Digital TV

In a joint deal with Netflix NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution announced that US Netflix members can now watch a selection of broadcast series from the NBC television network and NBC Universal's popular cable channels. This agreement has widened the choice available to Netflix members for just $8.99 a month. Movies included in the agreement include 30 Rock, The Office and Law & Order: SVU and prior seasons of Psych, Friday Night Lights and more.

3view and MaxLinear have announced that they are collaborating on the development of a HD Digital TV Recorder, a hybrid IPTV and DVB-T2 set top box for 3view. The new device is to be deployed in the UK, and will enable users to view and record free content on over 50 HD TV channels and IPTV (Internet protocol TV), and will feature an integrated Sky Player and BBC iPlayer allow users to "catch up" on previously broadcasted TV shows on these two networks.

STMicroelectronics as announced that Dish TV, India's largest Direct-To-Home (DTH) company, with 7.5 Million subscribers, latest set-top boxes are powered by STMicroelectronics’ STi5189 and STi7111 System-on-Chip (SoC) solution. The STB (set-top box) decoder ICs embedded in Dish TV set-top boxes are capable of delivering Standard-Definition (SD) and High-Definition (HD) television viewing. The new set-top boxes are currently being rolled out to Dish TV customers throughout India.

Harmonic has announced that Cable TV provider CableNET has deployed its HD digital Video Solution and near video-on-demand (nVoD) network in the Maldives.  The new service will offer CableNET 100,000 customers in the city of Male and surrounding island access to countries first MPEG-4 SD and HD, nVoD and digital channel mosaic services.
 

Virgin Media, one of the UKs biggest cable TV providers is preparing to offer extended digital TV services to its customers. The new digital lifestyle service is to allow subscribers to access content across all three screens (Television, PC and Mobile Phones).  According to reports, the digital TV provider is in talks with SeaChange, a video on-demand provider.

Inorder to extend its services and to offer its mobile subscribers more choice StarHub has teamed up with SeaChange to create “StarHub TV on Mobile”.  Using SeaChane Intelligent Video Platform, StarHub is now offering it subscribers the ability to view up to 24 branded premium pay channels through their mobile handsets.
 

Communication company SureWest announced today that they have rolled out an Online DVR Manager and Caller ID on TV service for Advance Digital TV. This was a follow up service to the launch of Advanced Digital TV on SureWest's fiber-to-the-home and copper networks to over 205,000 customers in January of this year. The new Caller ID on TV and Online DVR Manager service is available no additional cost to qualifying customers.

Pace announced that they are to acquire Bewan Systems, a specialist in xDSL and cable DOCSIS 3.0 IP connectivity technologies.  According to Pace the deal will not exceed €12.5 million, and is expected to complete the deal in the second quarter of this year.  With this deal Pace is hoping to grow its position in the connected home market place by tapping into Bewan already established relationship wi

DivX and Film Fresh have announced that Film Fresh customers can now download and own their favourite films from distributors such as Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Brothers in the high-quality secure DivX format.  Film Fresh is the first U.S. download-to-own (DTO) online store to provide major motion pictures from some of Hollywood’s biggest movie distributors.   Owners of DivX certified appliances can now download and play to their heart’s content on their favourite device, be it DVD players, digital TVs, gaming consoles, Blu-ray disc players, and portable DVD players.

Abilis Systems announces the acquisition of Freescale Semiconductor CMOS Modulators and Silicon Tuner product lines.  The acquisition of these assets will allow Abilis to expand its broad portfolio of leading, silicon- based digital TV (DTV) and tuner solutions and better address the needs of the growing digital TV market, and in particular of Digital Terrestrial (DTT) and cable platforms.