Looks like the movie studios are beginning to realize that Netflix is racing away with the streaming market, and things are starting to change fast: hot on the heels of Warner forcing Netflix to accept delayed DVD rentals in exchange for better streaming terms, Disney and Starz are reportedly renegotiating their deal, and blocking Netflix is one of the terms. Most new releases on Netflix right now are part of the StarzPlay package, and the studios don't get a cut, since they've already sold those rights to Starz. As we all know, the studios aren't big fans of not getting a cut, so what Disney is trying to do is block Netflix from dealing with Starz and force it to license streaming rights directly -- not the end of the world and certainly not impossible, but a move that has the potential to disrupt service and raise prices. As of right now, things are status quo and no one's talking on the record, but we've got the feeling there's a shakeout coming -- stay tuned.

Disney renegotiating Starz deal, might pull movies from Netflix streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other hardware, Internet

Microsoft's Xbox 360 may call itself the only console to stream Netflix, but all that could be changing -- and soon. As Netflix continues to pull in new subscribers (and cash flow) like it's no big deal, the company is apparently looking to spread its wings even further by integrating its wildly popular Watch Instantly feature into "a device already owned by a large number of consumers." Naturally, the most fitting candidates for that would be Sony's PlayStation 3 or Nintendo's Wii, though the company has yet to come forward with anything concrete. Just so know you, Netflix credits the Xbox 360's streaming integration as the main reason some 2.4 million customers have signed up since late 2008, so it's more than apparent that it loves the game console. Any bets for when this will go down, or are you just plugging your ears in order to avoid potential disappointment?

[Via Joystiq]

Netflix hints at Watch Instantly integration on 'already-popular device' originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Akamai Technologies has launched the Akamai HD Network, its next generation video delivery offering and the first platform to deliver HD video online to viewers using Adobe Flash technology, Microsoft Silverlight, and to the iPhone, at broadcast-level audience scale.

The new HD Network combines Akamai’s patented HD EdgePlatform, adaptive bitrate streaming and DVR technology. It supports live and on-demand HD streaming.

The number of people watching video-on-demand (VOD) programming in the US surged in June - fuelled by rises in the popularity of pay-per-view content and more children taking advantage of free programming, according to Rentrak.
The increases made June the most-viewed month for video-on-demand this year, delivering more than 589 million transactions.

Universal Studios has announced plans to add a series of iPhone and iPod touch-enabled features on its upcoming Blu-ray releases.
These will enable access to exclusive interactive content through the mobile devices - starting with the Blu-ray release of the box-office smash Fast & Furious on July 28th.

There are already more digital delivery devices connected to HDTVs in US homes than Blu-ray players, thanks largely to the Xbox 360 and the likes of TiVo, Roku, AppleTV and Vudu.
Yet despite the numerical supremacy of players capable of streaming HD content, digital downloads are not expected to be a serious competitor to the Blu-ray format anytime soon.

ZINNET has unveiled a new HD multi-media player and BitTorrent downloader with networking capabilities. Called the CinemaCube, it connects to an HDTV and plays media content from USB mass storage devices.
The device is also networkable, allowing users to enjoy media content stored on a remote PC on a living room TV.

Silicon Image has announced the appointment of Tim Vehling as vice president of worldwide marketing.
Vehling will be responsible for product marketing, corporate marketing and technical marketing operations worldwide Silicon Image, which specialises in semiconductors and intellectual property for the secure distribution, presentation and storage of high-definition (HD) content.

INTERVIEW: With a third group now entering the race to deliver a high-speed wireless technology in the home - and wireless HDTV products hitting the market - momentum is building.
John LeMoncheck, president and CEO of SiBEAM, and a leading member of the WirelessHD (WiHD) consortium, told hdtv.biz-news that he welcomes the addition of the rival Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Alliance to the fray.

VUDU has agreed a partnership with online video platform Brightcove that will allow its customers to distribute their content directly to the living room television via VUDU.
The first feature available in the VUDU Labs area of the VUDU service will be the MyPlay application, which offers current Sony Music videos through Sony Music's MyPlay Video Network affiliate program.

