Video Tech

Let Them Have Content, Say Studios to BitTorrent

Authored by Michael Cai on February 26, 2007 - 10:20am.
After much anticipation and some expected delays (convincing content providers to use a new platform is very time consuming, if you have not heard), BitTorrent is finally launching it's entertainment network. We [Parks Associates] are believers in P2P content delivery, be it P2P download or P2P streaming, and it's great to see major content providers finally embracing it. In a recently published report on Internet video, Parks Associates wrote:

Azureus to Offer BBC TV Shows in U.S. via Peer-to-Peer Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2006 - 6:22am.
Palo Alto, Calif. - File-sharing software developer Azureus announced on Tuesday an agreement with BBC Worldwide, to offer BBC TV shows for download by U.S. users on its peer-to-peer service.
tags: Video | Tech | P2P | TV | UK | Europe | BBC | Video Tech | BitTorrent | Azureus | Zudeo |

Digital TV Chipmaker Vativ Technologies Raises $10 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 12, 2006 - 12:02pm.
San Diego - Vativ Technologies, a developer of digital TV chips, announced on Tuesday that Intel Capital has led a $10 million third round of venture capital financing for the company. Existing investors Redpoint Venture Capital, Mission Ventures, InnoCal Venture Capital, Forrest Binkley Brown and the Viterbi Group also participated. Earlier this year, San Diego-based Vativ introduced its line of HDMI receivers optimized for the digital TV market segment. The company will use the funds to accelerate adoption of its components.

NDS Acquires Residential Gateway Software Firm Jungo

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 4, 2006 - 2:55pm.
London - NDS, a unit of News Corp. that provides technology for digital pay-TV services, announced on Monday that it has acquired Jungo, a provider of software for residential gateways, in a deal valued at $107.5 million.

AMD, Nvidia Get Subpoenas in Justice Dept. Antitrust Probe

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 1, 2006 - 1:05pm.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - Chipmakers Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Nvidia announced this week that they have received subpoenas from the U.S. Department of Justice, which is investigating potential antitrust violations related to graphics processors and cards.

MyTVPal.com Debuts 1st 1080p HD IPTV Service in North America

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 27, 2006 - 2:01pm.
Los Angeles - BB Entertainment announced on Monday that it will launch what it says is the first 1080p high-definition video-on-demand and IPTV service in North America this week.

Video Repurposing Equipment Firm RipCode Raises $7 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 20, 2006 - 6:31pm.
Dallas - RipCode, a maker of video equipment that aims to accelerate the repurposing of mobile TV, video on social networks and studio-based productions, announced on Monday that it has raised $7 million in its first round of venture capital financing.
tags: Deals | VC | Video | Tech | Video Tech | RipCode |

Akamai to Acquire Nine Systems For $160 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 20, 2006 - 6:20pm.
Cambridge, Mass. - Akamai Technologies said on Monday that it will acquire San Diego-based Nine Systems for $160 million in cash and stock.

Online Video Technology Firm ROO Raises $15.5 Million in Placement

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 17, 2006 - 1:41pm.
New York - ROO Group, a provider of online video technologies for content providers, advertisers and websites, announced on Friday that it has raised $15.5 million in a private placement of its shares with institutional investors.

Vivace Semiconductor Raises $7.5 Million, Acquires Chinese Firm

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 6, 2006 - 7:54pm.
Beverly, Mass. - Vivace Semiconductor, a developer of semiconductors for video processing, has raised $7.5 million in its first round of venture capital, led by Kodiak Venture Partners and including participation by Shanghai-based Dragonvest Partners.

Nvidia Acquires MP3 Player Chipmaker PortalPlayer for $357 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 6, 2006 - 7:18pm.
Santa Clara, Calif. - Graphics chipmaker Nvidia announced on Monday that it has agreed to acquire PortalPlayer, a maker of chips for MP3 players, in a deal valued at $357 million.

Verizon, Intel Team on Displaying PC Games on TVs

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 2, 2006 - 3:02pm.
New York - Verizon and Intel on Thursday announced a collaboration to enable users to play PC games on their televisions through Intel Viiv-based PCs.

