Advanced Television

Standards

ITU agrees HEVC standard

Members of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have agreed a new video coding standard building on the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec. According to the ITU, the new standard, known informally as ‘High Efficiency Video Coding’ (HEVC), will considerably ease the burden on global networks where, by some estimates, video accounts for more than half of bandwidth […]

January 28, 2013

ATSC plans for next-gen TV

US standards body the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has set up new Implementation Teams for two new emerging standards – ATSC 2.0 and the Mobile Emergency Alert System (M-EAS). “Today’s announcement is a significant step in the move to expand the capabilities of ATSC broadcast TV. We want to keep the ATSC standard relevant […]

January 23, 2013

DAB kit set for lower costs

Manufacturers of DAB receivers are set to benefit from lower costs as a result of the expiry of the patents related to the DAB family of standards – generally referred to as the Philips patent pool. For manufacturers, this is important news as the patents expire in some of the largest potential target markets for […]

January 19, 2013

HGI standard for QoS on home gateway

HGI, the global organisation for publishing requirements for the digital home, has published an updated specification for improving Quality of Service (QoS) through the Home Gateway. HGI _RD027-R3, “Home Gateway QoS Module Requirements” addresses the current evolution of the home network to an IPv6 environment, and identifies the Home Gateway requirements needed to extend the […]

January 15, 2013

OMVC to integrate functions within NAB

The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), which has served as the principal proponent for Mobile Television in the US since 2007, is to integrate functions with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), suggesting that the alliance reflects the maturity of Mobile TV, accelerates its commercialisation, and solidifies its role in the larger broadcast television ecosystem. […]

December 19, 2012

SMPTE and VSF standards for high bit rate IP video

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a specialist in motion-imaging standards, and the Video Services Forum (VSF), an international association dedicated to video networking technologies, have announced the latest two standards in a series that creates a standardised framework for the transport of video over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The documents, including […]

December 11, 2012

DirecTV joins MoCA Board

DirecTV has joined the Board of Directors of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance, MoCA. DirecTV, a MoCA Promoter member, joined the Alliance in 2008 and has been deploying devices integrating MoCA technology since 2009.  To date, millions of DirecTV set-top boxes and adaptors integrating MoCA technology have been deployed in DirecTV customer homes in the […]

December 11, 2012

STB energy conservation measures to save $1.5bn annually

Fifteen industry-leading multichannel video providers and device manufacturers that deliver service to more than 90 million American households are launching an unprecedented Set-Top Box Energy Conservation Agreement that will result in annual residential electricity savings of $1.5 billion or more as the commitment is fully realised, US industry trade bodies the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) […]

December 7, 2012

Intel joins MoCA as promoter member

Intel Corporation has joined the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) as a Promoter member.  Jim Crammond, Chief Technology Officer of Gateway Solutions within Intel’s Service Provider Division, will represent Intel on the Board of Directors. Intel has been a Contributor level member for a number of years and has been instrumental in helping the Alliance […]

December 5, 2012

Ofcom next steps for ‘white space’ devices

The launch of Europe’s first consumer ‘white space’ devices has moved a step closer as Ofcom publishes consultation proposals for a framework to exploit  the technology in the UK. A white space device uses gaps in radio spectrum, called ‘white spaces’, which exist in between frequency bands that have been reserved for TV broadcasting. Use […]

November 22, 2012