iptv

TANDBERG Releases Video Content Management System

Doug Mohney — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:41:56 -0400

NXTcomm08, Las Vegas--TANDBERG Television has launched its new MediaModeler Content Management System with a toolkit for fast video portal customization.

MediaModeler will provide web-based video portals with enhanced search, discovery and scheduling capabilities in a video-enabled environment that blends content from their television service operator as well as the open web. Subscribers can select the content they want to watch and the platform that they want to watch it through a single customizable user interface.

On the back end, MediaModeler provides a flexible database structure that supports fully customizable metadata profiles and is capable of automatically enhancing metadata associated with "ingested" video assets by talking to a range of third party metadata services and Web 2.0 sources. Rich search and discovery portals can be built by simply adding new sources of metadata.

For more:
- TANDBERG TV Powers Video-Enabled Search-And-Discovery web portals release

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Cisco's Latest Video Snack

Doug Mohney — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:59:08 -0400

Cisco has announced it is purchasing Denmark-based DiviTech, a company in the digital-service management (DSM) business. DiviTech's technology offers content distributors--be they broadcasters, cable, or IPTV service providers--an intuitive interface for creating, modifying, and managing video networks.

Financial terms of the deal haven't been disclosed. Cisco plans to integrate DiviTech's DSM product with its ROSA network and element management solution to create an end-to-end platform to offer all the layers of digital video management in a single modular product. DiviTech's technology includes a software application that will allow service providers to centrally provision and easily deliver localized content within a specific area, such as local and regional news and/or on-demand video and services.

DiviTech may be thrilled by being acquired by Cisco, but they're not unique. The company points out that DiviTech marks Cisco's 128th acquisition and adds to previous video-connected purchases, including Scientific Atlanta, Arroyo and Tivella. DiviTech employees will have to move into Cisco's Copenhagen facility after the deal closes and they'll be integrated in as a part of the Service Provider Video Technology Group.

For more:
- Cisco announcement on DiviTech purchase
- News.com blog about Cisco's video acquisition

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Ballmer: All Media Delivery IP in a Decade

Doug Mohney — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:03:21 -0400

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicts we'll be getting all of our media through the Internet within 10 years, give or take a couple of years on either end. Plus, he prefers to get "Lost" for free rather than pay iTunes; should we be surprised?

Ballmer's remarks were made at the Washington Post, a legacy media outlet that has tended to toss softball questions at Ballmer and Bill Gates over the years.

He believes that all media, including newspapers, magazines, and TV, will be delivered over an IP network sometime between eight to 14 years from now, an opinion that should have sent Posties running to call up the NAB and cable companies for reaction. Ballmer seemed to be subtly plugging the social media features of Microsoft Mediaroom announced at NAB when he talked about how his son could play Xbox Live with friends "around the world" while he couldn't have the same kind of interaction with his buds while watching his favorite basketball or golf game.

There are also going to be far more producers of content available a decade down the road, says Steve, an interesting viewpoint given Mark Cuban's gloom-and-doom predictions that independent video producers are going to have trouble making a buck due to the current cost of distributing video.

Finally, would you expect the CEO of Microsoft to admit he has bought any Apple product? Would you expect a GM CEO to drive a Mercedes Benz? Ballmer says he gets his "Lost" fix for free by watching it over the Internet and is annoyed by the four 20-second ads like everyone else.

For more:
- The Washington Post's happy report on Ballmer's visit to their newsroom.

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