Tech News @ The Cable Show
Technology vendors’ news from The Cable Show in Las Vegas. Check back for updates.
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts on Tuesday will demonstrate DOCSIS 3.0 download speeds of 100 to 150 Mbps at the convention [Reuters]. The CableLabs-developed technology can hit speeds 25 times faster than average high-speed Internet connections, and highlights one of the hot topics at this week’s NCTA convention: bandwidth management.
Motorola, Vyyo and StarHub announced the successful testing of DOCSIS 3.0 services with speeds exceeding 145 Mbps. [Release]
Comcast partnered with HP, Plaxo, Zimbra, Bizanga, Cloudmark and Trend Micro for its product-merging, Web-based SmartZone Communications Center. [Release]
Sprint-Nextel signed Millennium Digital Media and Baja Broadband for commercial VoIP phone service for the small commercial market, joining Time Warner Cable and Suddenlink Communications. [Release]
• MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Click here for CableFAX editor Michael Grebb’s preview of CableNET at The Cable Show.
Aptiv Digital, owned by Gemstar-TV Guide, is demonstrating its new features for its interactive program guide (whose biggest cable customer is Time Warner Cable) including caller ID, bill viewing and video mosaic features. Aptiv’s Passport Echo OCAP product will also be demo-ed. [Release]
Argo Systems tapped ex-Comcaster Jamie Cherlin as VP, client relations.
BigBand Networks has integrated its switched broadcast solution with TV Guide‘s i-Guide to enhance the viewer’s experience with switched digital video. BigBand’s switched broadcast now passes 6 million households. [Release]
C-COR can now turn installed C-COR trunk and bridger amplifiers into optical nodes. [Release]
Cedar Point‘s SAFARI C(Cubed) Multimedia Switching System, a converged wireline and WiMax voice product, is being deployed by Grupo TVCable, the largest cable system operator in Ecuador. [Release]
Cisco and its Scientific Atlanta division are showcasing their "Connected Life" products at the Show. [Release] Cisco announced Internet streaming media capabilities for its content delivery system [Release] while Scientific Atlanta announced an OCAP developer program. [Release] S-A also will demo Web 2.0-type features, including transferring personal videos from Yahoo and photos from Yahoo’s flickr to its set-tops.
Conexant announced a family of system-on-chips for gigabit and gigabit Ethernet passive optical network (GPON/GE-PON) residential gateway applications. [Release]
CSG announced bill management and payment kiosks for cable and satellite operators. [Release] It also released results of a commercial business customers survey. [Release]
Digeo will demo its Moxi HD DVR and Moxi for OCAP products. [Release]
Everyone.net announced premium messaging services for the cable marketplace. [Release]
Harris will enhance and automate traffic and billing for Comcast Spotlight ad sales. [Release]
Hillcrest demos its motion-sensing TV navigator at its booth—take a peek in our video.
ICTV and RGB Networks will demo their joint targeted advertising product using overlay triggers for ActiveVideo channels that links linear TV channels with Web media. [Release] ICTV announced ActiveVideo programming partners including CNN, Fox Reality Channel, Reuters, AccuWeather and HSN to produce interactive Web-content-on-TV channels. [Release] Grande Communications signed on to launch ActiveVideo, which includes a mosaic application showing 5 channels at a time. [Release]
InnoMedia adds uninterrupted power supply to its IP telephony products. [Release]
Mixed Signals unveils its OCAP-monitoring features. [Release]
Motorola‘s other Cable Show announcements (besides its DOCSIS 3.0 test, above) include media mobility solutions (such as pausing an HD program and moving it to a mobile device) [Release], RF Sentry, "designed to optimize cable network configurations and maintenance operations" for operators [Release], an OCAP developer program [Release], Cable PON ultra-broadband technology [Release].
Navic Networks expanded its agreement with Cox Communications to Las Vegas (appropriately, given the Cable Show’s presence here this week). Cox already offers Navic ITV in San Diego, Tucson and Phoenix. [Release] Time Warner Cable will expand Navic’s addressable advertising and ITV products, including OCAP- and eBIF-compliant versions and Navic’s HyperCast technology, across its markets. [Release] Navic also announced support for the Motorola/TV Guide i-Guide platform, which will nearly double Navic’s footprint. [Release]
NextAlarm.com adds video surveillance for broadband alarm systems. [Release]
OpVista received $15 million in additional funding. [Release]
Pace Micro Technology has CableCARD and embedded CA versions of Tahoe HD DVR, Vegas SD DVR, and Miami HD running multiple EPG, VOD and interactive applications at its booth. [Release]
Panasonic showcases its OCAP-based product line. [Release]
PixelPlay demos a triple-play (ITV/Web/mobile) multiplayer tournament.
SeaChange brings Snap TV‘s DVD games to VOD. [Release]
TEOCO announced new cost management solutions for cable operators. [Release]
Universal Electronics demonstrates its Cricket Kids Remote, designed with big keys for kids (and security controls for parents).
Visionael announced an IP VPN solution. [Release]
Vozzcom hired ex-Comcaster Doug Twitchell as VP, Western region. [Release]
