Digital TV News: Ster

Viacom agrees to acquire Pluto TV
Jan 22, 2019 – Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in the U.S., for $340 million in cash.
News categories: Viacom, Pluto TV, Bob Bakish, Tom Ryan, Digital TV, MandA, Streaming, USA

Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 855 with 5G, AI, XR and HDR10+
Dec 5, 2018 – Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) has unveiled its Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform, collectively supporting multi-gigabit 5G, AI and immersive extended reality (XR). Snapdragon 855 provides consumers with an upgraded entertainment platform including HDR10+ playback.
News categories: Qualcomm, Alex Katouzian, 5G, Metaverse, Semiconductor, Smartphone, Worldwide

LG introduces Smart Display with Google Assistant
Nov 20, 2018 – LG Electronics is rolling out an intelligent speaker with a Smart Display that combines the capabilities of the Google Assistant with unparalleled sound quality from Meridian Audio to create a device designed for the smart home.
News categories: LG Electronics, Seo Young-jae, Digital TV, Smart Home, USA

Amazon introduces Echo Show with a bigger screen
Sep 20, 2018 – Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has announced the next generation of Echo Show: the all-new Echo Show has an immersive 10-inch HD display with crisp and bright visuals, a built-in smart home hub, and an upgraded speaker system that delivers powerful bass and stereo sound.
News categories: Amazon, Tom Taylor, Gaurav Sareen, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Tablet, USA, UX

Ster improves quality of VAST-formatted ads with Interra Systems
Sep 10, 2018 – Interra Systems has announced that Ster, a video advertising provider in the Netherlands, has upgraded its Interra Systems' BATON QC platform in order to take advantage of Interra Systems' support for the IAB's Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) protocol.
News categories: Interra Systems, Ster, Penny Westlake, Marc Punte, Advertising, Digital TV, IBC2023, Netherlands, QoE

High-end TVs dragging the market upwards
Aug 29, 2018 – In the first half of 2018, GfK recorded total sales of €45 billion for the global market for televisions (TV). That is about one percent more than in the same period last year, spurred by this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
News categories: GfK, Digital TV, IFABerlin, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

SPARK Neuro closes $13.5 million Series A funding round
Aug 8, 2018 – SPARK Neuro has secured $13.5 million of Series A financing. SPARK Neuro evaluates ads, movies, trailers and other content by measuring brain and other nervous system activity to see exactly when people are engaged and when they are not.
News categories: SPARK Neuro, Spencer Gerrol, Big Data, Digital TV, Venture Capital, Worldwide

Competition from dMVPDs puts new spin on U.S. market for pay TV subs
Jun 6, 2018 – Three-quarters (76%) of U.S. TV content viewers report subscribing to a traditional pay TV—cable, satellite, or telco—service, down from 86% in 2014, reveals the latest data from Horowitz Research’s State of Pay TV, OTT and SVOD report.
News categories: Horowitz Research, Adriana Waterston, Cable TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Streaming, USA, UX

DTS Virtual:X immersive audio added to MStar’s TV SoCs
Jan 25, 2018 – DTS (Nasdaq: XPER) has announced the integration of DTS Virtual:X post-processing in a wide range of MStar smart TV SoC platforms. The integration will allow TV vendors to deliver virtualized immersive sound from any content.
News categories: Xperi, MStar Semi, DTS, Joanna Skrdlant, Mike Chang, Media Player, Semiconductor, Silicon IP, Smart TV, Worldwide