Weekly Pix

San Bruno on BigBand Bandwagon BigBand Networks said that San Bruno Municipal Cable TV has deployed both the BigBand BME (Broadband Multimedia-Service Edge) and BigBand BMR (Broadband Multimedia-Service Router) system-wide. San Bruno Municipal Cable TV is using BigBand’s solutions to deliver its new VOD service, as well as process and deliver its complete digital TV lineup. DVRs Better than Sliced Bread Seems everyone who has a DVR becomes a fanatical convert, and according to a recent report, the cult is growing. Isuppli said in its report that digital video recording hit an "inflection point” in 2005, for both equipment and services. Cable companies moved from tentative deployment of DVRs to aggressive deployment, according to iSuppli, with DVR subscribers more than doubling from 2004. Set-top box manufacturers are enabling new multi-room technology in an increasing number of advanced boxes spanning cable, satellite and DVD. Over the next five years, iSuppli expects the number of boxes with multi-room capability to expand from only a few million units last year to more than 50 million units in 2010. Is that a HEMi? Earlier this week, EGT introduced HEMi (Head End Micro), a new low-cost, high-density encoder for off-site insertion of hyper local channels specific to the MDU or closed community. According to the company, EGT built HEMi to perform a key function in digital simulcast and all digital networks by enabling cable operators to cost-effectively convert local analog channels to digital. The HEMi provides an integrated and scalable solution that encodes, multiplexes, modulates and converts up to nine community channels, such as security cameras, community programming or events calendars. Cingular Picks Real Networks Platform for Video Real Networks said Cingular will be the first wireless carrier to commercially deploy Real’s Helix OnlineTV platform. Earlier this week, Cingular launched its Cingular Video on-demand streaming video service in 16 cities across the country. Cingular Video gives its customers access to video from major content providers, including exclusive video clips from HBO Mobile and HBO Family. Customers can also receive up-to-the-minute weather updates from The Weather Channel and access video content from Fox Sports and the Disney Channel, among others.