The companies will also market a version of PlayLinc, a game messenger service that connects players of multiplayer titles. Verizon recently launched a $9.95 per month Games on Demand service.

Nvidia Introduces PureVideo HD for Blu-ray, HD DVD PCs

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 2, 2006 - 2:58pm.
Santa Clara, Calif. - Graphics chipmaker Nvidia on Thursday introduced new drivers that feature the company's PureVideo HD technology, designed for use with PCs that include Blu-ray or HD DVD drives.
tags: Video | Tech | Hardware | NVIDIA | HD | DVD | Blu-ray | PC | HD DVD | Video Tech |

SES Americom Taps Amino Set-tops for Telco Satellite IPTV Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 2, 2006 - 2:53pm.
Princeton, N.J. - Amino, a maker of set-top boxes used for IPTV services, announced on Thursday that satellite services provider SES Americom has signed a multi-year agreement to deploy Amino set-tops for use with its IP-PRIME centralized IPTV distribution service for telephone companies.

Adobe Receives Emmy Award for Flash Video Technology

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 2, 2006 - 2:26pm.
San Jose, Calif. - Adobe Systems said on Thursday that it has won a Technical and Engineering Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its Flash Video technology.

On Command Taps Amino for Hotel IPTV Set-tops

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2006 - 1:13pm.
Cambridge, England - Amino, a provider of IPTV delivery technology, announced on Friday that hotel video-on-demand service provider On Command has deployed its AmiNET set-top boxes in hotels that choose to use existing coaxial cabling to provide in-room interactive entertainment. On Command provides its services in over 800,000 hotel rooms worldwide.

AMD Moves Closer to Completing $5.4 Billion ATI Acquisition

Authored by dmw on October 13, 2006 - 1:15pm.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), the computer chipmaker and main competitor to Intel, said on Friday that its proposed $5.4 billion acquisition of Canadian graphics chipmaker ATI Technologies has been approved by the Minister of Industry under the Investment Canada Act, satisfying one of its conditions for closing. To secure the approval, AMD promised to increase the number of employees in research and development activities in Canada, as well as the amount it spends in R&D in the country. The deal, first announced in July, also on Friday received approval from ATI's shareholders. It is expected to close the week of Oct. 23.

Cinema West Signs with Christie/AIX’s Digital Cinema Systems

Authored by robert on October 13, 2006 - 1:00pm.
Access Integrated Technologies today announced that independent exhibitor Cinema West has signed a contract with the company's wholly owned subsidiary Christie/AIX, for the installation of state-of-the-art digital cinema systems for all 64 of its screens. It is the seventh chain to contract with AccessIT, raising total exhibitor commitment to its digital cinema deployment plan to over 3,000 screens.

Digital TV Chipmaker Tvia Says Shareholder Lawsuit Without Merit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 11, 2006 - 2:19pm.
Santa Clara, Calif. - Tvia, a chipmaker for next-generation digital televisions, said on Wednesday that a shareholder class action lawsuit filed against the company, alleging violations of federal securities laws, is without merit. Filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, the shareholder suit seeks unspecified damages for those who purchased Tvia stock between Aug. 8, 2006 and Sept. 27, 2006, and alleges the company artificially inflated the market price of its shares. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Tvia said it will seek a dismissal of all charges. The company's shares plunged 57% in late September, after it cut its second quarter outlook to revenue of $300,000 to $400,000, down from first quarter revenue of $5.1 million. Tvia attributed the lowered projections to a shortage of LCD panels and other digital TV products.

"The Onyx Project" Interactive Short Film Launches on DVD

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 2, 2006 - 1:49pm.
New York - Screenwriter and director Larry Atlas ("Sleepless in Seattle") on Monday released a short film on interactive DVD that lets users explore the film's 400 scenes in a nonlinear format, The New York Times reported. "The Onyx Project," which stars Academy Award nominee David Strathairn and tells the story of a U.S. Army Special Forces officer on a rogue mission in Afghanistan. The DVD features proprietary software called Nav that brings up fresh links for viewers while the film is playing, which can lead in different directions based on viewer choices.
tags: Video | Tech | Movies | DVD | Video Tech | Film | Shorts | Nav |