Epix plans to offer full-length HD movies over the Internet using a dynamic-streaming feature from Akamai Technologies' content-distribution network.
The movie service, created by Viacom, MGM and Lionsgate, previously said it was launching as a broadband-video service in May, followed by the linear cable channel in October.

Vudu is to make its 14,000-plus movie library available on Entone set-top boxes and DVRs.
The deal is the first time Vudu's content, including around 1,500 HD movies, has been made available on third-party hardware.

Filed under: Media streamers, Other hardware, Cable, Internet

While a nationwide launch of the ad-based ZillionTV streaming service isn't expected until Q4 of this year, it's good to see that things are obviously on track. Just today, both the ZBar and ZRemote (shown after the break) -- two crucial hardware components to the system -- have splashed down in the FCC, giving those who just can't shove enough set-top-boxes under their television hope that one more is destined for US shelves. Granted, an FCC appearance doesn't guarantee an immediate market presence, but obviously the beta testing and collaboration with ISPs has been going well.

Read - ZBar filing
Read - ZRemote filing

Continue reading ZillionTV's ZBar and ZRemote crash down in FCC's database

ZillionTV's ZBar and ZRemote crash down in FCC's database originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe has designed a new version of its Flash animation technology that will enable HDTVs, Blu-ray player and other electronics device to stream content directly.
The development means that webcasters, such as Hulu, will be able to compete more evenly with traditional broadcasters.

The launch of Belkin's FlyWire has once again been delayed - this time until August.
First announced at CES 2008, the initially promising-sounding wireless device streams 1080p HD content from multiple HDMI inputs to HDTV televisions using the 5GHz band.

INTERVIEW: Mike Harris, CEO of AnySource Media, talks to hdtv.biz-news about his company's Internet-enabled TV platform that will start appearing in HDTV sets in the second half of 2009. The Internet Video Navigator (IVN) allows users to view Internet video on their HDTVs alongside traditional TV networks - without requiring a separate box or complicated wiring.

On2 Technologies has licensed its On2 VP6 video format and software to VisualOn Inc.
VisualOn is to integrate VP6 decoding software into its multimedia application suite for mobile platforms.
These software applications allow consumers to play rich multimedia content on mobile devices without expensive dedicated hardware.

FutureSource Consulting has produced an interesting chart that highlights the gulf between HDTV ownership and the penetration of Blu-ray disc players in Europe.
It shows that there are 69 million HD-ready TV sets but just 8 million Blu-ray players,including PS3 consoles - prompting the title: "61 million TVs starved of HD content".

Blockbuster is to be the latest online video-on-demand service to appear on TiVo DVRs.
The pair announced today that they are working to make Blockbuster's service available on all TiVo Series2 and Series3 DVRs (including the HD and HD XL models) in the second half of 2009.

Filed under: Other hardware, Internet

It's been a few months now since ZeeVee showed its soft(ware) side by announcing the free public beta of Zviewer, and now we're pleased to announce that it's back with a new name, a new face and a slightly revised agenda. Rechristened Zinc, this latest version is -- for all intents and purposes -- a competitor of boxee. Once installed on a PC (a Mac version should surface by April), users can easily navigate to tons of internet-based TV content from the likes of CBS, ABC, etc. Also of note, this version bakes in access to your Netflix Watch Instantly queue, providing access to 15,000 feature length movies and tens of thousands of TV shows. For now, ZeeVee's committed to keeping the application free, and it believes its superior UI will win folks over. The full release is waiting just past the break, and those interested in giving it a go should find a live download waiting right here.

Psst... you can check out our hands-on and review over at Engadget HD.

Continue reading ZeeVee releases retooled Zinc internet video browser

ZeeVee releases retooled Zinc internet video browser originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc

Join us in exclaiming: Glory, Hallelujah! After the death of Three Sheets late last year, our TV watching just hasn't been the same. We've even found ourselves wondering what's wrong with the HD DVR for not recording any new episodes. At long last, we've finally been told that the immensely popular travel / drinking show is set to return, though we don't know where or when. On Zane Lamprey's official website, he's informed the world that the new home network is currently seen in around 65 million homes across America (compared to just 10 million with MOJO HD, the show's former home), and the announcement from said network should be coming soon. Also, the never-aired fourth season will begin airing soon after, with a season five scheduled to begin shooting in the not-too-distant future. Raise your glasses, mates!

[Via Yelp, thanks Ben]

Three Sheets slated to return, new season starting soon originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Demand Group has won the VOD and subscription VOD contract from OTE for its upcoming IPTV service in Greece.
ODG is Virgin Media TV’s content management partner for its VOD service in the UK, which is the largest VOD service outside of North America with over 50m views per month.

Filed under: Polls, Internet

With all the crazy Hulu / boxee happenings this week, it got us thinking -- how many of you out there are really into web-based content? By and large, most of what's on the tubes isn't available in "real" HD (read: broadcast quality), but we get the feeling that the convenience factor may still be drawing some of you in. Is this the case? Are you sold on internet TV? The pay-TV providers sure believe that you are, regardless.

Poll: Do you watch internet-based TV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Internet, New content

See this sense of friendship? We admire it. Rather than keeping all of its content to itself, Hulu has decided to shake hands with online video portal Dailymotion in order to give its viewers access to loads of Hulu material. A newly reached distribution agreement will give Dailymotion's audience "access to an additional 40,000 premium videos from Hulu's online video library, including full-length episodes from major television studios, full-length feature films from major film studios, as well as news and other content from more than 130 content providers." The new videos from Hulu will be slotted into Dailymotion's channels (Funny, Film & TV, Music, Sports & Extreme), and by using the company's own Videowall, Videozap or Jukebox, viewers will also be able to program Hulu content into their own channels and playlists. No wonder pay-TV providers are hastily trying to get in while the gettin' is good.

Lots of Hulu content comes to Dailymotion originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just in case hooking up ZeeVee's ZvBox and getting access to all available online media is too difficult, there's ZillionTV. This admittedly interesting startup is looking to pick up where Hulu, ZeeVee, Netflix Watch Instantly and all the rest have left off by bringing true on-demand content to one's television (read: not PC or mobile device) for almost nothing. For a one-time fee of "under $100," users will be given a ZBar and a ZRemote, both of which enable interaction with the VUI interface. Put as simply as possible, ZillionTV is hooking up with ISPs, content producers and advertisers in order to bring loads of popular material to the TV sans a subscription, though you will have to watch ads (which are optionally customizable to preferences) in order to play along. The company asserts that SD quality content can be achieved with a 3Mbps connection, while HD material will need upwards of 7Mbps. Currently, a beta program is ongoing, but a nationwide launch is expected by Q4. To be frank, this whole setup is rather complicated, so we'll point you past the break for a more detailed breakdown.


ZillionTV Company Overview

Imagine, for a moment, that all TV viewers could collectively make the rules for a day. What would they change? They would want "on demand" to actually mean what it says, and make their favorite programs available to them immediately. They would insist on more options for finding new and favorite shows, and the ability to personalize their viewing experience. They would ask for less advertising, and the ability to watch ads most relevant to their interests that they can pick themselves. And finally, they'd like the choice of watching whatever program they choose without paying a monthly subscription.

Now these demands have been answered.

The ZillionTV[TM] Service (www.zilliontv.tv) is a breakthrough television entertainment platform that gives television lovers instant access to their favorite shows and movies with no subscription fees - all on-demand and delivered directly to their television sets. Major Hollywood studios and television networks such as ABC/Disney, Fox, NBC/Universal, Sony and Warner Bros. have partnered with ZillionTV to provide a vast collection of programs that will continue to expand.

Once selected by the viewer, each broadcast-quality program is streamed without delay to the TV set. All that's required to start watching is a standard broadband Internet connection, the free ZillionTV device and innovative motion-sensing remote control, and a TV.

An unprecedented relationship with Visa creates a one-of-a-kind television commerce environment that gives viewers the ability to purchase products directly from the television set. ZillionTV viewers also gain the opportunity to earn rewards through a compelling loyalty program, simply by selecting and viewing the ads they're most interested in or watching the programming they love. ZillionTV does more than put a television remote in the hands of viewers. ZillionTV puts the power of choice, control and personalization into their hands as well.


ZillionTV's Origin
The idea for ZillionTV originated with Peter Redford, a renowned Silicon Valley pioneer who had been instrumental in the development of many game-changing technology inventions, including the computer mouse, graphical user interface and Macromedia Flash player. When he created the first ZillionTV prototype in early 2007, Peter envisioned the TV equivalent of a magazine stand, delivering niche programs to satisfy the hundreds of hobbies and interests not covered on mainstream broadcasts.

After seeing an initial demonstration of the technology in Peter's home, veteran TV industry executive Mitch Berman signed on in March 2007 to make the idea of ZillionTV a reality. After 25 years of leadership at entertainment and technology pioneers including HBO, E! Entertainment Television, Sky Network Television New Zealand, Galaxy Media Australia (FOXTEL), OpenTV and C-COR, Mitch immediately recognized ZillionTV's potential and recruited an executive team of innovative thinkers and industry heavyweights. One early decision was to enhance Peter's original vision of delivering solely niche programming, and begin building a vast library of popular TV shows and movies.

Throughout 2007 and early 2008, executives of the up-and-coming company focused on forming partnerships, developing the technology and raising capital. By spring 2008, the details of ZillionTV's service began to fall into place.

How ZillionTV Works
To truly stand out from a sea of existing TV services, ZillionTV recognized that it must offer a completely new way for television lovers to experience television, while making programs easily accessible and fun to explore.

ZillionTV chief creative officer David Dozoretz, who worked for more than a decade at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and LucasFilm and supervised visual effects for the "Star Wars" series, was enthralled with the promise of ZillionTV. He came on board with the challenge of overhauling the traditional "set-top box" framework and television viewer experience. The result is a stylish, one-of-a-kind industrial design for a WiFi-enabled device that seamlessly attaches to the top of any television set. An innovative motion-sensing remote control completes the experience. David also led the charge on the creation of the ZillionTV VUI[TM] Experience, a multidimensional on-screen user interface designed to help viewers quickly and easily sort through a multitude of television shows and films, as well as discover new programs based on categories of interest such as genre, actor or subject matter.

But the best part is that ZillionTV is completely subscription-free - no monthly subscription is required. And, there is no charge for the device or remote control. Revenue is generated through targeted advertising, pay-per-program fees and television commerce.

ZillionTV shifts control of TV advertising to the viewer, empowering them to select the specific ad categories they want to watch. And by watching ads from personally selected categories that are meaningful to them, viewers can view their favorite shows for free. Viewers can even choose not to see any ads, and instead pay a nominal per-program fee. The benefits of watching ads go beyond free service, however, as viewers earn reward points for each advertising-supported program they see or pay-per-view program they purchase.

Television commerce comes to life on ZillionTV through two distinct differentiators. First, ZillionTV features an exclusive "Buy Now" button on the ZillionTV remote control, one of the 40 patents obtained by ZillionTV co-founder Peter Redford. Second, and equally powerful, is ZillionTV's partnership with Visa, the world's largest payment brand, as the commerce and payment backbone to create a one-of-a-kind television commerce environment that gives viewers the power to purchase products directly from their television set. Viewers can browse products related to the content or ads they watch, and safely buy with a click of the remote. And parental control options ensure that all transactions are appropriately authorized and secure.


What's On ZillionTV
ZillionTV's partnerships with an unprecedented roster of major Hollywood studios, such as ABC/Disney, Fox, NBC/Universal, Sony and Warner Bros., gives ZillionTV "tel-evangelists" immediate access to their favorite programs ranging from full seasons of TV shows and blockbuster and classic movies to contemporary and classic sports and music.

All ZillionTV programming is available 24/7. Viewers never need to record a program because ZillionTV's program library is always there, ready to start and stop whenever the viewer desires.


How ZillionTV Is Changing The Entertainment Industry
The benefits of ZillionTV aren't only enjoyed by its viewers. Content owners and advertisers also reap significant rewards as ZillionTV has created a new and innovative business model that puts a brand new twist on traditional content, advertising delivery and revenue opportunities.


Content Owner Advantages:
In exchange for providing quality content, major studios, television networks and independent content owners receive a cost-effective, quick and fully customizable distribution platform direct to consumers via ZillionTV. Without any content constraints or limitations, the ZillionTV Service gives content owners more expansive access to viewing audiences. And, as the ZillionTV Service eliminates the traditional concept of numerical channels, viewers no longer have to page through lengthy program guides. Instead, each network, and even every show, retains its own identity.

The ZillionTV Service offers the potential to tailor content offerings based on geography, demographics and even psychographics and can also measure engagement and solicit feedback to each program, making it a perfect outlet to gauge consumer response to new and existing shows. In addition, content providers are directly monetized according to the volume of viewership associated with their content.

Advertiser Advantages:
Advertisers experience a revolutionary new way to ensure that viewers actually experience their advertising within an industry already hard-hit by the proliferation of ad-skipping DVR technology. The ZillionTV Service offers the most highly targeted form of interactive and addressable advertising by allowing viewers to watch content for free, while viewing ad categories that they have personally selected. Advertisers only pay for actual ads viewed.

By opting in to view personally selected advertising with no fast forwarding allowed, the viewer actually earns rewards which can then be redeemed directly through the TV remote. This innovative advertising model ensures that each ad is delivered to a receptive, captive audience, creating "zero waste" in media spends. This advertising structure also makes calculating a TV campaign's return-on-investment easier than ever before.

With a 360-degree view of consumer behaviors and preferences, the ZillionTV Service provides advertisers with advanced, aggregated viewer data on who's watching and when. Advertisers can also glean real metrics that link specific results to media spends and actually link commercial viewing to purchase data.


What's Different About ZillionTV?
With ZillionTV, the entertainment experience that television viewers love the most only gets better with just a few sweeps of the motion-sensing remote control.

But what truly sets ZillionTV apart? Ease, innovation and fun. No more viewing through the PC or other non-television-centric platforms. No more waiting for the DVD to arrive in the mail, or the download to finish. No more hard drives to fill or recordings to set. No more "lots of channels with nothing on." No more suffering through personally irrelevant advertisements. Best yet, all within an instant, easy, engaging and subscription-free world.

ZillionTV is television that's always on demand, with endless opportunities for television lovers to finally enjoy entertainment on their own terms.

Filed under: Industry, Misc, Cable, Internet

ZillionTV brings ad-based streaming content to the television originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The global economy may be suffering but that doesn't mean the drive for technological advancement draws to a complete halt.
At the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, On2 Technologies' director of marketing, Tony Hope, told hdtv-biz.news about the push to bring high-def video content to mobile devices.

A PC-based H.264 software encoder that offers advanced encoding solutions has been developed by Broadcast International and Fixstars Corporation.
The CodecSys CE-100/200 has been designed to improve the productivity of IPTV content creation in areas like Blu-ray disk authoring, digitization of video archives and large scale surveillance camera networks.

The cost of VUDU's basic 250GB VUDU HD player has been halved to USD $150.
According to the on-demand internet provider the move is not a sign of looming financial problems. It stresses that the dramatic price cut is due to positive factors.

Filed under: Fox, Primetime

While The Simpsons were announced for HD last week, its Peggy, Luanne, Lucky and the rest of the gang actually going high-def first. For hardcore fans of King of the Hill, you surely noticed that last night's episode was the first ever in high-definition, and we're told that it will be aired in HD from now until eternity. Or whenever the show is canceled, whichever comes first. Any other traditionally SD programs want to follow suit? We're digging this trend!

[Via AVSForum, thanks Michael]

King of the Hill makes the high-def leap originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The number of HDTVs in European households is set to rise from 59 million now to 170 million by 2013.
What's more encouraging is the number of HD channels distributed in Europe should go from the current 130 to more than 600 in the same period, according to a study by NPA Conseil and Euroconsult.

DiBcom is to launch a new platform that offers device manufacturers a solution to the problem of multiple standards worldwide for fixed and mobile TV.
Known as Octopus, the platform is based on a programmable architecture that enables one design to be seamlessly and cost-effectively targeted at many existing and upcoming mobile TV standards.

Demand for HD content has helped drive sales of Freesat devices past the 200,000 mark since the UK service was launched last May.
While the figure is impressive, it further highlights the gulf that has opened up between the US and Japan and the rest of the world.

BSkyB has added 171,000 new customers in the second quarter and reduced churn to below 10 per cent.
It will be hoping to build on the interim results for the six months to 31 December 2008 helped by the the news that further investment is to be made in HD programming. The announcement that the price of the Sky+ HD receiver is to drop to £49 will undoubtedly provide a massive boost to that ambition.

More than 39 million US households have an HDTV set - and the figure keeps on rising.
Yet a sizeable proportion - 43 per cent or 17 million - either don't have or don't watch HD content.

Sonic Solutions has joined forces with Blockbuster in a deal that will enable consumers to download the movie giant's content.
Under the agreement, Blockbuster will "supply the branded consumer interfaces and Sonic will power content delivery across PC and portable devices".

Freesat doubled sales of its satellite packages in the last quarter of 2008.
Emma Scott, MD of the UK's free-to-air digital satellite television service, said high definition content from the BBC and ITV have helped drive sales.

Internet television viewership is increasing rapidly in the US due to better content and improved viewing quality, according to Move Networks.
The Internet TV service provider has released figures showing it streamed more than 100 million hours of high definition content and over 180 million total hours of content in 2008.

After weeks of trialling its new HD capabilities YouTube has officially launched its high-def channel.
Users clicking on the newly added "watch in HD" option will automatically see the videos play in widescreen (16:9 aspect).

Filed under: Media streamers, Set-top boxes, Others

That floor looks mighty familiar, huh? That's because it is. Just days after Mr. Dave Zatz treated us to an unboxing of the 2Wire-built MediaPoint Blockbuster movie set-top-box, here comes yet another gift from the same den. The recently announced Neuros LINK was said to practically be a full-on computer, with the whole kit weighing some 15-pounds. Initial reports are that Hulu content played back beautifully in full screen, so yeah, that's a thumbs-up. We know why you're really here, though, so give the read link a visit for the gallery of photographs.

Neuros LINK web / media viewer gets unboxed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New content

Following the lead of BBC HD, Sky Movies has also announced its intentions to get its high-def program in gear during the run-up to Christmas. The channel is gearing up to show UK premieres of over 15 films, with a number of those being available in stunning HD. Additionally, Sky Movies HD will be showing the entire Rocky saga on Boxing Day, and certain fresh releases (like Beowulf, Stardust and The Golden Compass) will also be delivered in high-definition. The full schedule awaits you in the read link.

Sky Movies gets serious with HD flicks originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For a while now, Sony's PS3 has done very well out of being the best Blu-ray player in its price range - oh, and you can play games with it too.
So it will be interesting to see how it fares now that Microsoft's Xbox is offering US users streaming HD content from Netflix.
That, and the fact that Blu-ray player prices generally are falling, may have some impact on the Sony console.

FootageBank HD has launched a new royalty-free division offering high def content for online and mobile platforms.
Called footagehead.com, the service provides web accessible HD content for use in PodCasts and webisodes.

Filed under: Misc, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Primetime

Now that that Fall 2008 HDTV schedule is well underway, Sound & Vision has had time to investigate which shows are best for showing off your new flat-panel / surround sound system. Sure, we know you're still interested in those far-fetched "plots" and "story lines," but what about tickling your retinas and eardrums with the best TV has to offer? We'd rather not give away any surprises, but after reading through their top seven, why not chime in below with how you agree / disagree?

The best fall programming to dazzle onlookers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While more operators are beginning to offer HD video-on-demand services, live streaming video continues to pose infrastructure and bandwidth problems.
HDTV.biz-news.com spoke to Alex Mashinsky, CEO of DigiMeld, about the challenges of streaming video - and developments that could open-up the service to millions of viewers.

Filed under: Discovery-HD, Internet, Advertising

We're not sure who is in charge of marketing over at Discovery Communications, but no sooner did the company go public than two fairly substantial promotional deals were announced. Right behind the tie-up with Sony comes this, a content partnership with the worldwide leader in online video. The deal will see the creation of nine dedicated YouTube Channels which feature a "robust collection of clips from Discovery's family of world-class network brands." Leveraging the "global" nature of the source, Discovery is planning to introduce "a series of targeted international Channels showcasing localized and native language content for specific regions around the world." Check out all nine URLs in the read link.

