Wyplay, creator of software solutions for pay-TV operators, and global semiconductor specialist STMicroelectronics have disclosed their contributions to the development of Canal+ Group’s new Cube S set-top-box. The hybrid OTT / broadcast set-top-box runs Wyplay’s open source Frog Client middleware, integrated by Wyplay’s professional services team on top of a hardened Linux kernel with the […]

A plan to by a group of French broadcasters and telco Orange to launch an SVoD service in competition to Netflix has been abandoned, according to French financial daily Les Echos. Discussions had centred on Orange, TF1, M6 and France Télévisions pooling their SVoD offerings. A Letter of Agreement had been prepared, but never signed, […]

Hulu is considering an advertisement-free option to its service for a monthly subscription of about $12-$14, the WSJ has reported. Codenamed “NOAH”: “No Ads Hulu”, the service may be launched as early as autumn. Hulu is a joint venture owned by NBCUniversal, Fox Broadcasting, and ABC who are all said to still believe in the […]

Rovi Corp shares dropped the most in three years after a judge ruled in favour of Netflix in the latest patent lawsuit defeat. A US District Court judge issued a ruling granting Netflix motion for summary judgment on five of Rovi’s patents, finding them invalid. The patents in question were related to features and functionality […]

Americans are eschewing cable and satellite service in favour of a variety of ‘Over The Top’ video options according to a new survey that shows nearly half of consumers already using streaming video service such as Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Hulu. The Zogby Analytics survey commissioned by CALinnovates,

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has suggested the Internet entertainment streaming service will benefit from the growth of 4K/Ultra-HD television. Speaking during Netflix’s Q2 2015 Results Earnings Call, Hastings noted that with the service’s top plan – the Ultra-HD four-stream plan – there were two drivers. “There’s people who have big families and want to watch […]

India’s Bharti Airtel Digital TV intends making more of its own set-top boxes. The plan is to support the nation’s ‘Make in India’ project and to make goods and products locally in order to save imports and the duties on imported boxes. Shashi Arora, CEO, DTH/Media, Bharti Airtel said: “We are proud to partner with […]

Internet television streaming company FilmOn has won a surprise ruling that it is potentially entitled to a compulsory licence to retransmit broadcasters’ copyrighted programming. US District Judge George Wu ruled in Los Angeles that FilmOn should be treated like a traditional cable system in order to transmit broadcast network programmes over the Internet. Broadcasters contend […]

The head of New Mexico’s Spaceport Authority told a special US investigation committee that she was hoping Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic ‘SpaceShip Two’ sub-orbital space plane would start regular commercial flights next summer, but not before July. However, Christine Anderson added something of a sting in the tail of her answer by saying that […]

India’s giant Hinduja Group is to launch the nation’s second HITS (Headend-in-the-Sky) service. Subhash Chandra’s Zee operation already has a similar service running. Hinduja’s proposal is to launch NXT Digital in August. It received its formal licence to operate on July 14. Hinduja Ventures investment arm says it will be targeting India’s Phase III and […]