Category: Software

Chandra, who is also chief executive of NDTV Networks, has replaced Sanjay Trehan who had quit the organisation in April.

In an internal communication, NDTV promoters Radhika and Prannoy Roy made this announcement.

“He (Chandra) helped NDTV.com grow virtually from scratch to one of India’s most popular websites. In many ways this is his first love-and we are very happy to have him back—and to take it to a new leadership position again,” the letter said.

Though the policy had been finalised and placed before the Union Cabinet early this year, it could not be taken up. The policy based on the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), however, is at a final stage for decision.

HITS will speed up the process of digitisation of cable TV services across the country.

Soni also allayed fears that the government would clamp down on content on television or bring forward any content regulation without discussion.

While her Ministry did not want to be identified only with content, the pace of dialogue on this with the stakeholders needed to be accelerated in view of pressures from the Courts, the National Commission for Women, and Parliament.

MUMBAI: IP STBs is set to generate a market value above $3 billion by 2014, reveals the latest set-top box market data from ABI Research.

The data clearly supports the global phenomenon of switching over from analog to digital TV services wherein set-top boxes now have a more crucial role to play in homes for accessing entertainment and information services provided by television service operators.

This phenomemon is especially apparent in mature high-speed Internet economies where service providers strive towards providing interactive bi-directional television, thereby leading to the growth of IP set-top boxes.

This analogue-digital switchover has also brought about a progressive momentum towards sophisticated box types as well as advanced compression technologies.

Notes ABI Research industry analyst Serene Fong, “Shipments of basic boxes across all television platforms have declined and will continue to fall throughout the six-year forecast period. In contrast, shipments of boxes with HD capabilities and MPEG-4 compression technologies – including HD hybrids – will head north.”

This is closely associated with consumers’ thirst for higher quality content which is often satisfied through HD quality videos. The increased ownership of HDTVs, especially in the homes of technologically advanced nations, is a good indicator of where the market is heading.

MUMBAI: YouTube, the video sharing site owned by web search giant Google, has decided to share a portion of its advertising revenues with users whose videos are able to generate ‘magnificent buzz’ virally and attract a wide audience set.

Under this extended ad-partnership programme, a video will qualify for monetisation only if it satisfies certain specified conditions. Initially, the programme will be available only in the United States.

Earlier, YouTube was paying selected users who repeatedly produced content for the site. Says YouTube product manager Shenaz Zack in the company blog, “To determine whether a particular video is eligible for monetisation, we will look at factors including the number of views, the video‘s virality and compliance with the YouTube terms of service. If the video is eligible for monetisation, users will be informed through e-mail.”

MUMBAI: Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) and Coinstar‘s Redbox have entered into a trial license programme that will provide Redbox access to Paramount Pictures DVD releases on a trial basis through the end of 2009.

As part of the agreement, PHE will receive access to detailed PHE rental data, which the studio will use to evaluate the impact and viability of the programme.

Following the four-month trial period, PHE will have the option to extend the programme to 2014 with an option to exit the agreement after two years. Additionally, under the bipartite arrangement, Redbox will destroy the Paramount DVDs once the company removes them from the kiosk.Says Redbox president Mitch Lowe, “This agreement is a positive step with Paramount. The agreement ensures that our customers will have increased access to some of the biggest titles of the year.”

As part of this offer, all new subscribers of Dish TV will get subscription of the ‘South Gold pack’ for three months plus recharge free benefit of Rs 300 with every purchase of a new Dish TV connection.

Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor said, “On the auspicious occasion of Onam, we welcome the spirit of festivity and celebration with a value proposition for our customers in Kerala.”

Avatar: the Mobile Game will launch in 2009-end and will be available on all mobile platforms across the world.

“With such storyline and characterisation, Avatar: the Mobile Game will raise the bar for the experience of mobile game users. Gameloft‘s expertise in film-based games, promises that the Avatar mobile game will have tremendous appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers alike,” said Gameloft senior vice president Gonzague de Vallois.

MUMBAI: DesiMartini.com, the social networking site from Firefly eVentures, has stitched a deal with Zapak.com wherein the latter will power the exclusive gaming section on DesiMartini.com.

“Since its relaunch late last year, we are looking at providing users with content and applications that engage them and promote interaction. The partnership with Zapak will help us engage all the gaming enthusiasts on DesiMartini.com. This will also help Zapak expand its reach and cater to its core audience. It‘s a win-win for both the properties,” says Firefly eVentures business head Amit Garg.

Firefly eVentures is the new media arm of the HT Media Group.

The gaming section will feature more than 70 games across genres including action, puzzle, strategy, racing and sports. The section will be updated with new games on a regular basis as per user demand and popularity.”Zapak.com is one of the stickiest online youth destinations. DesiMartini.com is a social networking platform that also targets the youth. Today‘s youth is hooked to both gaming and social networking in a big way. We therefore believe that both of us complement each other and with such tie-ups we can cross-leverage on each others‘ audience and content,” says Zapak Digital Entertainment COO Rohit Sharma.

Prime Focus‘ Los Angeles, Winnipeg and Vancouver visual effects studios provided expertise in previz, digital environments, fluid simulation and high-volume particle rendering for the film‘s action-packed finale sequence involving a complicated aerial scene.

Prime Focus roughly contributed 70 visual effects shots for the finale‘s aerial sequence which features a plane being eaten away by Nanomites, a US developed bio-weapon usurped by evil forces that disintegrates metal on contact.

Said Prime Focus VFX senior visual effects supervisor and president Chris Bond, “This sequence was particularly challenging because we weren‘t relying on any aerial photography, which would be nearly impossible to shoot at these speeds, but instead created nearly everything digitally – the plane, sky, clouds and the destructive Nanomites that eat away the plane.”

In addition to developing a custom toolset to generate 3D cloud and sky environments, Prime Focus built a Nanomite animation pipeline and a hybrid matte painting, environment and 3D animation pipeline.

The agreement will allow Warner Bros Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting System to feature videos on YouTube using a Time Warner embeddable player.

The offering will contain clips from CNN news coverage, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim animated shows, TNT‘s hit dramas and Warner Bros Television productions like Gossip Girl and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The deal also enables Time Warner to create separate channels for its brands, and control and sell the ad time for its players on YouTube. Time Warner‘s properties will share ad revenue with YouTube. YouTube also will feature Time Warner content in marketing and promotional campaigns, including display ads.