Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite News 1016-08] U.K.-based set-top box vendor Pace is trying to transform itself into a company that could play an integral role in the networked home of the future, CEO Neil Gaydon said. With Pace selling more high-definition (HD) personal video recorders (PVR) than ever and a growing demand from consumers for HD content throughout...

[Satellite Today 10-16-08] DirecTV will use MPEG-4 AVC HD encoding solutions from Tandberg Television to expand local high-definition (HD) channel expansion, Tandberg announced Oct. 16.     DirecTV will use Tandberg’s EN8095 encoders, which include IP statistical multiplexing, 8VSB input and control of up to three different outputs — MPEG-4 AVC HD/standard definition and MPEG-2 standard...

[Satellite Today 10-16-08] Wegener Corp. unveiled its Nielsen SpoTTrac Digital encoder product for Nielsen Co., Wegener announced Oct. 15.      SpoTTrac Digital is an encoding and watermarking solution that enables the automated broadcast verification and commercial tracking services offered through Nielsen Tracking Services. SpoTTrac Digital enables Nielsen’s customers — including broadcasters, advertisers and producers —...

[Satellite Today 10-16-08] Pace CEO Neil Gaydon expects the company’s standard-definition (SD) set-top box business to decline as more pay-TV operators move to high definition (HD), personal video recorders and all-encompassing home networking solutions.     “With the future pricing models for MPEG-4 and HD boxes, I expect most of the major operators will move away...

[Satellite Today 8-15-08] International Datacasting Corp. (IDC) signed cross-licensing agreements with Doremi Cinema LLC enabling the use of leading edge 3D live technology from Sensio Technologies in Doremi playback servers, IDC announced Oct. 14.     The technologies combine to create CineLive, a 2D and 3D solution exclusively licensed by Access Integrated Technologies Inc. (AccessIT) in...

[Satellite Today 8-15-08] Tandberg Television is introducing a new cable HD program transcoder that will enable programmers to harness the bandwidth efficiencies of MPEG-4 AVC HD and DVB-S2 (Digital Video Broadcasting – Satellite – Second Generation) satellite distribution, the company said Oct. 15.     Tandberg says its new RX8250 product means MPEG-4 AVC HD content...

[Satellite News 10-15-08] The discussion between financial analysts and satellite executives at the ISIS Satellite Investment Symposium was dominated by talk of the recent financial crisis on Wall Street.     Craig Moffett, managing director of Sanford Bernstein, urged his panel of mobile satellite service executives and members of the audience to readjust their business model....

[Satellite Today 8-15-08] Premiere, the German pay-TV operator, has hired a slew of executives from Sky Italia, as it looks to turn around its fortunes in Germany, in the wake of the bloated subscriber numbers scandal that has enveloped the operator in recent weeks.     The operator, said Oct.14, that it had appointed Giovanni Brunelli...

[Satellite Today 10-14-08] Measat Satellite Systems and Sky Channel signed an agreement for Sky Channel to use the Measat-3 satellite to broadcast horse races, the companies announced Oct. 13.     Sky will use the capacity to broadcast more than 57,000 horse races a year to home viewers and outlets across Australia and around the globe...

[Satellite Today 10-14-08] Ondas Media signed a commercial agreement with BMW Group to install satellite radio receivers in its vehicles in Europe, Ondas said Oct. 13.     The deal, which will see the two companies aim to have receivers in BMW vehicles starting in 2012. As part of the agreement, BMW also will include pre-paid...