ITV

Category: Hardware

  • Adobe to showcase innovations at IBC 2015

    Adobe to showcase innovations at IBC 2015

    MUMBAI: Adobe, the leader in video software, today announced its next wave of innovation coming soon to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes groundbreaking support for UltraHD (UHD), brilliant color technology improvements, and new touch workflows. In addition, Adobe Primetime, one of eight solutions of Adobe Marketing Cloud, extends its delivery and monetization capabilities for HTML5 video and offers new tools for pay-TV providers that make TV Everywhere authentication easier and more streamlined. Adobe will showcase the deepening connections across its Creative Cloud and Marketing Cloud offerings at IBC 2015, Europe’s largest professional broadcast show, in Amsterdam, Sept. 11-15.

     

    At IBC, Adobe will also demonstrate growing industry momentum, as customers continue to make the switch to Creative Cloud and Premiere Pro CC workflows. These include the film Deadpool from 20th Century Fox, coming Feb. 12, 2016; Staten Island Summer from Paramount Pictures, edited by Adam Epstein; and award-winning motion picture color grading artist Dado Valentic. Additionally, recently launched services benefitting from Adobe Primetime HBO Now, Showtime, MLB, Sony Pictures Entertainment, RTL Group, Shomi, Voo and Starz (Parsifal).

     

    Revealing New Innovation Across Adobe Video Tools

     

    At IBC 2015, Adobe will preview new video technology coming soon to Creative Cloud that streamlines workflows for broadcasters and media companies. These include:

     

    ·         Comprehensive native format support for editing beautiful 4K-to-8k footage in Premiere Pro CC ushers in a new era of UltraHD. Continued color advancements with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) workflows in Premiere Pro CC and improved color fidelity and color adjustments come to After Effects CC. Keep pace with rapidly developing color workflows through deeper support for ARRI RAW, Rec. 2020 and other Ultra HD and HDR formats.

     

    ·         Introduction of a touch environment with Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC and Character Animator optimized for Microsoft Surface Pro, Windows 8 tablets or Apple track pad devices.

     

    ·         Adjust the duration of a song to match video content with Remix, a new feature in Audition CC. More than a simple looping tool, Remix automatically rearranges music to any duration while maintaining musicality and structure, creating custom tracks to fit storytelling needs.

     

    ·         Updated support for Creative Cloud Libraries across CC desktop video tools, powered by Adobe CreativeSync. Now assets, including images from Adobe Stock, instantly appear in After Effects and Premiere Pro, to bring creative visions to life.

     

    ·         In Adobe Media Encoder, Destination Publishing, a single action solution for rendering and delivering content to popular social platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and Creative Cloud, now includes support for Facebook to easily showcase and promote social media projects and campaigns.

     

    ·         Adobe Anywhere, a workflow platform for enterprise teams to collaborate, adds the ability to be deployed as either a multi-location streaming solution or a single-location collaboration-only version.

     

    “Adobe is redefining video and motion picture workflows to more easily provide fantastic image quality. Color is essential in cinematic storytelling and images with no color correction fall flat,” said Bill Roberts, senior director of professional video product management, Adobe. “And image quality is especially important in a world moving to UltraHD. With our continued Creative Cloud advancements, Adobe is helping production companies more easily create compelling UltraHD content for any screen.”

     

    “Color is now everyone’s responsibility in production. Feature updates in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, such as Lumetri Looks, enable filmmakers and editors to control the look of a project throughout the production process, from the initial script to the end, ultimately giving them more creative control. I look forward to what’s coming next in Creative Cloud,” said Dado Valentic, Founder and Chief Colorist at Mytherapy.

  • InfoComm India grows from strength to strength

    InfoComm India grows from strength to strength

    MUMBAI: Held from 1-3 September 2015 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, InfoComm India once again received overwhelming positive response. Attracting a record visitor attendance for the third straight year, it generated glowing feedback from exhibitors on its world-class quality and endorsement as the best tradeshow of its kind in India.

     

    InfoComm India 2015 was packed with product debuts, cutting-edge technology demonstrations and visions of smart cities, all of which helped to connect the various stakeholder communities. 6,525 local and international trade and end-user visitors passed through the doors of the exhibition hall. This 16% year-on-year increase in visitor attendance was achieved despite a major disruption in the local public transport system on the first two days of the show which paralysed the city – an indication of visitors’ commitment to attending InfoComm India.

