growth in take-up of smartphones and tablets is creating a nation of media multi-taskers, Ofcom research has revealed, transforming the traditional UK living room into a digital media hub. In addition, seven per cent of TV households had a Smart TV at the end of the Q1 2013.
News categories: Ofcom, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVR, Market Research, Mobile, Satellite, Smart TV, Smartphone, Streaming, Tablet, Terrestrial, UK

Foxtel Play goes live in Australia
Jul 30, 2013 – Foxtel has announced that Foxtel Play has gone live ahead of its official launch on August 11. Foxtel Play is an internet TV service, offering Australians access to Foxtel's programming delivered over the internet to Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox 360s and PCs.
News categories: Foxtel, Australia, Digital TV, Gaming, Smart TV, Streaming

AltoBeam and UMC demonstrate DVB-T2/T/C/S2/S demodulator
Jul 30, 2013 – AltoBeam and UMC (NYSE:UMC)(TWSE:2303) have announced the release of AltoBeam's DVB-T2/T/C/S2/S demodulator. The ATBM7812 utilizes UMC's proprietary URAM embedded memory technology on 300mm wafers to enable higher performance and smaller chip size.
News categories: AltoBeam, UMC, BroadcastAsia, Cable TV, Digital TV, DVB-T2, ICs, Satellite, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Silicon IP, Smart TV, Terrestrial

DDD and Samsung renew 3D video processing chip technology license agreement
Jul 25, 2013 – DDD Group (AIM: DDD; OTCQX: DDDGY) has renewed its license agreement with Samsung Electronics to include DDD's TriDef™ 2D to 3D technologies with Samsung's 3D video processing chips that are used in Samsung Smart TVs and other Samsung 3D consumer products.
News categories: DDD, Samsung, Licensing, Metaverse, Patent, Semiconductor, Silicon IP, Smart TV

Samsung leads with 26% of Smart TV market in Q1 2013
Jul 24, 2013 – According to Strategy Analytics, Samsung continues to hold the largest market share of global Smart TV shipments, occupying 26 percent of the market, as vendors attempt to combat falling ASPs of flat panel TVs by adding premium features.
News categories: Strategy Analytics, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV