FTA FREE To Air ABA Dss Blog

Amino releases the Personal Video Recorder enabled AmiNET530, at NXTcomm 2007 in Chicago. At booth #2023, Amino will showcase the AmiNET530 as a fundamental component of a service provider’s multiplay strategy, by offering cutting edge, high quality on-demand, IPTV, PVR, gaming and HD services to end-user consumers using MPEG-2/4 codecs.

The AmiNET530 is a next-generation IPTV Set-Top Box that provides the ability to decode low bit-rate MPEG-4 (AVC/H.264) video streams and is capable of supporting HD video and graphics. With PVR functionality, the AmiNET530 can act as a hub for all the services and applications used for playing, recording and streaming video – it also includes Amino’s reliable, cross-platform IntActTM client software that ensures compatibility with an extensive range of middleware and conditional access systems.

The AmiNET530’s video on demand feature gives consumers the ability to select and view video content in an interactive, real-time setting. This feature, combined with the product’s PVR capabilities, meets the ultimate demand from consumers today—freedom to make their own choices.

“NXTcomm is the perfect place for us to unveil our most advanced product yet. Surrounded by leaders from around the world seeking the best in the converged communications industry, we have the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to excellence with the development of technology that connects the consumer to the expanding universe of IPTV services and devices,” said Rick Sailor, VP Sales Americas at Amino. “We also understand that service providers face the challenge of reducing customer churn, increasing ARPU and offering its customers access to content anytime and anywhere. The AmiNET530 not only meets this demand, but also gives providers the peace of mind knowing they have a competitive advantage – IPTV HD MPEG-4 PVR support from the most experienced and innovative company in the market.”

The most notable features of the AmiNET530 are the following:

PVR functionality – The flexibility of features such as pause and play of live TV, instant record and instant replay are key buying requirements for consumers and a significant factor for service providers seeking to reduce churn. The AmiNET530 also offers the ability to schedule recording of multiple HDTV streams simultaneously, unlike traditional cable or satellite PVRs which are restricted by the number of tuners they include.

High definition – The support of HD video offers an exciting and dramatic viewing experience, with greater realism and detail especially in large display formats. In addition to HD video the AmiNET530 also supports HD graphics, which offers the service operator the ability to display more information on the screen. The AmiNET530 provides the opportunity to add value to the consumer and create new revenue streams with personalised services such as weather forecasts, stock quotes, or targeted advertising.

More channels to more people – The support of low-bit rate advanced video codecs provides operators with the opportunity to grow revenue generating services while maximising the efficient use of network bandwidth, creating the ability to reach a greater number of subscribers, increase the number of available interactive and multicast channels, and enhance the viewing experience with HD channels.

Low cost deployment – The AmiNET530 uses high performance single chip technology for economical deployment of leading edge services.

Proven reliable platform – The AmiNET530 leverages the established and proven wide range of integrations with industry leading partners, on Amino’s proven IntAct IPTV client software platform. Amino will use its established partnerships with leading technology providers to accelerate the growth and profitability of evolving IPTV services.

Flexible platform – The AmiNET530 plays a pivotal role in home entertainment system. Its flexibility will ensure it meets consumers’ future requirements.

Amino’s customer base has grown steeply – its STBs have been deployed and trialed in over 80 countries worldwide. In April 2007, ABI Research declared Amino the world’s leading seller of IPTV STBs for the second consecutive year. This accolade recognises Amino’s expanding footprint in emerging markets, as well as within the growing US market

While satellite companies here in the States continue their battle to convince viewers that their high-def product is superior to cable, worldwide trends seem to confirm just that. With the global market for HDTV projected to explode during the next few years, a new study suggests satellite will be leading the way.

According to IMS Research, the high-def market is forecast to grow to nearly 148 million HDTV households by 2011, with nearly 41 percent of those receiving HD programming via satellite.

The firm’s latest study, “The Future of High-Definition TV – 2007 Edition,” said the growth in satellite HDTV households during the next four years will be largely driven by the US and Western Europe. IMS said in Europe specifically, the slow advancement of digital cable has helped position satellite as the most common method of receiving pay-HDTV.

The study said the findings are in direct contrast to the cable-centric U.S. market where digital cable and heavily-promoted triple-play bundles are expected to keep cable the dominant HD delivery system through 2011. While the U.S. is expected to drive the majority of worldwide cable HDTV growth, satellite is still seen as making substantial gains thanks to focused marketing efforts by DIRECTV and DISH, the firm said.

“Europe is expected to surpass the Asia Pacific region by the end of 2011 to become the second-largest HDTV market in the world behind the Americas,” said Paul Erickson, market analyst at IMS Research. “Much of this growth will be fueled by reduced MPEG-4 AVC set-top box costs for both operators and consumers, higher availability of local HD content, more competitive pricing for HD services, the growing popularity of flat-screen TVs, and sports-driven demand for HDTV.”
__________________

Putting a whole new spin on the distant network debate, DIRECTV will be offering subscribers in Los Angeles the chance to watch NBC some three hours ahead of time. How? The satcaster is launching a new service called “NBC in N.Y . – Only in L.A.” that will air the east-coast feed simultaneously in sunny SoCal.

As first reported on TVPredictions.com, DIRECTV is offering eligible subs in Los Angeles to add WNBC – the NBC-owned station in New York City – to their local satellite channel lineup for an additional $5.99 per month. As a prerequisite for WNBC, a west-coast DIRECTV customer must not be able to receive an NBC station signal other than KNBC, the L.A. area NBC-owned affiliate.

Residents in Los Angeles will be able to watch NBC programming three hours before other TV viewers in the city by tuning in to New York’s WNBC. According to the site, DIRECTV’s new service only includes WNBC’s standard definition feed.

“Both WNBC and KNBC are owned and operated by NBC, which presumably explains why the Los Angeles NBC station signed off on permitting another local station to be viewed in its territory,” wrote TVPredictions’ Phillip Swann. “Federal law does not permit a TV provider to offer an ‘out-of-market’ network signal unless the local affiliate grants a waiver.”

A DIRECTV spokesman told the site that the company has no plans to offer a similar out-of-market network feed in any other city.

MULTIPLATFORM — Hughes Network Systems said this week that it will be a member of Sprint’s team for the recently-awarded U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Networx Enterprise contract. Hughes will provide managed network access and internet services via broadband satellite as a subcontractor in support of federal mission-critical telecommunications requirements. The Networx Enterprise contract has a minimum revenue guarantee of $50 million to be divided among the Enterprise awardees during the life of the 10-year contract.

INTERNATIONAL — Eutelsat Communications and Digiturk signed a new contract for capacity on the W3A satellite to support continued expansion of Turkey’s leading pay-TV platform. The new contract, concluded for four years, is the third signed between Eutelsat and Digiturk since November 2006 and takes to 11 the total number of transponders leased for broadcasting services by Digiturk on Eutelsat birds. Digiturk’s platform reaches 1.6 million subscribing satellite homes across Turkey and offers pay-TV services across Europe using capacity on ATLANTIC BIRD 1 for contribution links back to its studios in Istanbul.

MISCELLANY — Arianespace signed a contract with Russian space industry interests to acquire the first four Soyuz rockets to be launched from the Guiana Space Center. The company said the contract covers launch preparations and operations, as well as maintenance of the Russian systems. The first two launchers will be ready for shipment by the end of 2008, Arianespace said.

TECHNOLOGY — Philippine Multimedia Systems Inc.’s (PMSI) Dream Satellite TV selected Envivio’s 4Caster M2 encoders for its first commercial deployment of DVB-H mobile TV services in the Philippines. PMSI is currently on test broadcast with eight live channels on select Samsung handsets using the M2 encoders to support multiple output profiles and conditional access systems.

Earlier this year, several automakers announced new and extended deals with both Sirius and XM to offer the competing satellite radio services throughout an array of vehicle lines. The latest to join the list is Volkswagen, which said this week that beginning with 2008 year model cars, the company will offer Sirius as standard, factory-installed equipment.

The cool-commercial car company said Sirius will be standard in all Toureg2, New Beetle, New Beetle Convertible, GTI and GLI models, beginning next year.

Volkswagen said it has exclusively offered Sirius in its 2007 model year vehicles and expects to equip around 80 percent of its cars with the company’s radio receivers.

The news of Volkswagen making the move didn’t surprise, as analysts have commented that the OEM market – and not retail – will be the main driver of satellite radio’s future success.

According to some, the announcement signifies that satellite radio is increasingly being seen as important enough to be a standard feature, and automaker support is paramount to satellite radio reaching a wider audience.

“The good news is that it’s not long before the OEM market will make soft retail sales a lesser emphasis,” said Wedbush Morgan’s William Kidd. “Sluggish retail sales, though better than Q1, seemed to have continued in Q2. We believe an uptick in OEM demand should start to noticeably counter the retail sales trends in Q3.”