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

Gemstar-TV Guide Releases Digital Terrestrial Service in Germany
Mar 12, 2008 – Gemstar-TV Guide International (NASDAQ: GMST) has announced that the company has released its digital services in Germany under an agreement with Eurosport, Europe's leading sports multimedia platform.
News categories: Gemstar-TV Guide, Digital TV, Germany, Middleware, Optical Disc Recorder, Smart TV, Terrestrial

Freeview UK Sales Hit an All-time High
Mar 11, 2008 – Freeview has confirmed that sales for 2007 hit an all-time high with 9.7 million Freeview branded products sold, up 64% year-on-year.
News categories: Freeview, Digital TV, DVR, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK

Microtune Introduces World's First Low-Power Universal Tuner Chip; Enables Digital TV on PCs, Portables, and Set-Tops across Worldwide Markets
Mar 10, 2008 – Microtune (NASDAQ: TUNE) has introduced an optimized tuner unique in meeting multiple TV reception standards (analog/digital and off-air/cable) across worldwide markets.
News categories: Microtune, ATSC 3, Cable TV, CCBN, Digital TV, DTMB, ICs, ISDB-T, Peripherals / Accessories, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial

Spain - March DTT monthly update released
Mar 10, 2008 – According to Impulsa-TDT, the number of DTT receivers purchased by households over the Christmas period (December 2007 - January 2008) was 1,371,000, a 48% increase over the previous Christmas season.
News categories: Impulsa-TDT, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Spain, Terrestrial

Awareness of Networked Multimedia Lacking but Growing in Asia/Pacific
Mar 7, 2008 – In the Asia/Pacific region, PC-literate homes and broadband subscribers represent a large potential market for home networking and various networked multimedia devices, reports In-Stat.
News categories: In-Stat, Asia, Blu-ray, Cable TV, DVD, DVR, Gaming, IPTV, Market Research, Optical Disc Recorder, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV

Brazil - Low take-up of DTT services
Mar 5, 2008 – DTT services launched three months ago has had limited appeal with viewers. Only 10,000 households in the Greater Sao Paulo area have accessed DTT services.
News categories: Brazil, Digital TV, Market Research, SBTVD, Smart TV, Terrestrial

DivX Enters Into New Multiyear Contract with Philips Electronics to Bring DivX Video to Wide Variety of Consumer Electronics Devices
Mar 4, 2008 – DivX (NASDAQ:DIVX) has announced that it has entered into a new two-year license agreement with Philips Electronics. The agreement will enable Philips to continue to include DivX® video functionality on its wide range of consumer lifestyle products.
News categories: DivX, Philips Electronics, Blu-ray, Digital TV, DVD, Media Player, Smart TV, Tablet

Leading Companies and University Sue Alba for MPEG-2 Patent Infringement
Mar 4, 2008 – MPEG LA has announced that several leading companies and a university have filed patent enforcement actions in District Court Dusseldorf, Germany against Alba for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard.
News categories: MPEG LA, Alba, Digital TV, DVD, Germany, Licensing, Patent, Set Top Box, Smart TV

IWEDIA Middleware to accompany the booming market in high definition (HD) devices
Mar 3, 2008 – IWEDIA has announced dedicated editions of its Comedia middleware specifically targeted at HD set-top boxes and 'digital ready' HD TV sets.
News categories: IWEDIA, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial