MARKHAM, Ontario—Enghouse Systems Limited has announced it has successfully completed its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of SeaChange International, Inc.  related to its IPTV products and services business, for a purchase price of approximately $23 million (after the deduction of SeaChange's cash and cash equivalents at the closing date).

Enghouse noted that SeaChange's annual revenues are currently expected to be approximately $18 million.  

SeaChange will be integrated within Enghouse's Asset Management Group which includes its IPTV business.

"This acquisition increases the scale of our IPTV business, augments our product offering and furthers our expansion into the European market", said Steve Sadler, chairman and CEO of Enghouse. "We are very pleased to welcome SeaChange's employees, customers and partners to Enghouse."

SeaChange had announced an agreement to be purchased by Enghouse in April. In August of last year, the financially troubled company had announced its voluntary decision to deregister its common stock with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and delist its Common Stock from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. 

SeaChange is a provider of streaming video services, cable TV broadcast platforms and advanced advertising insertion technology.  Its StreamVid premium streaming product enables customers to cost-effectively launch and grow a direct-to-consumer service to manage, curate and monetize their content as well as form a direct relationship with their subscribers, while SeaChange's Advanced Advertising Platform helps to generate new Video Advertising revenues.

STAMFORD Conn.—The LPTV Broadcasters Association has announced that well known TV industry figure Preston Padden will serve as the new chief strategist of the association and will join its Board of Directors.

“We are not only excited, but truly honored to have Preston join the LPTV Broadcasters Association as our Chief Strategist as well as a Board Member,” said Frank Copsidas, founder and president of the group. “Mr. Padden’s experience combined with his foresight will enlighten not only the industry and our government leaders and policy makers, but investors as well, to understand the value of LPTV. This is a time of industry transition, and we look forward to our exciting future in the Local Power TV Industry.” 

“I am excited to join LPTV BA because of the huge untapped potential of LPTV stations and their valuable spectrum. I look forward to working with Frank and the Board to explore creative options for the future.” stated Preston Padden.

Padden has enjoyed a long career in the media business including: assistant general counsel, Metromedia; president, The Association of Independent Television Stations; president, network distribution, Fox Broadcasting Company; chairman and CEO, American Sky Broadcasting (merged into Dish Network); president, ABC Television Network; executive vice-president, government relations, The Walt Disney Company; executive director of a Coalition of TV Stations Participating in the FCC Incentive Auction; and executive VP of the C-Band Alliance. 

In his career, Padden helped to launch the Fox Broadcast Network. 

Currently he is the principal of Boulder Thinking, LLC, a Consulting Company headquartered in Colorado.  Padden also serves on the Advisory Board of Grotech Ventures, a private equity investment firm.

LPTV Broadcasters Association, established in 2021 is the non-profit industry organization representing Low Power, Translator and Class A TV Stations. 

BARCELONA, Spain & RIOL, Germany—The IPTV and OTT platform Green Streams and the video streaming intelligence tech provider NPAW have announced that Green Streams is integrating NPAW’s advanced video analytics capabilities into Green Streams’ platform-as-a-service (PaaS) for network operators and OTT services.

Co-founded in 2021 by industry veteran Gernot Jaeger, Green Streams’ flexible IPTV and OTT backend platform provides network operators with an end-to-end TV and entertainment product — from frontend applications, metadata, content recommendation, and the video backend, to the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) analytics. 

As part of the new partnership, Green Streams will add the NPAW Suite’s video analytics solutions to its IPTV/OTT PaaS product to optimize its End-To-End platform and provide customers with 360-degree visibility of their customer experience, the companies said. 

Equipped with NPAW’s real-time, end-user tracking of video playback performance, viewer behavior, and content consumption, network operators and OTT providers will be able to ensure a superior streaming and user experience at all times and make more informed content curation and investment decisions, the companies said. 

“NPAW’s multi-tenant video analytics solution allows us to easily provide our IPTV and OTT customers with access to the latest in video business intelligence so that they can monitor and optimize their streaming services’ quality,” said Green Streams’ CEO Gernot Jaeger. “At the same time, the NPAW Suite will help us boost our own platform’s capabilities, putting us in an even better position to help network operators build a quick-to-market and robust TV and Entertainment product.”

“We are excited to be joining Green Streams’ platform alongside other industry-leading providers of IPTV and OTT technologies,” said Till Sudworth, chief marketing officer of NPAW. “In today’s highly saturated and competitive streaming space, content providers need to guarantee the best possible streaming experience in order to avoid user churn and stay ahead of the competition, and our tool will help Green Streams’ customers do exactly that.”

DENVER—The International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy has announced that on November 15, 2021, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a Judgment and Injunction against ChitramTV, a popular South Asian pirate IPTV service. The Court found that ChitramTV willfully infringed 207 registered copyrighted works and imposed the maximum statutory penalty of $150,000 per work, $31,050,000 in total. 

The Federal Court in Texas also ordered registries and registrars to transfer current and future domains related to the operation and sales of the ChitramTV service, including domains used to sell or promote set-top boxes and subscriptions. 

In addition, the injunction prohibits all resellers from distributing, selling, or promoting the ChitramTV service or any set-top boxes related to the service. Lastly, the Court enjoined all third-party providers such as hosting companies and CDNs from providing services to ChitramTV.

The lawsuit against ChitramTV was coordinated by IBCAP and filed in March 2021, by its member company, DISH Network, after numerous cease and desist notices were ignored. Today’s news follows IBCAP’s recent announcements of lawsuits against iStar IPTV service, DesiTV, and dealers of those services. 

“We are very pleased with this legal victory as it will enable us and our members to shut down one of the most popular South Asian pirate services operating in the U.S.,” said Chris Kuelling, executive director of IBCAP. “The injunctions imposed, along with the transfer of current and future domains associated with ChitramTV, will have a devastating effect on ChitramTV and any dealer selling ChitramTV. A dealer that continues to sell ChitramTV after receiving notice of the injunction will be in contempt of the Court’s order and liable for further damages. Dealers should be aware that it’s not worth risking their business by selling pirate IPTV services.”

A copy of the Court Order can be found here.

PARIS—Vitec is getting involved in space, as the company announced that it has collaborated with NASA to provide IPTV technology to monitor and maintain equipment on the Orion spacecraft that will be used for human missions to the moon and Mars.

IPTV technology brings enhanced capabilities that allow for video technology to be “the eyes” for NASA as to any potential problems, Vitec says.

“NASA needed a decoder that could be compatible with video feeds coming from sophisticated—but proprietary—on-board IP cameras developed by NASA and its contractors to capture video in space,” said Richard Bernard, senior product manager, Vitec.

Vitec worked with NASA to develop video decoders that are compatible with proprietary and open standards workflows. A result of this work was Vitec being able to adjust stream capture module capabilities to manage a range of feeds used for the Orion missions under different conditions and circumstances.

Vitec also claims that its hardware decoding platform ensures that video frames can be decoded and rendered on industry video standard outputs, such as HDMI or SDI, at any frame rate, frame resolution or bitrate for distribution with those working on the Orion mission at the space center.

For more information, visit www.vitec.com.  

PHOENIX—Sparklight TV, the new IP-based TV service from Cable One, has gone live in Longview, Texas, with four additional markets expected to launch soon. The IPTV service is available to consumers through an app.

Cable One announced Sparklight TV in January, saying that it would deliver cloud-based video programming to residential and business customers. The services availability and information on complete services has been shared via a FAQ page on the Sparklight TV website.

Sparklight TV is designed to provide the same programming available on cable TV, just delivered over IP networks. With the Sparklight TV app, users can watch content on their smart TV, PC, tablet or smartphone or through an Amazon Fire TV, Android TV or Apple TV streaming device. The service also provides DVR features.

The four additional markets that are next to launch the IPTV Sparklight TV service are Bisbee, Ariz., Altus, Okla., Duncan, Okla., and Dyersburg, Tenn. All Sparklight-served markets will transition to Sparklight TV by the end of 2021, the company says.

For more information, visit the Sparklight TV FAQ page. 

PHOENIX—Sparklight, part of the Cable One family, is preparing to launch a new IP-based TV service, Sparklight TV, in the early part of 2021. This IPTV service will deliver cloud-based video programming to residential and business customers.

Sparklight is transitioning from linear to IPTV as part of an effort to reclaim spectrum, freeing up network capacity to expand current Gigabit offerings and laying the groundwork for a 10G technology platform, according to the company’s press release.

“Our transition to IP-based TV service will enable us to reclaim spectrum in our network needed to continue to expand the capabilities and speeds of our core high speed data product and provide the communities we serve with the fastest and most reliable internet service,” said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of Technology Services. “This is even more critical now, with the tremendous increase in customers working and learning from home.”

Sparklight says that 97% of its customers have access to Gigabit broadband speeds. Building off that, the company claims it has invested $600 million on infrastructure upgrades and is already installing modems capable of 10G speeds for deployment in the coming years.

Sparklight TV will be accessed through an app that can run on streaming services, including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV. Service features will include video-on-demand, program restart and DVR capabilities.

Select markets are expected to receive Sparklight TV in early 2021, with the goal of releasing it across Sparklight’s entire footprint by the end of 2021.

For more information, visit www.sparklight.com.  

LONDON—While pay-TV services in the U.S. are in the middle of a battle for subscribers against the established and emerging streaming platforms, the global pay-TV industry continues to grow overall and has recently crossed a milestone. According to Digital TV Research, with the number of added subscribers throughout the world in 2018, the total number of pay-TV subscribers has surpassed 1 billion.

Estimates show that the total number of pay-TV subscribers increased by 26 million across 138 countries from 2017 to 2018. IPTV subscribers saw the biggest growth of 42 million, and the service now makes up a quarter of all pay-TV subscribers; it also surpassed satellite TV in total subscribers. Satellite TV still did see a growth of 2 million, as did DTT, which added 1 million subscribers.

Cable, however, suffered a net loss in 2018. Digital cable TV added 7 million subscribers, but analog loss 16 million. Cable still accounts for half of pay-TV subscribers, but that is down from its three-quarters share in 2010.

After peaking at $205 billion in 2016, global revenues fell to $199 billion in 2018, according to the report.

The full Pay-TV Databook is available here.

BROOKINGS, S.D.—When the first pitch is thrown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas— the new stadium being built for the Texas Rangers—the fan experience will be boosted by nine LED displays and approximately 1,400 LCD for an IPTV system from Daktronics. The eight Surface-Mount Device LED displays, the 15HD display in centerfield and all LCDs will be fully integrated using Daktronics’ Show Control System.

The largest display to be installed at the stadium is a 58x150-foot screen in right field. Left field will feature a display that measures 40x111 feet. Both displays feature 15mm line spacing using SMD three-in-one LED technology and have a combined 5.2 million pixels for high-resolution images.

The outfield displays are capable of variable content zoning that allows them to either display one large image or be divided into multiple zones for a combination of live video, instant replays, stats, graphics and sponsorship messages.

“This system will feature a main video display that is beyond HD resolution using the latest SMD technology that is increasingly becoming standard in these large displays,” said Reece Kurtenback, president and CEO of Daktronics. “Another eight displays in the bowl and an IPTV network of displays throughout the stadium creates a comprehensive solution of displays around the stadium to deliver an immersive experience for the fans.”

Two ribbon displays will be part of the stadium: a 2.5x925-foot display along the seating fascia from foul pole to foul pole, and a 3.5x211-foot display on the suite level fascia. Featuring 15mm line spacing and SMD technology, the displays provide supplemental information.

Additional displays will include a pair on the field-level suite fascia using 6mm line spacing; a 15HD pixel display layout in centerfield measuring 80x20 feet; the Texas Sky Porch will feature a 3.9mm video wall; and the interview room will have a 2.5mm narrow pixel patch display as a press conference backdrop.

Globe Life Field is expected to open in March 2020.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – April 18, 2019 – Cobalt Digital today announced its 9992-ENC series of HEVC/AVC/MPEG-2 encoders for openGear® frames received the Future Best of Show Award presented by TV Technology magazine last week at the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

Now in its sixth year, the Future Best of Show Awards at NAB program recognizes products based on innovation, feature set, cost efficiency, and performance in serving the industry. All nominated products are evaluated by a panel of engineers and industry experts, and are featured in a special Best of Show Awards Program Guide, which will be distributed digitally to more than 100,000 readers of seven Future publications.

“The program focuses attention on superb innovations in technology as seen around the million-square-foot exhibit floor of the industry’s top trade show,” explained Paul McLane, Future managing director, content for media technology titles. “The list of 2019 winners and nominees shows where media technology businesses are headed.”

“We are very proud to be recognized by TV Technology for our new 9992-ENC series of encoders,” said Chris Shaw, Cobalt executive vice president of sales and marketing. “We think it’s the Swiss Army knife of professional grade encoders, because it is flexible enough to be used in almost any broadcast application.”

A cost-effective choice for contribution, distribution, ENG, IPTV, and OTT solutions, the flexible 9992-ENC series offers customized I/O options and extensive audio support. It offers low-latency 8-bit and 10-bit 4:2:0 encoding, with optional license keys for HEVC and 4:2:2 encoding. Its pay-as-you-go licensing structure means users only pay for required features when needed. The 9992-ENC base model includes an 3G-SDI input, but can be upgraded to support four 3G-SDI (1080p60) signals or one 12G-SDI signal (4Kp60).

About Cobalt Digital
Cobalt Digital Inc. designs and manufactures award-winning edge devices that help live video production and master control clients transition to IP, 4K, HDR, the cloud, and beyond. As a founding partner in the openGear initiative and proud member of SMPTE, Cobalt also offers a best-of-breed interoperability platform that simplifies technological adoption. Distributed through a worldwide network of dealers, system integrators, and other partners, Cobalt Digital products are backed with a five-year warranty. Learn more at www.cobaltdigital.com. 

TVU Networks, the global technology and innovation leader in live IP solutions, will demonstrate the newest product updates for TVU MediaMind, its media supply chain platform, in the company’s booth (#C1707) at the annual NAB Show in April. TVU MediaMind’s story-centric workflow approach simplifies content creation, production and distribution while incorporating the latest integration and support for automation, AI, streaming, 4K and 5G.

“With the many, different ways media content is consumed today by viewers, broadcasters can no longer acquire, produce and distribute media for just TV. In fact, the way programs are created must completely change,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “By automating and optimizing the media supply chain process, broadcasters can realize the benefits of taking raw content and re-using it across many platforms, programs and even organizations. TVU MediaMind allows anyone to create stories, wherever and however they want efficiently, effectively and without limits.”

For example, within content acquisition, the company will showcase a new 4K version of its TVU One mobile transmitter, which is the first cellular mobile unit with the ability to transmit Ultra-HD/4Kp60 HEVC content. “UHD/4Kp60 is a much more technically challenging resolution to achieve in a cellular mobile unit,” explained Shen. “However, using our patented IS+ transmission algorithm and advanced FEC technology, we were able to overcome these challenges and transmit video in full UHD/4K at 60 frames per second.”

Added Shen, “The TVU One 4K and our entire family of portable and rack-mount transmitters are also now 5G ready.”

Other TVU solutions receiving enhancements and updates that will be demonstrated at NAB include:

- TVU One TM1000, TVU’s flag-ship HEVC cellular 4G/LTE mobile transmitter

- TVU Anywhere, an app for capturing and streaming live video from anywhere

- TVU CAS (Contribution Automation Solution) with new automated workflow integration

- TVU Command Center for cloud-based centralized management of TVU devices and services

- TVU Grid, an IP-based video switching, routing and distribution solution

- TVU Producer for full-featured cloud-based live video production

- TVU Receivers and Transceivers for video decoding, distribution and management of TVU and IP video sources

- TVU Remote Production System, a cost-effective solution for live remote synchronized multi-camera production for news and sports

- TVU Router, a portable broadband Internet access point providing up to 200Mbps of untethered Internet connectivity

FOR-A will continue to demonstrate its commitment to 12G- and IP-enabled technology during the company’s ninth consecutive appearance at CABSAT, being held March 12-14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The company is developing IP interfaces and remote-control capability via standard protocols for the 12G products for its existing 3G/HD product line. FOR-A will exhibit in booth C1-20 during the conference.

“Our focus at CABSAT will be on delivering the latest innovations across our live production solutions – switchers, servers, routers, and graphics systems that align with our vision of 12G- and IP-enabled productions,” said Mr. Takaaki Imoto, Senior General Manager, Overseas Sales & Marketing Division, FOR-A Company Ltd. “Our wide range of technology enables customers to migrate to IP-based operations while protecting their current investment. We’re looking forward to a very successful CABSAT in Dubai next month.”

CABSAT has historically proven itself a key platform for FOR-A to connect with customers. “The MENA market continues to grow for us,” said Mr. Imoto. “We’ve secured some sizable, high-profile projects in this region. In previous years, we’ve showcased many new products, connected with our customers and identified new business opportunities and market trends. This year, we will continue along those lines. And we’re looking forward to the launch of several exciting new products, which we expect to draw more attention to our solutions.”

The technology highlights from FOR-A at CABSAT will include:

- The SOM-100 media orchestration platform

- The FA-9600 multi-purpose signal processor

- Demonstration of the latest developments when using the Fujitsu IP-HE950

H.265/HEVC real-time video encoders for remote production

- A stronger and more efficient HD integration with third party graphics, replay systems and production servers

FOR-A’s new media orchestration platform (SOM-100) provides seamless interoperability between baseband and IP traffic. An integrated baseband/IP control and monitoring system, it’s designed for use in a mixed SDI/IP environment. SDI and IP routing switchers are managed as one routing switcher in a virtual group. The SOM-100 offers seamless operation of a variety of video equipment, monitored centrally from its interface. It can execute routing system control and process control, so that it supports collective operational changes of multiple pieces of equipment and executes time reservation. The system also features a web interface for easy access from multiple computers.

FOR-A will showcase the next generation in its line of signal processors – the FA-9600. The dual-channel unit provides HDR and Wide Color Gamut support and conversion of multiple formats, such as: 12G, 4K (UHD), 1080p, and SD/HD. Each of the FA-9600 processor’s two HD/SD inputs includes a frame synchronizer. Because the multi-purpose signal processor features 12G-SDI terminals, optional software opens the door to 4K(UHD) production. Adding an expansion card provides four more channels of 3G-SDI input/output or six channels of 12G-SDI distributed output. The FA-9600 simplifies all types of video conversion. A newly developed color processing circuit supports the latest gamut and dynamic range specifications, and an optional converter circuit is available for up/down/cross conversion.

Finally, FOR-A will show the latest developments in the area of remote production using Fujitsu IP-HE950 H.265/HEVC real-time video encoders. Employing the latest compression tools and image processing algorithms to provide best-in-class video fidelity, the IP-HE950 supports real-time 4K contribution, as well as SD and HD. FOR-A is a distributor of Fujitsu’s high-performance encoders and decoders in North America, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, as well as select regions in Latin America.

FOR-A will also demonstrate a stronger and more efficient HD integration with third party graphics, replay systems and production servers – resulting in greater flexibility and improved cost savings. FOR-A recently partnered with Variant Systems Group (VSG). Variant’s Envivo Replay is a complete replay solution packaged with an intuitive touch screen user interface that can be learned how to use in 20 minutes. Integration with all of FOR-A’s HANABI production switchers comes standard. FOR-A will also demonstrate ODYSSEY’s Insight Production Server - a versatile four channel playout system designed for studio and OB Van environments. Insight's flexible event processor allows users to connect multiple devices and interact with FOR-A production video switchers, routing switchers, CG generators, GPIO-connected devices and other studio equipment to orchestrate event triggering for a seamless production. FOR-A will also provide demonstrations of the ClassX (CG) content creation and graphics playout solution. ClassX is a dedicated broadcast solution for 2D/3D character generation, live motion and play out graphics with numerous layers available. ClassX is integrated with all of FOR-A’s HANABI video switchers.

CABSAT features over 900 exhibiting companies and is the premiere technology show for vendors looking to reach broadcasters, production houses and studios, content owners and creators, systems integration firms and distribution channels in the Middle East/Africa/South Asia region.

About FOR-A

FOR-A, a worldwide, industry-leading manufacturer, offers a wide range of broadcast and production products with a focus on cutting-edge technologies, including: HD, 4K and IP products. FOR-A continues to offer future-ready, cost effective, advanced technology solutions. Products include: video switchers, routing switchers, multi-viewers, full 4K high-speed cameras, IP encoders/decoders, multi-channel signal processors, 8K/4K/HD test signal generators, color correctors, frame synchronizers, file-based products, character generators, video servers and much more.

For a full range of HD and 4K production and processing solutions, as well as IP-based products, visit our web site at www.for-a.com.

# # #

FOR-A Company Limited, 3-8-1 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013 Japan

Phone: +81-3-3446-3936, Fax +81-3-3446-1470 Web site: www.for-a.com

TVU Networks, the global technology and innovation leader in live IP solutions, today announced the company was awarded two 2018 Product Innovation Awards from Future Publishing. Publishers of TV Technology, Government Video, Radio World and Creative Planet/DV and VE magazines, the annual Future Publishing awards honor the year’s top product introductions in TV, professional video and broadcast/online radio technology.

The TVU MediaMind set of solutions for AI-based automated video content management was honored with a TV Technology Product Innovation Award; while TVU Producer for cloud-based multi-camera video production, was selected as a DV (Digital Video) Product Innovation Award winner.

“TV Technology and DV are well read and respected media outlets in the broadcast and video production industries,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “We are delighted to have TVU MediaMind and TVU Producer selected for this prestigious honor. Both MediaMind and Producer have seen strong interest and adoption since their introductions. We wholeheartedly thank Future Publishing for this acknowledgement.”

Introduced in April at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) conference in Las Vegas, TVU MediaMind consists of TVU Contribution Automation, TVU AI Engine, TVU Real Time Search Engine, TVU Workflow Engine and TVU Producer. MediaMind simplifies and automates the processes involved in creating a single port to feed all social media, digital and broadcast channels. A cloud-based model, it incorporates AI, voice and object recognition to enable the indexing of video clips down to the exact frame and the ability to share those clips instantly.

A component of TVU, with the web-based TVU Producer, video content can be cost-effectively produced for different platforms or audience groups completely in the cloud. Non-professionals can easily manipulate graphics, scoring and text overlays during production, thanks to its WYSIWYG interface. TVU Producer can handle multi-camera production from virtually any location. It supports simultaneously output directly to major social media platforms and virtually any CDN platform. It also offers a multi-channel IP video switcher, instant replay and slow-motion replay.

TVU also received two 2018 DMW (Digital Media World) awards for IP-based delivery and cloud-based production for TVU MediaMind and TVU Producer. During the latter part of 2018, TVU was named a finalist in Streaming Media magazine’s “Streaming Media 50.” In April of last year, TVU was honored with a “Best of 2018” award from TV Technology for its ultra-compact, cost-effective TVU Nano for TVU Router. TVU Nano uses TVU Router as a network accelerator to deliver Internet anywhere.

Now in its sixth year, Future’s Product Innovation Award recognizes excellence in manufacturing of products to serve the TV/pro video and radio/online audio industries. Winners are selected by a panel of professional users and evaluation criteria include innovation of concept and design, creative use of technology, price value, and suitability

TVU Networks has over 2,500 customers in more than 85 countries. The TVU Networks family of IP transmission and live production solutions gives broadcasters and organizations a powerful and reliable workflow to distribute live video content to broadcast, online and mobile platforms. TVU has become a critical part of the operations of many major media companies. The TVU Networks suite of solutions has been used to acquire, transmit, produce, manage and distribute professional-quality live IP HD footage as an integral part of news, sports and major global events. For more information about TVU Networks solutions, please visit .

ACTON, MASS.—Video solutions provider SeaChange International and Russian-based video operator TotalVideo have entered into an agreement to develop a multi-operator, multi-tenant hybrid OTT/DVB/IPTV platform that will enable video and cable providers in Russia to offer multi-screen services to their subscribers.

TotalVideo has agreed to develop their new service using SeaChange’s PanoramiC platform, and plans to offer this new video platform to service providers across Russia and Eastern Europe. The service platform will provide advanced viewing capabilities for live, linear, and on-demand content across a variety of devices, both fixed and mobile.

“With SeaChange, TotalVideo has the scalable foundation to serve our customers as comprehensively and effectively as possible,” said Mikhail Silin, General Director, TotalVideo. “The combination of software solutions and professional services provided by SeaChange will allow us to deliver a platform that video providers and operators can easily adopt, allowing them to offer their viewers an enhanced user experience. With our new platform, they will benefit with increased viewership and customer loyalty.”

The PanoramiC platform is a cloud-based video management and delivery platform, combining the components of the SeaChange cFlow™ video management and monetization portfolio with complementary streaming solution elements from leading vendors ATEME, ATES Networks, Broadpeak, and castLabs. The scalable platform solution allows providers to quickly and cost-effectively deploy personalized video services across multiple screens and devices, while offering a consistent user experience across their multiple devices.

“As consumers demand access to video on every device, video providers around the world must enhance their existing infrastructures to offer high-quality, premium video across any platform, with optimized and personalized user experiences,” said Ed Terino, Chief Executive Officer, SeaChange. “We are proud to have been chosen by TotalVideo to help them develop a best-in-breed multi-screen platform for video operators and their consumers in Russia.”

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — SES — a global provider of satellite communications services to broadcasters, cable/PPV, IPTV and other content providers — has partnered with pay-per-view service provider iNDEMAND to deliver the “Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship,” live and in 4K/Ultra High Definition (4K UHD), to cable/pay TV providers nationwide.

This iNDEMAND special event will be carried live, in native 4K/UHD, from the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, in Cheyenne, Wyo., on June 2 at 9 p.m. ET, via the SES Events Channel. Produced by Multivision Media, the 4K fight will be available to Pay TV and IPTV providers that have signed on to carry the SES Events channel.

[Read: SES’ UHD Trials Now at 30 Pay-TV Providers]

With a reach of over 40 million subscribers via close to 40 pay TV systems, the SES platform offers many 4K/UHD channels, including: the SES Event Channel, Fashion One 4K, NASA TV UHD, 4K UNIVERSE, INSIGHT TV, C4K360, Funbox UHD, Travelxp 4K, Nature Relaxation 4K, The Country Network, and UHD1. SES claims that its platform is the largest source of 4K linear content in the world.

“Live sports are accelerating demand for Ultra HD content like never before, as millions of consumers want to see 4K sports action on their new Ultra HD TV screens,” said Steve Corda, vice president of Media Platforms, for the SES Video North America business unit. “Now, together with iNDEMAND, SES is delivering yet another immersive event, in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, which is bound to drive demand for 4K TV and the SES Ultra HD platform.”

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SAN FRANCISCO--The global OTT/IPTV market will reach $117.07 billion by 2025 according to a new report from Grand View Research.

The report suggests market CAGR will progress at 13.7 per cent. It says increasing demand for application-based services based on the internet will be the key factor driving industry growth.

Growing investments in network infrastructure due to the increasing number of OTT subscribers are likely to work in favor of the market, says the report, while rapid advancements in compression, transmission, and watermarking technologies are encouraging telecom providers to add IPTV to their service offerings.

[Read: Demand And Supply Revamping OTT Outlook]

Another reason for the predicted revenue growth in the market is improvements in the internet infrastructure and widespread internet connectivity in the home. In addition, the market is undergoing what the report calls vertical integration—telecom operators are collaborating with TV manufacturers to develop screens with built-in set-top-boxes. Such collaborations are being complemented with joint marketing agreements between TV manufacturers and telecom operators to promote OTT services.

Other key findings include:

- The subscription-based segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 11.1 per cent over the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to increasing demand for VoD services

- Asia Pacific is poised to dominate the overall IPTV market in terms of number of subscribers. The region is projected to witness a CAGR of over 8.0 per cent from 2017 to 2025. Growing internet penetration and increasing awareness about internet-based TV services are contributing to the growth in the region.

This article originally appeared in TV Technology sister publication TVB Europe. 

GENEVA—Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), an industry consortium behind technical standards that are primarily used in Europe, is moving forward on an initiative that will look into commercial requirements for standalone linear TV services that are delivered over the internet.

The focus of that work, under the DVB-I (internet) banner, aim to complement DVB-S/C/T standards and managed IPTV services that are tied to service over dedicated access networks. DVB-I will also look to borrow commonalities with existing DVB specifications.

Thomas Stockhammer of Qualcomm Technologies is chairing the DVB CM-I group, and Peter Lanigan of TP Vision is on board as vice chair.

Keying on the emergence of OTT-delivered TV services to internet-connected televisions and to mobile devices, the initial focus of CM-I will be to collect relevant commercial and technical requirements “in order to provide a user perception of a linear TV channel that can be discovered and consumed over the open Internet and by regular TV equipment and user interfaces.”

“With hybrid services, OTT and online distribution growing in importance, DVB is applying its expertise and know-how in this all-important domain,” Peter MacAvock, DVB’s chairman, said in a statement. “DVB-I will complement the current DVB standards that form the basis of the way consumers watch TV today.”

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication Multichannel News.

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Telecommunications operator Orange is hitching its latest update for its IPTV and OTT video delivery architecture with Harmonic.

At the heart of the workflow is Harmonic’s Electra-software-based system. the Electra system, and other Harmonic platforms being used by Orange, support next-generation codecs like HEVC and offer cluster capabilities, enabling Orange to deliver higher video resolution, up to UHD HDR, at low bit rates.

Using the Harmonic video delivery setup, Orange is able to provide its subscribers a wide channel offering, including 160 SD and 30 HD channels for OTT, as well as 126 SD and 40 HD channels for IPTV.

In part 1, the author discussed how the upcoming SBE Ennes Workshop at the 2016 NAB Show will focus on ATSC 3.0 and the benefits of the standard’s “physical layer.” In this second part, Mr. Baumgartner discusses how ATSC 3.0 fits in the IP environment and the regulatory and advertising implications, as well as how local stations could handle the transition from 1.0 to 3.0.

PART II
LAS VEGAS—The hardest part of the ATSC 3.0 proposed broadcast standard to get one’s head around is probably the IP transport piece. Over-the-air TV, as it stands, might have its distribution network issues, but they pale when compared to the Internet’s limitations. The simple fact is that we watch a lot of television—something on the order of five hours a day per-person

This is order of magnitudes more bits per person than the entire Internet’s current capacity. About half of that is OTA television viewing. Some rural states receive 50 percent of all TV directly off air, while only 5 percent of viewers in the New York City market receive their TV directly off air. The other 50 to 95 percent watch via cable, satellite or telco. While there may be hundreds of “cable networks” and other video sources, only a bit more than half of programming consumed comes from sources other than OTA broadcast.

While the bulk of all Internet traffic is video by a wide margin, it is still a very small amount of the total video consumed. Video-on-demand from OTT sources like NetFlix, Youtube and Hulu, as well as the broadcast networks, is being consumed on devices that can be used nearly anywhere—including a lot of places OTA TV doesn’t reach. Internet access and capacity is growing, consuming more RF “wireless” spectrum and reaching farther into the corners of the world. This is the gap ATSC 3.0 fills.

Only a sliver of TV viewing is delivered via IP and the IP networks are a long way from having the capacity to deliver all of the TV consumers watch with the quality they expect. Right now, IPTV is a bit of a miracle; it’s a bundle of buffers, sparingly supported multicast protocols, switches, edge servers, and best effort adaptive streaming techniques. It is well understood that watching an Internet video may or may not be a good experience. Reflect on how the far rarer “rain fades” on direct-to-home satellite are considered by many viewers as an “insufferable” impairment.

ATSC 3.0 combines the best of broadcast and IP capabilities

Click on the Image to Enlarge

THE GROWING WORLD OF IP CONNECTIVITY

The obvious way to fix IP distribution is make a lot more of it. The other way is to “broadcast” the highly universally consumed video directly to “gateways” in the IP network that combine the regular Internet traffic with the broadcast high-capacity pipes. Like most people, you probably have in the last decade or so purchased and replaced a series of faster better and more wireless routers that connect your home local area network (LAN) to the wider world via an Internet service provider’s wide area network (WAN).

Your local network probably supports an ever growing world of wired Ethernet devices and both a 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi local wireless network that pretty much covers your home or apartment.

Your home is filling up with “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices like thermostats and security cameras that connect via Wi-Fi. Add printers, scanners, tablets, smartphones, DVRs, games, smart TVs, and even early generation TV appliances like SiliconDust’s HDHomeRun, Dish’s Slingboxes, etc., to the home network through the gateway and your devices can view and interact with OTA TV and each other at home and sometimes away via the Internet.

If you desire Ultra High Definition TV, the limitation on your system is the connectivity via your ISP and OTA. If you and a few million others want to watch the Super Bowl in UHDTV, the Internet would collapse. Likewise, current OTA TV is of no help because it lacks the requisite bandwidth and support for the high-quality, high-efficiency codecs required.

This is the era of first adopters when it comes to home LANs supporting video, multiple screens, remote DVRs, and the like. One can do a lot, but the integration of all of the often incompatible pieces and the still clumsy and disparate user interfaces makes this more of a science experiment than a friendly, convenient, standard, universal platform that anyone can use. ATSC 3.0 would move this forward dramatically, simply because the platform would need to be easy to install and use and is universal.

With current OTA TV, you connect rabbit ears or a coax from an attic or outdoor antenna to each TV set. With ATSC 3.0, you connect your new ~$250 household gateway/router that probably includes some storage and DVR features to that OTA antenna. Now every IP device in your home’s LAN coverage area has access to everything OTA and Internet (including any “walled garden” of content your ISP might supply). The 80-inch media room TV has something to watch, the portable devices do, too, and you can control DVRs and big screens from the devices that allow you to interact with things like electronic program guides and media search engines.

Certainly, there will be ATSC 3.0 dongles with an F-connector on one end and an HDMI connector on the other end that will allow those older flat screens to continue to receive basic OTA TV. In that respect, converting grandma from an OTA TV to ATSC 3.0 is fairly inexpensive and easy. On the other hand, it may be clumsy at first with maybe yet another remote control to deal with. This is nothing compared to 2009 when we replaced glass CRTs, gave out $20 converter coupons and encouraged millions to migrate to MVPDs basic service to avoid the effort and investment that DTV required. In this case, the digital transition is history, we have flat screens and devices… and all that is missing is a means to connect broadcast TV to them.

Devices that can only receive ATSC 3.0 without any backchannel will exist in the same way that you can still get a cellphone that is just a cellphone, without any data or display. For most people, ATSC 3.0 involves replacing that gateway router and watching as new devices almost mysteriously incorporate ATSC 3.0 features.

WHAT ABOUT THE FCC?
While ATSC 3.0 is the natural progression of improved technology, it also makes a fundamental change to the traditional business model. For more than a half century manufacturers made TVs, consumers bought them, and broadcasters created content that viewers liked to watch, which led advertisers to buy access to that audience. Let’s walk through what the stakeholders get from ATSC 3.0 and what they have to give up or invest to get there, and why ATSC 3.0 is a win-win for the regulators.

· First, the poorest, most feeble, and those least interested in paying among us should have access to broadcast TV. All but the poorest among us can expect to be able to watch “free” TV.

· Second; emergency warnings and life and property saving information is to be distributed on that platform.

· And thirdly, to the degree that education is a goal of our society and TV is the most economical and wide-reaching platform for learning, we expect that TV will support some level of arts and education.

From the viewpoint of the least interested in TV among us, ATSC 3.0 poses a small price and likely will allow some ATSC 1.0 “lighthouse” stations to operate for some time. ATSC 3.0 also represents a step forward in public safety and warning communications, but most of all, ATSC 3.0’s improved (OFDM) transmission capability provides a bigger reach than ATSC 1.0, which increases the population free-to-air TV can reach; and that is a good thing from the FCC’s point of view.

Regulators are not being asked for anything—in particular, spectrum—for the transition. The FCC will have to first approve the transmission of ATSC 3.0 before anything can happen, but there is little chance that the FCC will object. There is more of a chance that they will move to expedite the transition to ATSC 3.0 as a way to ease the impact of the present-day spectrum reallocation process and the conversion of some UHF TV channels to wireless use.

ATSC 3.0 offers larger payloads and has more efficient video coding. If that was all there was to it, ATSC 3.0 would seem the answer to the demand for more spectrum for the carrier’s RANs (Radio Access Networks, like LTE). One could issue a bunch of converter boxes and dongles and restructure OTA TV broadcast to occupy half the channels it now does; certainly any number of people contemplate the efficacy of this scenario. It’s not ridiculous, but currently the FCC doesn’t seem inclined to use this bullet, but rather to simply encourage ATSC 3.0 as an option that broadcasters can employ. Timing is the issue. Repack, at least this round, isn’t going to wait for ATSC 3.0’s expanded capacity to be available.

Whether there will be legislation that requires cellphones to be able to view free OTA TV, or receive FM radio for that matter, is yet to be played out. Voters pushed Congress and thus the FCC, to regulate loud commercials—they may also demand their free TV.

…AND THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY?
The consumer electronics industry has historically been asked or required to make products with capabilities that didn’t have an intrinsic monetary value to the manufacturer; take into account the All Channel Receiver Act of 1962, a.k.a., the “UHF mandate,” which required television sets to include UHF channels 14-69, even though there were few UHF broadcast stations and most consumers had little interest in what they had to offer.

The CE industry is international and very price sensitive… but they are also very opportunity-oriented. In this case, the CE industry is ahead of the curve, already delivering televisions and peripherals that would benefit from ATSC 3.0, which will enable features that they can monetize. For the CE world, ATSC 3.0 represents opportunity with minimal mandates or risks.

THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL STATION
But let’s say that a broadcaster does want to improve their bottom line. As mentioned above, the station’s distribution network can be improved markedly with the addition of SFN boosters and DAS systems; “more viewers on more devices” is a profitable broadcast mantra. The transmission system represents a small piece of many stations’ operating and capital costs. Although for most stations, ATSC 3.0 will come with far less expense than the DTV transition of 2009, it is also easy to spend more on SFN boosters with ATSC 3.0 than the single transmitter many ATSC 1.0 stations now employ.

The introduction of ATSC 3.0 also requires a “transition plan” for all of the stakeholders. The most likely scenario is that stations cooperate to operate some legacy ATSC 1.0 “lighthouse stations” to avoid obsoleting the current OTA TVs in the field. Throughout the world, the amount of UHF spectrum for broadcast TV is being reduced in favor of more spectrum for wireless services. The VHF spectrum is not so hotly contested, so a likely scenario is for lighthouse stations to set up temporary ATSC 1.0 “condos” where upwards of six or so stations occupy a given VHF ATSC 1.0 multiplex, even if only at standard definition levels.

Clearly, the FCC is predisposed to the idea as part of the spectrum repacking referred to earlier. It seems likely that regulations will allow this kind of transition without penalties in the “must-carry” environment. In any case, a market can start with one or a few ATSC 3.0 stations, converting and building out additional facilities and boosters over time, without significantly interrupting current programming or business. Stations and markets will determine the specifics and potentially each one is different.

ADVERTISING AND REVENUE
Another part of ATSC 3.0’s IP piece that is difficult to grasp and internalize is that it can materially change the advertising business model. Internet advertising has leveraged big data and an “advanced advertising ecosystem,” to connect sponsors with consumers that will buy their products, without wasting bandwidth (and thus money) advertising to people who will not. This is what makes Internet advertising so powerful, efficient and lucrative… even with its limited reach.

By comparison, the current broadcast TV advertising landscape is less efficient and less effective, but has incredibly better reach. What ATSC 3.0 does, is carry the same kind of messaging power that Internet advertising has into the TV experience. There is an incentive for viewers to participate that is similar to a loyalty card. As a consumer, you’d expect special bargains and offers, not to mention special content, all in exchange for allowing your TV to know who is watching what, when and accepting the specialized content.

In time ATSC 3.0 TV will morph into a more interactive device in conjunction with your handheld devices. If the technology grows as fast as smartphones with their array of apps and sensors, it is hard to predict where this goes. Gateways, TVs, devices, and the ecosystem will certainly become smarter and more capable with time. Broadcasters are obviously interested in what ATSC 3.0 can do their bottom lines.

Mr Baumgartner is TV Product Manager for Nautel and an SBE Ennes Trustee. For more information on SBE Ennes Workshops, click here.

FIFE, SCOTLAND – Still in its first year of existence, First Rule Film & Broadcast, which is based in St. Louis, has been busy. The broadcast services provider has helped cover the events in Ferguson, Mo., and launched a five-day-a-week broadcast called “The Allman Report.” With the desire to highlight its work to potential clients, First Rule turned to Exterity to install its IP video distribution system in the First Rule facility.

Exterity provided an end-to-end IP video system that distributes TV and video over the media company’s IP network without disrupting corporate communications. Exteritys uses its AvediaServer for centralized management in tandem with three AvediaServer encoders that stream video over First Rule’s existing IP network. There are also 30 AvediaPlayer set-top boxes that connect TV sets throughout the facility. First Rule can now highlight its services to visiting clients.

Exterity is a deliverer of end-to-end solutions for enterprise IPTV based in Scotland.