Category: Technology

MUMBAI: NDS has partnered with Changhong, a set-top box (STB) and consumer electronics manufacturer, to develop a range of interactive applications for the Chinese cable market.

NDS will also play a role in marketing the resulting applications to other global geographies as part of a drive to increase export opportunities for Chinese CE and STB manufacturers.
 
Based on its technological and market advantages, Changhong will join the NDS MediaHighway STB software developer community in China to develop applications for the digital-TV market. The two companies will work together to develop two-way services for Next Generation Broadcast (NGB) platforms, focusing on applications that provide public information and enhance the viewing experience while offering new advertising opportunities such as interactive ads.

NGB is changing the way viewers watch TV in China, by offering subscribers a broad selection of content and adding interactive services. It allows subscribers to customise the service and view content on a variety of different devices, including portable mobile devices. NDS MediaHighway supports NGB initiatives by offering advanced services for SD and HD including EPGs, DVR, VOD and interactive applications across broadcast and hybrid platforms.
Sichuan Changhong Network Technologies vice GM Jia Huidong says, “This agreement between NDS and Changhong marks a strategically important partnership between two industry leaders with a reputation for innovation and quality.”  
 
NDS Asia Pacific senior VP, GM Sue Taylor says, “NDS supports the government’s initiatives by providing tailor-made solutions for NGB and Three Network Convergence, while forging stronger links with local vendors to jointly develop solutions for the Chinese market. We have increased our team in China by 73 per cent in the last year, and we plan to triple our investment over the next year. NDS’ growing R&D centre in Shenzhen puts us in a strong position to partner with Chinese CE and STB manufacturers and play a key role in helping them to increase export revenues.”

MUMBAI: While the digital media is growing in India, sports organisations and companies need to use it to make sports and their brands bigger as youth Indians are hooked on to it, according to speakers at the Indian International Sports Summit (IISS).

If sports organisations do not leverage digital media, then sports will have skipped a generation and will not be big in the future. United Breweries deputy president Shekhar Ramamurthy stressed on the fact that sports brands need to think ahead when it comes to using digital media. “The challenge for brands including sporting ones is that they are traditional. They have to find a way though to connect sporting passions with kids through the digital medium to stay relevant. Using the digital medium means going beyond just providing information,” he said. 
 
Spotrfive Group director Hass Aminian and United Breweries deputy president Shekhar Ramamurthy. The topic was ‘Building brands and repackaging sports for new media formats’.

BBH India managing partner Partha Sinha noted that the digital medium allowed for sporting content to go beyond just the live feed. For instance Shane Warne’s ball of the century to Mike Gatting has got 10 million views online. There is an opportunity for brands to leverage this which is what Nike did with Joga Bonita. “The digital media offers brands more sports content to play with. Abroad BBH works with Lebron James and Sprite. One of the aims is to make optimum use of the digital medium. The advantage is that it offers the chance to create affinity groups,” he said.

Zee Sports CEO Atul Pande said Zee Sports is not sure about the monestisation of the digital medium. The fact is that people would rather watch mates on their LCD TV sets than on their mobile phones given a choice. The broadcaster does not know when digitisation will start making money. 
 
Hungama CEO Neeraj Roy who delivered a keynote said that online video consumption is growing 60 fold and sports is a genre that would benefit. In this regard, a start has been made with the IPL deal with Google.

Sport applications online are growing in places like itunes. The mobile Internet will lead to multiple patterns of content consumption which will benefit sports. 3G could prove to be a tipping point. “Virtual goods buying online could prove to be a solid revenue stream for sports brands like the IPL,” said Roy.

There are video capable devices in the market and more will be introduced over the next couple of years, he added.

MUMBAI: UK pay TV service Sky and Five have announced that Five HD will launch this year.

This is, a high definition (HD) version of Five, which will show programming that has been made in HD. Five HD will start broadcasting to more than two million Sky+HD homes in July.
 
The public service broadcaster’s line-up lends itself to transmission in HD with US dramas such as CSI and FlashForward, soaps including Neighbours and Home and Away, international cricket and live Europa League football, as well as blockbuster movies.

With the addition of Five HD, Sky customers will enjoy the largest range of HD programming across both for free-to-air and pay television.

Five becomes the 42nd channel to commit to join Sky’s HD line-up, following news that ITV 1HD, Sky News HD, Sky Sports HD 4 and Hallmark Channel HD are all to launch in the months ahead. Sky is aiming to have 50 HD channels by Christmas. 
 
Five director of strategy Charles Constable says, “This is an exciting opportunity for Five. Our programme schedule is more suited to HD than any other major free-to-air commercial broadcaster given the wide range of high quality series we broadcast. We’re delighted to begin our HD journey with Sky”
Sky’s director of product management Hilary Perchard commented, “We’re delighted to announce the addition of Five HD to Sky+HD, the UK’s leading high definition service. Sky remains committed to delivering customers the best HD service available, and this means continuing to launch high-quality channels right across the schedule.”

2.1 million Sky+HD homes can currently access up to 37 HD channels spanning entertainment, sports, movies, arts, drama, kids and documentaries, including channel brands such as Sky Sports, Sky Movies, FX, Discovery, Channel 4, Sky Arts, MTV, Nat Geo, ESPN, Disney, the BBC and Sky1.

The Sky+HD box not only provides access to Europe’s most comprehensive HD service and Sky’s new HD electronic programme guide (EPG), but later this year it will also offer customers access to full broadband-enabled video-on-demand service and Sky 3D, Europe’s first 3D TV channel. Sky intends to launch Sky 3D to pubs and clubs in April before reaching residential homes later this year.

MUMBAI: Twentieth Century Fox and SmartJog have signed a non-exclusive agreement for satellite distribution of digital cinema content to theatres in Europe.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, SmartJog will deliver Twentieth Century Fox movies to exhibitors in digital format connected to its Pan-European digital cinema network. 
 
SmartJog provides optimised transmission via satellite, network monitoring, traffic supervision and storage solutions tailored to the digital cinema industry. It currently has over 160 cinemas and more than 800 screens connected to its network in Europe with over 300 sites planned by the end of the year.

MUMBAI: More than a million additional listeners will soon be able to receive BBC national digital radio services in the UK following further expansion of the digital radio transmission network.

The BBC is investing in a further 60 digital radio transmitters as part of its commitment to reach 90 per cent of the British population during the Charter period, by the end of 2011. This is the final part of a planned roll-out which started in 2008 and has already resulted in more than 50 additional transmitters being added to the network. The BBC‘s national digital radio coverage currently stands at around 86 per cent of the UK population. There are now more than 10 million DAB sets in the UK (GFK).
 
Listeners in the areas will be able to tune in to the BBC‘s portfolio of digital-only stations through its Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as well as the BBC‘s existing national radio stations.

Transmitters will be added to bring coverage to areas without reception and to improve and reinforce reception where necessary. The plan includes 15 new transmitters for Scotland, 10 new transmitters for Wales, seven new transmitters for Northern Ireland, three new transmitters for Greater London and the Home Counties, and nine new transmitters for the south west.

BBC‘s Director of Audio and Music Tim Davie says, “The BBC is fully committed to digital radio. I‘m delighted that we are now in a position to deliver on the BBC Trust‘s target to bring digital radio to 90% of the UK.” 
 
The BBC has five digital-only radio networks, all launched in 2002: 1Xtra offering black music, 5 Live Sports Extra which covers live sport, 6 Music offers contemporary and classic rock and pop, Radio 7 offers the best of BBC comedy, drama and books from the archive, and Asian Network which offers news and music from the British Asian scene.
Listeners can also receive Radios 1 to 5 Live on DAB, along with more than 30 of the BBC‘s English local radio and nations services.