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Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Set-top boxes, Others, Internet

We hear you loud and clear Roku -- now go prove to someone other than Netflix that your box is worth toying with. At the recent Streaming Media West conference, Roku CEO Anthony Wood reiterated details that we already knew: it really, really wants to work with companies other than Netflix. Said Wood, "We're opening up the platform to anyone who wants to put their video service on this box," and he continued by stating that "we're going to release the software developer kit, so anyone can publish any channel, and users can access web content on their TVs." Of course, both Netflix and Roku knew from the get-go that the relationship would involve other partners, though it remains to be seen who's willing to call for seconds at Roku's shindig.

[Via CNET]

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Cumulative sales of HDTVs to date surpassed 10 million in the UK, according to a report by GfK Retail and Technology.
In the first six months of 2008, more than 2 million were added and the market research firm expects the cumulative total to be approaching 15 million by the end of 2008.

Filed under: Discovery-HD

It's that time of year again -- Shark Week is about to begin. Starting on July 27th (that's tomorrow), the 21st annual Shark Week kicks off tomorrow, with a Mythbusters special on the subject airing at 9:00PM ET / PT. 24 hours later, you'll be treated to Surviving Sharks, while the next day brings Day of the Shark. Those smelling blood can hit up the read link and swim on over to the programming guide, but be prepared to sacrifice more than a few hours (or a decent chunk of storage on your HD DVR) this week to satisfy your cravings.

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The UK’s BBC has named a new controller of its HD channel briefed with attracting more viewers and increasing content
Danielle Nagler has been appointed head of BBC HD replacing Seetha Kumar who is moving to a new senior role within the corporation.
Nagler said it was a “critical time” for the channel and the technology - and for people making programmes.

The uptake of HD technology in Europe is accelerating rapidly but there remains a “significant” content gap caused by the lack of HD programming on free-to-air platforms across the region.
That’s the conclusion of the latest report from media analysts Screen Digest which says that by the end of 2007, 18 per cent of the 165 million European TV households were equipped with HD displays.
But less than one per cent of these (approximately one million) were fully “HD enabled” – that is equipped with an HD set-top box and an HD subscription enabling them to watch HD broadcasts.
The report forecasts that by 2012 the situation will have improved little – only 20 per cent of the 85 per cent of European households with HD displays will actually be watching in HD.
It says that ultimately HD will become the default choice of TV viewers but in the most part they will have to wait at least until 2015 to enjoy the content for free.

The US’s leading provider of HDTV has credited its 95 channels of HD content as one of the main reason for increasing subscribers even as the economy falters.
Paul Guyardo, DirecTV’s chief marketing officer, said the company had not been greatly affected by the US economic slowdown.
DirecTV added 275,000 subscribers in the first quarter, compared to just 35,000 for rival Dish Network.
He attributed the satcaster’s market-leading HD offering as a major factor in the increase.
“I don’t want to say that we are recession-proof, but I will say that we have not been dramatically affected by the recession,” he said.

With Blu-ray sales still not setting the heather alight much has been made of the high cost of HD players and continued viewer satisfaction with standard-definition DVD.
Paul Erickson, director of DVD and HD Market Research at DisplaySearch, is in no doubt these are big factors contributing to Blu-ray’s slow shift into the living room.
Adding to the picture is the emergence of online content delivery as a viable source of HD programming, something that is seen as posing a real threat to Blu-ray’s long-term survival.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken delivery of HDTV MPEG-2 encoder equipment in order to expand capacity on its contribution network.
Supplied by NTT Electronics Corporation, the Encoder HE5100 will allow the organisation’s members to cope with the rising demand for HD content.
This is expected to increase further over the summer with the expansion of HD broadcasts for various major sporting events.

MediaRecall is to represent a collection of more than 1,100 high quality HD clips shot in Beijing for licensing in advance of this summer’s Olympics.
The subject matter of the clips is diverse, ranging from Beijing lifestyle to footage of the venues and is being made available as stock footage for use in news and editorial programmes.
Taneoka Hiroaki, President of Contents Gate, a Japanese content aggregator and MediaRecall partner for Japan, said the cameramen had created something very special.