Advanced Television

Middleware

Kudelski committed to OpenTV

From Colin Mann in Geneva Senior executives from the Kudelski Group have reiterated the company's commitment to OpenTV, despite its failure to take control of convergent media solutions provider. Kudelski has made a non-binding proposal to acquire all of the Class A ordinary shares of OpenTV not currently owned by Kudelski or its affiliates, for […]

July 16, 2009

Macrovision EPG for Canal+

Macrovision Solutions Corporation has announced that Canal+ Group, a leading pay-TV operator in France, has signed a multi-year licensing agreement for Macrovision's electronic program guide (EPG) patent portfolio. The multi-year agreement allows Canal+ Group to use Macrovision's licensed intellectual property in its EPGs deployed on its various platforms. ….

July 15, 2009

Kudelski not interested in selling OpenTV stake

The 'round robin' on the OpenTV non-takeover by its biggest shareholder continues. The Kudelski Group, has commented on Discovery Group's recommendation that OpenTV buys out Kudelski Group's stake in OpenTV: "The Kudelski Group confirms that it is not interested in selling its shares of OpenTV…Kudelski Group reiterates its commitment to remain OpenTV's controlling shareholder and […]

June 12, 2009

TV Guide investment

Lionsgate said it will sell a 49% stake in TV Guide Network – which it recently acquired from Macrovision Solutions — to JPMorgan Chase’s private equity arm and TV producer Allen Shapiro for about $123 million in cash. One Equity Partners, the global private equity investment arm of JPMorgan Chase, will become a 49% equity […]

June 1, 2009

NDS licenses Macrovision EPGs

NDS Group has entered into a multiyear licensing agreement for Macrovision Solutions’ electronic programme guide patents. Under the agreement, NDS will be able to offer licensed EPGs to its pay-TV platform operator customers in specified countries. “We believe operators will benefit from having the option to license Gemstar’s EPG patents alongside NDS’ own leading technology […]

April 28, 2009

Macrovision IPGs for UPC

Macrovision Solutions Corporation says UPC Broadband has entered into a multi-year license for IPGs in several European countries. Meanwhile Macrovision has signed an agreement with UPC to distribute certain IPG and interactive television technologies developed by UPC to other service providers.

April 6, 2009

AT&T and Microsoft to enable shared content

Microsoft and AT&T have revealed details of a collaborative effort to use Microsoft PlayReady content access and protection technology to enable shared content and converged entertainment experiences across AT&T’s TV, broadband and wireless services. As part of this collaboration, Microsoft intends to add support for PlayReady into its Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV software platform, enabling access […]

April 3, 2009

OpenTV profits

OpenTV has announced financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ended December 31st, 2008. OpenTV moved from a $5.2 million net loss in 2007 to a $9.6 million profit in 2008 on revenues of $116.5m against $110m in 2007. "2008 marked the first profitable year in OpenTV's history. We exceeded both our revenue […]

February 25, 2009

Sky EPG open again

Sky is reportedly considering reopening its EPG slot queue to channels broadcasting in the HD. If so it would be the first time new channels could come directly on to the EPG since applications were closed in October 2007. Room for the additions would be made by a software download, following which the EPG available […]

February 19, 2009

TiVo, EchoStar return to court

TiVo and US satellite TV provider EchoStar return to a Texas court this week in the latest round of a longstanding fight over a TV recording technology patent. The legal dispute dates back to 2004, when TiVo charged that satellite TV provider EchoStar Communications Corp’s Dish network system violated TiVo’s patent for 'Time Warp' software, […]

February 19, 2009