     

    Also attesting to the rapidly-growing standing and vibrancy of the show, there was 33% more exhibitors compared to 2014, bringing the total number of exhibitors to 201 coming from 21 countries. These included names like ZTE, Dexon and Gestton which were among the 40 that participated in InfoComm India for the first time.

     

    The 22% larger show floor and an hour’s extension to opening hours accommodated the increase in visitor numbers and eased traffic flow, allowing exhibitors and visitors the space and time to engage in deeper conversations.

     

    “We are thrilled to be able to produce another record-setting InfoComm India,” said Richard Tan, Executive Director of InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd. “Although this is only the 3rd edition, all the show’s performance metrics, including number of visitors, summit attendance and exhibitors, has surpassed our most optimistic expectations, pointing to a bright future for the development of the pro-AV and ICT industries in India.”

     

    “Visiting InfoComm India was a very useful and rewarding experience for me,” said Neeraj Gupta, VP-Technologies of Accenture. “I came to scout for new products and renew contracts and was able to visit all OEMs and systems integrators under roof. It was a very good platform for networking.”

     

    “The volume of exhibitors passing through our stand was good, comparable to last year,” said Rajesh Patkar, Deputy General Manager of Christie Digital. “The quality of the crowd was also good. We saw visitors from the interior of India like Indore, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.”

     

    “This was the first time that we participated in InfoComm India, and we had an excellent response from a wonderful mix of visitors, including CEOs, decision-makers and technical people who came to learn more about our solutions,” said Parminder Singh,  Enterprise Business Manager of ZTE. “InfoComm India 2015 has proven to be of international standards and exceeded our expectations 150%. We plan to come again next year.”

     

    Not only were the visitors impressed with the range of exhibitors, the quality of the exhibits and the live demonstrations; they were also enthralled by the rich diversity of seminars at the concurrent 3-day Summit which covered the entire spectrum of pro-AV and ICT solutions.

     

    The Summit’s 1,152 total attendance is a 35% increase from previous year. Average attendance per session also went up by 55%. In particular, the entertainment industry-focused and enterprise IT-focused sessions each drew more than 100 delegates.

     

    “Latest Trends & New Technology in Live Events – Challenges & Opportunities” was presented by Alexander Prill, International Sales Director, LANG AG, Germany. Ramesh Kumar T, General Manager & Head of IT at Mindtree spoke on “AV/ IT Convergence – The Future of IT Integrators”. They were among the roster of distinguished speakers who shared expert insights at the various sessions.

     

    An equally-outstanding line-up of experts served as moderators and panelists during panel discussions that followed keynote sessions. A new feature at this year’s Summit, panel discussions encouraged depth of knowledge-sharing.

     

    “I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the discussions, and the depth and breadth of the presentations,” said Sandesh Kulkarni, Manager Sales, Innovative Systems & Solutions (P) Ltd. “It was truly an inspiring experience for me. InfoComm India Summit is the right place for an unmatchable learning experience on topics ranging from acoustics to videoconferencing.”

     

    Under the Indian Government Smart Cities Programme, 100 cities across India will be transformed into Smart Cities by harnessing technology for the purpose of accelerating economic development, creating jobs, raising income levels and lifting the quality of life. This ambitious programme will enhance the impetus to drive InfoComm India to greater growth as audiovisual and information communication technologies are the fundamental building blocks for Smart Cities.

     

    “We are very pleased with the strong growth of InfoComm India, the good response of exhibitors and encouraging feedback from visitors and Summit attendees,” said Richard Tan. “Looking ahead, we are very excited about the long-term growth prospects of the audiovisual and information communication technology industries in India, the huge possibilities unleashed by the Smart Cities Programme and its positive impact on InfoComm India.”

     

    InfoComm India will return from 12-14 September 2016 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre.

  • Amazon Web Services acquires video solutions company Elemental

    Amazon Web Services acquires video solutions company Elemental

    MUMBAI: Amazon Web Services (AWS) has agreed to acquire Elemental Technologies, Inc., which is a software-defined video solutions company for multiscreen content delivery.

     

    The acquisition brings together Elemental’s video solutions with the AWS Cloud platform to provide media and entertainment (M&E) companies with integrated solutions to scale video infrastructures as the media industry increasingly moves to internet based delivery.

     

    Elemental software makes it easy for M&E companies to take live and on-demand video destined for traditional networks like cable, satellite, or over-the-air broadcast and re-format that content for distribution to PCs and smart phones, tablets, and TVs. 

     

    “Elemental shares Amazon’s passion for invention and putting the customer first. Together, we’ll collaborate on deeper technology integrations and new infrastructure offerings so that media and entertainment companies can evolve their hybrid and cloud models as they continue to innovate their services for viewers,” said Amazon Web Services SVP Andy Jassy.

     

    Elemental will continue to operate its business under its existing brand, delivering the full range of solutions for pay TV operators, content programmers, broadcasters, governments, and enterprise customers. Elemental will also expand the integration of its offerings with AWS, and through close collaboration with AWS, accelerate the innovation of next-generation services that feature a range of solutions for customers leveraging on-premises assets, hybrid architectures, and cloud.

     

    “The media and entertainment industry is at a unique inflection point, and as a part of Amazon, we will be in an even stronger position to help our customers delight their viewers globally. We’re thrilled to have Amazon supporting our growth and ongoing commitment to our customers’ success,” said Elemental co-founder and CEO Sam Blackman.

     

    Elemental has more than 700 media franchise customers and powers over-the-top (OTT) TV applications like the BBC’s iPlayer, CNNGo, ESPN Score Center, HBO Go, MSNBC Shift, and Sky Go & Sky Now. Additionally, Elemental is supporting the world’s first 4K Ultra HD services including those that were delivered by the BBC during the 2014 World Cup.

  • Masstech to spotlight latest innovations for advanced workflows, media asset management and newsrooms at IBC2015

    Masstech to spotlight latest innovations for advanced workflows, media asset management and newsrooms at IBC2015

    MUMBAI: Masstech — the trusted provider of innovative, advanced workflow and media asset management solutions — will showcase the company’s latest software offerings and enhancements at the IBC2015 Conference and Exhibition, taking place September 11-15 in Amsterdam.

     

    Masstech will co-exhibit in the stand of partner MOG Technologies, number 7.K28. The two companies have worked closely together to integrate MOG’s mxfSPEEDRAIL ingest systems with Masstech’s media management solutions, enabling efficient, cohesive, automated workflows from production and ingest to archive and distribution.

     

    Through a combination of technology demonstrations and insightful one-on-one discussions with Masstech experts, attendees can learn how Masstech’s solutions and expertise enable media organizations to efficiently and easily manage their valuable digital media content and all of its related information throughout its lifecycle.

     

    Masstech media asset management solutions will also be featured in the Disk Archive Corporation stand (number 8.B38f), working in conjunction with the ALTO-II secure, high-performance, disk-based media archive.

     

    Masstech’s latest solutions address the evolving challenges of media management, from exponentially growing volumes of content, to increasing collaboration, to the expanding processing and storage requirements of higher-resolution formats such as 4K Ultra HD. Built on the latest generation of the powerful and flexible MassStore software engine, Masstech solutions bring tangible operational and business benefits to applications including:

     

    * Advanced Workflows — Unparalleled third-party integrations seamlessly streamline even the most complex environments spanning disparate vendors, products and versions. Direct integration interfaces with popular production, automation, playout, storage and distribution systems eliminate workflow barriers to maximize efficiency and simplify operations.

     

    * Media Asset Management — With an intuitive new HTML5 user interface, rich support for unstructured metadata, search engine enhancements, embedded player and more, the latest version of MassStore makes it faster and easier than ever before for media organizations of any size to store, find, reuse, move and manage their valuable content and all of its related information.

     

    * Newsrooms — Masstech enables effortless archiving and sharing directly within journalists’ familiar newsroom system interface, eliminating workflow barriers to let them focus on producing content-rich stories in less time. Already deployed in newsrooms spanning 10 station groups that cover the U.S. from coast to coast, significant recent orders are continuing the solution’s rapidly expanding adoption.

     

    * Archive — Masstech’s scalable content storage management delivers unmatched ROI with no storage capacity-based fees. Intelligent tiered storage management is ideal for the larger file sizes involved in 4K workflows, and Masstech supports a broad range of online, nearline and deep storage options, from disk drive based storage to Sony Optical Disc Archive and LTO data tape libraries.

     

    “Our solutions have always excelled at addressing complex workflow challenges and simplifying media operations, and the need for media organizations to streamline their file-based workflows is greater than ever,” said Joe French, President and CEO of Masstech. “Today’s media environments, built up over time, are often a complicated mix of poorly-coupled products from different vendors. Evolving business and operational requirements such as increased multi-site collaboration and the integration of 4K processes with existing HD pipelines threaten to further compound this situation. We’re excited to show IBC attendees how we can solve these challenges while reducing complexity and making their lives easier.”

     

    Leading media companies worldwide depend on Masstech to deliver superior user experiences, exceptional ROI and frictionless media asset management workflows that enable them to maximize their efficiency, monetize their content across multiple platforms, create better productions, enhance their competitive position, and save time and money.

  • Made-in-India STBs sale to witness 15% growth in DAS phase 4

    Made-in-India STBs sale to witness 15% growth in DAS phase 4

    NEW DELHI: With the government’s emphasis on Make in India, local manufacturing of set top boxes (STBs) that are built within the country is showing a steady increase, even as India continued to lead STB shipments for the quarter ended June 2015 accounting for about 94 per cent of the total shipments to the SAARC region (Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka).

     

    With digitisation in India and other countries in the region propelling the demand for SD STBs to HDTV and hybrid boxes, the STB market in major South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries is witnessing steady and robust growth.

     

    According to research from Dataxis, indigenous manufacturing had been merely five per cent in the Phase I and Phase II of Digital Addressable System (DAS). While this has seen a steady growth in the third phase, the sale of Made-in-India STBs is likely to witness growth up to 15 per cent in the fourth phase of digitization.

     

    “Local manufacturing in India, which got a shot in the arm with the Indian government’s Make-in-India initiative, is slowly picking up as indigenous brands are signing deals with MSOs in third and fourth stage. The local STB brands are opting to independent, regional MSOs than the pan-India MSOs or national players,” says Dataxis analyst Sreeja VN.

     

    STB shipments to SAARC countries have witnessed 20 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth during the second quarter of 2015. In Q2 2015, 4.38 million STBs were shipped in the SAARC region with an estimated value of $96 million.

     

    The Dataxis research also finds that the quantity of the STB shipments in India the first half of this year has declined compared to the same period a year ago. However, the total number of STBs shipped in Q2 2015 registered an increase on quarter-on-quarter basis.

     

    Technicolor tops the STB shipments to SAARC in the Q2 2015. The company’s recent deal to acquire Cisco’s STB unit could further bolster Technicolor’s presence in the SAARC STB market.

     

    Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV and Videocon d2h, the three major DTH players have announced their plans to focus on deploying indigenous brands, which will give a boost to domestic manufacturing of STBs in India. The first half of the 2015 also witnessed DTH players partnering with Indian brands to source STBs manufactured indigenously.

     

    Another notable trend, according to Dataxis Research, is the increasing demand for HD STBs in the region. Dataxis’s analysis of STB shipment for the H1 2014 and H1 2015 depicts steady growth in the volume of HD STBs shipped to India. The rise in the number of HD STBs has also contributed to a rise in the average selling price of STBs shipped in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period last year.

     

    The report says that the key STB vendors for the quarter are: Technicolor, Skyworth, Changhong, Huawei and Coship (international vendors), and Mybox, One-eIGHT technologies, Trend Electronics, Ridsys, and Willet Communications (domestic vendors). 

  • Cisco sells set-top-box biz to Technicolor for $600 million

    Cisco sells set-top-box biz to Technicolor for $600 million

    MUMBAI: Cisco has sold its set-top-box (STB) business to Technicolor for $600 million in a cash and stock transaction.

     

    The board of directors of the two companies will review the deal, which will be on a cash free, debt free basis.

     

    Under the terms of the agreement, upon the closing of the transaction, Cisco will receive approximately $450 million in cash and approximately $150 million in newly issued Technicolor shares, subject to certain adjustments provided for in the agreement.

     

    The acquisition should result in Technicolor’s connected home segment reaching adjusted EBITDA in excess of $219 million by year end 2016 and best-in-class profitability by 2017. The transaction will also translate into double-digit EPS accretion at Group level starting in the first full year after closing.

     

    Simultaneously to the acquisition, Technicolor and Cisco will enter into a strategic partnership that will allow both companies to develop and deliver next generation video and broadband technologies, with cooperation on Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. The strategic agreement will provide ongoing commitment to all existing customers and expand offerings.

     

    By combining their strengths and leading video expertise, from content creation to in-home delivery, the two companies will accelerate innovation and forge a leading entity that network service providers can rely on for their next generation connected home experiences.

     

    Technicolor and Cisco also have signed a long-term patent cross-licensing agreement that covers specific intellectual property and patents from both companies. As part of the deal and after the transaction has closed of Cisco senior vice president and chief strategy officer Hilton Romanski, will join Technicolor’s Board of Directors.

     

    Technicolor CEO Frederic Rose said, “We know that video expertise is essential to the future of creating outstanding network and home infrastructure products and services. Through this acquisition and strategic agreement, Technicolor can immediately bring its unrivalled experience and innovation in video creation, delivery, and display to more customers in more geographies, while strengthening our position as a technology leader.”

     

    “The strategic relevance of video to every consumer, business, city and country around the world is only growing, and the market is moving rapidly. This is the right time and we have the right company in Technicolor to drive the future of the CPE business to deliver what our customers and partners need, today and into the future. At Cisco, we are prioritizing our investments to deliver on our strategy of video in the cloud, and will partner with Technicolor to position the CPE business and employees for future success,” added Cisco CEO and chairman John Chambers.

     

    The $452 million cash portion of the consideration will be financed through cash-on-hand and fully-underwritten new debt with an anticipated limited impact on Technicolor’s leverage position.

  • STB market set to grow globally with HD channels & falling prices of smart TVs

    STB market set to grow globally with HD channels & falling prices of smart TVs

    NEW DELHI: Even as India has embarked on a Make in India programme, an international research says that availability of High Definition (HD) channels and falling prices of smart TVs are expected to surge set top box (STB) market growth between 2015 and 2022.

     

    Cooperation between STB operators and the manufacturers along with efficient customer support is expected to positively contribute towards market growth, according to Grand View Research.

     

    The Asia Pacific STB market is expected to witness rapid growth due to growing consumer adoption and favorable government mandate in the region.

     

    Regulations mandating the digitization of traditional cable television and the subsequent migration from analog to digital TV have led to an increased demand for STBs over the past few years. Technological advancements and better quality of signal transmission may further supplement STB market growth over the next seven to eight years.

     

    The improvements in technology and better quality of signal transmission in digital television are expected to spur market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, features such as recording, live streaming through internet, and remote viewing through smartphones and tablets are further expected to drive STB market growth.

     

    However, high costs of such STBs and associated costs of pay channels could challenge market growth. Cable service providers who are unwilling to participate in rolling out of STB due to major capital expenditure amidst business uncertainties may also challenge market growth. Factors such as operator upgrades to high definition technologies, attractive development policies, plans, growth interest in over-the-top hybrid set top box designs, and rising global penetration of pay-TV are expected to provide growth opportunities for the set top box market over the forecast period.

     

    Types of set top box include Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), satellite Direct-To-Home (DTH), cable, and Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT). The IPTV segment is expected to account for a major share in the market.

     

    Strategic acquisitions and mergers are expected to play a key role in expanding market share. For instance, in April 2015, ArrisGroup Inc., a broadband media technology, and Pace PLC, a UK-based technology provider for the Pay-TV and Broadband industries, announced that Arris would acquire Pace for a cash consideration of $2.1 billion. The acquisition is expected to enhance the company’s product portfolio and its presence in the satellite segment, the California-based research group said.

  • Catvision looks to invest Rs 10 crore in FY15-16

    Catvision looks to invest Rs 10 crore in FY15-16

    KOLKATA: Noida-based Catvision Limited, a manufacturer, re-seller and system integrator, has earmarked an investment of up to Rs 10 crore in the current fiscal 2015-16.

     

    The company aims to install 200 headends by December 2016 and manufacture around 15 lakh set top boxes (STBs) by 2017 fiscal end and the investment will be for such manufacturing and installation.

     

    The company has installed more than 60 headends till now in the country. Plans are afoot to install 200 more headends by 2016 through its joint venture (JV) company – Catvision Unitron. On the STB front, the company aims to manufacture around 15 lakh STBs to be used in the third and fourth phases of cable TV digitization process in India, which is likely to be completed by December 2016.

     

    “We aim to invest up to Rs 10 crore in the current fiscal 2015-16 on STB manufacturing and headend installation,” Catvision managing director Athar Abbas tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    With the installation of the 200 more headends, Catvision is aiming about 25 per cent share in the headend installation vertical by 2016.

     

    Catvision Limited signed an agreement with Belgium’s Unitron Group NV, to set up a 50:50 joint venture company – Catvision Unitron in India which would develop AV encoders for the cable television industry. Now the JV develops CATV digital systems and products with the latest world-class technology. Unitron Group NV of Belgium has years of experience in the state-of-the-art digital head-end technology, and is one of the leading companies in Europe in providing solutions for TV distribution to multi- dwelling units and residential complexes.  

     

    While Catvision has number of years of experience in the CATV industry in India, a market that is migrating to digital technology totally by the end of 2016.

     

    By aiming to manufacture around 15 lakh STBs to be used in the third and fourth phases of cable TV digitisation process in India, the company is looking at a market share on one per cent, said Abbas.

     

    “Now, with extended deadline of cable TV digitization process, the industry would be able to cater to all the needs of the fragmented markets. By the end of 2015-16, we are looking at five lakh STBs and by 2016-17 we aim to manufacture another one million STBs,” Abbas further says.

     

  • Catvision to install 200 headends by December 2016

    Catvision to install 200 headends by December 2016

    KOLKATA: Catvision, a manufacturer, re-seller and system integrator, which has installed more than 60 headends till now, aims to install around 200 more headends by the end of 2016 through its joint venture company Catvision Unitron.

     

    By looking at an additional 200 headends, the company is aiming at about 25 per cent share in the headend installation vertical by 2016.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Catvision managing director Athar Abbas said, “We have installed more than 60 headends in locations like Guwahati, Dimapur, Sonipat, Dehradun among others till now. In phase III and IV, we are looking at a market share of 25 per cent. By December 2015, we are looking at 100 headends and another 100 by 2016.”

     

    Catvision signed a joint venture agreement with Belgian company Unitron Group NV to set up a 50:50 joint venture called Catvision Unitron in India. The company develops AV encoders for the cable television industry.

     

    Now the JV develops CATV digital systems and products with the latest world-class technology. Unitron Group NV of Belgium has years of experience in the state-of-the-art digital headend technology, and is one of the leading companies in Europe in providing solutions for TV distribution to multi- dwelling units and residential complexes.

     

    On the other hand, Catvision has experience in the CATV industry in India, a market that is migrating to digital technology totally by the end of 2016.

     

    “This joint venture with Unitron has enabled Catvision to become a leading player in India and surrounding countries in the emerging digital TV space,” Abbas said.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the company aims to manufacture around 15 lakh STBs to be used in the third and fourth phases of cable TV digitization process in India.

     

  • Catvision to manufacture 15 lakh STBs by 2017

    Catvision to manufacture 15 lakh STBs by 2017

    KOLKATA: Catvision, a manufacturer, re-seller and system integrator, aims to manufacture 15 lakh set top boxes (STBs) by 2017 fiscal end.

     

    The company has set sights on this goal as the cable TV sector prepares for phase III and IV of digitisation. Catvision is looking at capturing a market share of one per cent with this.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Catvision managing director Athar Abbas said, “With the extension in the deadline for cable TV digitisation, the industry will be able to cater to all the needs of the fragmented markets. By the end of 2015-16, we are looking at five lakh STBs and by 2016-17 we aim to manufacture another one million STBs.”

     

    Talking about Phase I and II, Abbas said that India could achieve an ambitious target as the digitization process as a whole was well executed in these two phases. “No one expected that Phase I and II would be done on time but India did it. However, in the remaining phases, the biggest challenge would be fragmented markets,” Abbas said, when queried about the challenges the locations, falling under Phase III and IV, might pose.

     

    Speaking on the delay that digitization Phase III and IV have encountered, Abbas said that the government was keen on STBs being manufactured in the country. “The delay will give employment opportunities to many and keep a check on the balance. The industry is happy as the VAT has been reduced from 12.5 per cent to two per cent,” he said.

     

    Catvision was promoted in 1985 by professionals, who earlier worked in senior positions with the HCL group of companies – India’s largest computer and IT conglomerate. In 1986 Catvision started installing complete CATV systems in company townships and hotels – the first cable TV network in India.

     

    In 1990, it became the exclusive agent of CNN for a period of five years. The first Gulf War, captured live on CNN, triggered commercial cable TV in India. In 1995, the company made a public issue of stock. At present the company’s stock is listed at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company has its head office at Noida, and manufacturing unit at Dehradun.