Digital Rapids DRC-Stream media encoding and streaming solutions are the selection by MTV Italia…the hardware and software combos from Digital Rapids will encode and stream live content on QOOB TV, MTV Italia’s interactive website. At QOOB TV, users are allowed to upload and comment on content. The content is monitored and edited by MTV. MTV wanted a reliable and flexible method to encode live feeds into the On2 Technologies‘ VP6 format for live streaming for viewers using Adobe Flash Player. The Digital Rapids products filled the billed and th DRC-Stream cards and Stream software are being used on HP and Intel servers. The DRC Stream offerings are also used for encoding and streaming of QOOB TV’s 24/7 online TV channel—Passfield, United Kingdom
CONTENT
The Gemstar-TV Guide International content product has been acquired by Macrovision in a combo cash and stock deal that’s said to be around $2.8 billion…Macrovision is a developer of solutions within the copy protection and rights management arena…the new holding company will have Gemstar and Macrovision ownership and stockholder of Macrovision will own about 53 percent of the combined company…Gemstar stockholders will possess about 47 percent…only last month, All Media Guide was picked up by Macrovision…
CONTENT
Take mobile video programming and acknowledge a prime video destination and you have the makings of an agreement—and such has occurred between Cinema Electric, Inc. and mywaves. This new accord will expand the ad supported distribution of CE’s mobile video channels. The deal includes CE’s short-form video content across a variety of genres that range from Hollywood news and events via CE’s PORTABLE HOLLYWOOD to men’s lifestyles with CE’s Smashbrain. mywaves is a an indie mobile video company that is non-dependent upon any carrier delivery web video entertainment to mobile phones around the world. Since the company’s launch earlier this year, more than one million folk in more than 140 countries on nearly 400 carriers are turning into the 100k channels available on mywaves to see what’s cooking. mywaves website, Cinema Electric website—Los Angeles, California
Expected to close in January of next year… one could now start to say next month, if one wished… is the definitive agreement by Network Electronics to acquire Video Products Group. Video Products Group (VPG) provides pro video/audio transport systems of LANs and WANs. The new, combined product offer will enable telcos and broadcasters to build complete video transport systems from a single source. This end-to-end suite of solutions will allow customers to build intra-facility networks and long distance contribution, production and content distribution nets over IP, SDH/SONET as well as CWDM and DWDM—Sandefjord, Norway & Oxnard, California
CONTENT
By mid-2008, Digital Media Manager from Digimarc will become available. This is a new system that will use digital watermarking and fingerprinting to ensure compliance of content copyrights. Digimarc has developed this system to help media companies, social nets, P2P services and user-generated sites track the distribution of media content throughout the Internet. Their partner is… Nielsen and that company already uses digital watermarking to encode 95 percent of TV programming for its TV rating service. The new services provided to Nielsen will initially focus on online distribution of TV content in the United States. Digimarc plans on working with others in the media industry to digitally watermark DVDs, movies, music, video games and other content—Beaverton, Oregon & New York, NY
DELIVERY
Narrowcasting software delivers customized messaging, usually sales- or marketing-oriented, to a highly targeted audience, usually in locations open to the public, and more and more the norm, at scheduled times. Narrowcasting is the content viewed on digital signage systems. Now there’s a 3D capability for such content—and without the aid of 3D glasses. Navori has debuted a new software plug-in enabling Navori Tycoon software to “broadcast” 3D conent, displayed on Philips 3D screens, in new, or existing, digital signage networks. This 3D content can be integrated in a 2D screen environment. You may recall Philips only recently debuted their new 3D technology. For those already using Navori Tycoon software, all that needs to be done is to upload a patch with the necessary files—Lausanne, Switzerland
CONTENT & DELIVERY
ONDAS Media, the satradio company for Europe, has issued an Authorization To Proceed to Space Systems/Loral for that firm to start work on developing a state-of-the-art satellite infrastructure, and the teams can continue to refine the actual contract parameters. The ONDAS system will bring digital satellite media and radio to Europe by the year 2011.
ONDAS has confirmed the firm will take advantage of the S-band frequency to deliver its services to European customers. “The automobile manufacturers use S-band for Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio and are familiar with the smaller antennas which can be integrated into vehicle design more easily,” explained Dave Krueger, Chief Operating Officer for ONDAS. “By further listening to our customers’ preferences, we were able to concentrate on the right strategy to bring satellite radio to Europe.” ONDAS will broadcast its multi-lingual radio, music, video and data services directly to consumers in their automobiles, trucks, homes, offices and to their mobile and portable devices. The service will provide digital entertainment to 240 million vehicles and up to 600 million European inhabitants on the move, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through more than 150 channels of proprietary and re-distributed music, sports, news, weather, traffic and special interest programming in all the key European languages—Madrid, Spain & Palo Alto, California
CONTENT & CREATION
RNCOS, a research and analysis firm, has published a new report entitled “DRM Market Analysis—Future Directions.” This study offers extensive research and objective analysis on the Digital Rights Management (DRM) environment at the global level, sorted by applications and technology. This report analyzes the opportunities critical to DRM industry success as well as helps potential investors navigate through the evolving DRM Technology market. The firm sees the DRM industry, this year, reaching US$1 billion, with the major DRM application areas being the financial and mobile content industries. The major revenue generator for the global DRM industry is expected to be the mobile content industry, which includes gaming and music, with the major hurdle being a lack of concensus among the content development industry companies—Delhi, India
CREATION
Wacom Technology Corp. has intro’d two new members of their Cintiq family, the Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX. The Cintiq 12WX combines all the advantages and power of direct pen-on-screen input with a new low-profile, lighter weight and flexible design. The new Cintiq 12WX is aimed at professional creators of digital content looking to improve and streamline their workflow. Storyboarding for 2D or 3D animations, compositing for post production, designing graphics, as well as retouching photos are just a few of the many creative applications where the Cintiq 12WX will excel. Also joining Wacom’s Cintiq lineup is the Cintiq 20WSX, the world’s first wide-format desktop pen display. Combining the the same design elements and ergonomic enhancements as the Cintiq 21UX, Wacom’s latest wide-format pen display is ideal for those who prefer to work with a 16:10 aspect ratio and may not require the increased resolution of the 21UX—Saitama, Japan
CONTENT
Walt Disney Internet is about to launch a new portal in the United Kingdom targeted toward young adults. The new site will offer films, games, music and social networking. This is the Disney.co.uk site and it launches today. Disney debuted the United States site earlier this year and the UK offering is expected to be rather similar. Additional European “ports” will be added over the next few months in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The core element of the site is called Disney Extreme Digital. Youngsters can watch and share videos, messages, enjoy music and games as well as customize multimedia content. And, yes, parental protection envelops the site—London, United Kingdom