Digital radio can transmit text and data with the audio signal. A small screen on digital radios carries rolling text telling listeners what music they are listening to, who is being interviewed, and giving phone numbers and e-mail and website addresses.

Digital radios are available from over 8,000 retail outlets across the UK and can also be bought on the internet.

MUMBAI: Suvidhaa Infoserve has tied up with major DTH service providers to offer customers the facility of recharging their subscriptions from any of Suvidhaa’s 20,000 outlets across over 500 cities and over 20 states in India.
 
The tie-up at the initial stage is with Videocon, Sun Direct, Reliance Big TV, Tata Sky and Dish TV.

Suvidhaa founder MD and CEO Paresh Rajde says, “The DTH market has a huge potential growth. However, the current number of DTH subscribers is only a small proportion of the total number of TV households, indicating vast growth in the future. Suvidhaa will help the DTH users to recharge their account through our widespread network.” 
 
With new players coming in, DTH is currently on a growth curve. By taking the S-commerce route, DTH players could reduce their distribution and collection costs.

MUMBAI: Technicolor has launched what it says is the first independent broadcast services platform ready to broadcast 3D channels out of its Chiswick facility in London.
 
Technicolor has developed its Broadcast 3D service offering to ensure optimal viewing and distribution technologies are being used. The company is now ready to offer this service to its cable, television, and satellite network service provider clients.

Technicolor’s Digital Content Delivery business president Chuck Parker says, “With the availability of 3D televisions, we are very excited to be the first to offer this new Broadcast 3D service to our customers. Broadcast 3D is a natural extension of the many services we’re already providing, including upstream in production and post production, as well as delivering the highest quality 3D images to theatres and to the home via Blu-ray Disc, broadcast, and digital delivery.”

Technicolor is able to manage live or pre-recorded content, from post production through encoding for satellite, cable, IPTV or terrestrial distribution. The company is also able to generate logos and other visual effects for 3D broadcasts. The Broadcast 3D transmission suite at Technicolor’s Chiswick Park offices features equipment from Sensio, Orad and Miranda. 
 
Technicolor offers a variety of 3D services to its content creator customers. In addition to Broadcast 3D, the company provides a low cost and high quality film-based theatrical 3D solution, services for Blu-ray 3D, automated 3D subtitling, and auto-stereoscopic content delivery on mobile phones.

MUMBAI: Sky 3D, Europe‘s first 3D TV channel, is set to launch with the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea on 3 April.

After the launch, Sky 3D will show five Premier League matches before the end of the current season and the Coca-Cola Football League play-off finals from Wembly Stadium at the end of May. 
 
More than 1,000 pubs and clubs across the UK and Ireland have already signed up for Sky 3D. Outside of live games, a show reel featuring the best of Sky 3D, covering a range of different programming, will run on the channel during selected hours of the day from launch.

Said Sky‘s director of product design and TV product development Brian Lenz, “It‘s fitting that one of the biggest games of the season will be the launch pad for our pioneering Sky 3D service. With 3D, seeing is believing, so it‘s great news that over a thousand pubs across country will be able to show the magic of 3D to their customers.”  
 
Later in the year, Sky 3D will offer a range of movies, sport, documentaries, entertainment and arts content. The channel will initially be introduced at no extra cost for customers who subscribe to Sky‘s top channels and HD pack.
 

MUMBAI: In a major development, the Walt Disney channels have decided to move out of Star Den‘s distribution network. The bouquet of three channels will be handled by Sun Distribution Services, the recently floated distribution arm of Sun TV Group, from 1 April.

This will be the first time that Sun will get to distribute channels outside its network, creating a bouquet that would have appeal outside the southern language TV audiences.

Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that Sun TV Network would enter into the distribution of television channels business, along the lines of Star Den, Zee Turner and MSM Disocvery.

As part of this plan, Sun has signed a multi-year distribution agreement with The Walt Disney Company to distribute Disney Channel, Disney XD and Hungama TV across multiple platforms, including cable TV, DTH and IPTV, in India.
 
Says The Walt Disney Company India MD Mahesh Samat, “We are delighted to partner with Sun Distribution Services, to further strengthen the reach and relevance of Disney in India. Our agreement further consolidates the strong position of Disney Channel, Disney XD and Hungama TV across multiple platforms in the country and provides kids and families increased access to content anywhere and anytime.”
Sun Distribution Services, a division of Sun Network Group‘s Kal Comm Pvt Ltd, will target several independent channels like Sahara One.  
 
Says Sun Distribution Services COO Tony D‘Silva, “The Sun Network commands a strong consumer loyalty from TV viewers across India and this entry of the Disney channel network will help make us a more comprehensive and entertaining package of offerings with content that appeals to kids and families. This is a significant milestone for Sun Distribution Services towards creating an alliance of strong television stations catering to different audiences and geographies.”
 

NEW DELHI: The Government claims to have worked out a roadmap for going digital across the media but will announce it after discussions with stakeholders.

Stating this, Special Secretary Uday Varma in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that the pubcaster Prasar Bharati has already announced its plans to be fully digitised by 2017.

In an exhaustive keynote address at the Casbaa India Satellite Forum on the theme of ‘On the Digital Edge’, Varma touched on various issues that were causing impediments in the path of digitisation which he said was unavoidable.
 
He also said that the time frame for digitisation would have to be staggered in view of the large size and number of TV homes and players in the market. For this, it was also necessary to have a suitable regulatory framework in place.

He said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had already suggested a three-stage process of digitisation: Tier One cities by 2013, Tier Two cities by 2014 and Tier Three cities by 2016. But this needed indepth study and consultation with the stakeholders including cable operators, multi-system operators, and broadcasters.

Listing various issues that needed to be sorted out, he said tax and duty structures needed to be rationalised; indigenous production of set top boxes has to be stepped up; the role of the cable operators vis-?-vis collecting bills has to be cleared; the need for analogue and digitisation to co-exist for some time, at least in the cable sector, has to be worked out; the effect of digitisation on other services like telephony and video have to be worked out; and a system of licensing of cable operators as against registration has to be worked out.

Apart from this, several cases were pending in courts and before Tdsat on issues relating to inter-comnection.

Noting at the outset that the mood in the media and entertainment sector was upbeat if one went by the KPMG report revealed at Ficci Frames last week with a CAGR of 13 per cent in the next five years to touch Rs 1.1 trillion, he claimed that it was the policy framework of the government which had helped this sector to achieve this growth.

He said the announcements relating to Phase III of FM Radio and Mobile TV were at an advanced stage. Trai had made its recommendations on mobile TV but the Ministry had sought certain clarifications in January, and these were awaited.  
 
He said digitisation was also necessary to bring in greater transparency, but a balance had to be drawn between the 16 million DTH homes and 69 million cable TV homes. It was, therefore, difficult for digitisation to replace analogue in the first phase.

Referring to Cable Access System, he said the proposed spread to another 55 cities over the next three years will help increase digitisation through mandatory/voluntary spread of Cas. But a proper system of tariff will have to be put in place.

On taxation, he said a Committee headed by him after the last State Information Ministers Meet had made a recommendation for subsuming entertainment duties and VAT into the GST and this was now pending before the Cabinet.

The recent budget had fixed a five per cent customs duty on STBs with complete exemption from special duties. The fixation of customs duty on medium had removed the anomaly of differential taxation, he claimed.

He said the Department of Posts which was presently registering cable operators was prepared to take up licensing, but not enforcement, according to the Trai.

Referring to IPTV, he said the estimated growth was 30,000 in 2008, 2.5 million in 2009 and four million by 2013.

A Committee headed by the Doordarshan Engineering-in-Chief was presently examining the issue of spectrum available for digitisation and growth of the sector.