itvt

–Launches New Version of its MediaPath Secure Content Delivery System
–Secures New Deals in China, Poland and Dubai

Tandberg Television–the company which over the past two years or so
has purchased VOD infrastructure provider, N2 Broadband, interactive
TV technology and services provider, GoldPocket Interactive, IPTV
content delivery company, SkyStream Networks, and Internet video
company, Zetools; and which was itself subsequently acquired by
Ericsson–has generated a fair amount of multiplatform-TV-,
VOD-, and IPTV-related news over the past few weeks. Among the
highlights:

• At the NAB show earlier this month, the company launched the next
  generation of its MediaPath Secure Content Delivery System, which it
  claims distributes content “across any platform to any device.”
  According to the company, the new version of the system offers
  content providers and network operators a scalable, end-to-end solution
  for secure point-to-multipoint delivery of non-linear HD and SD
  programming, as well as any other file-based content (including
  advertising, music and games, in addition to VOD programs). It claims
  that it supports the delivery (in multiple formats, including MPEG-2
  and MPEG-4) of such media assets to receiver locations serving set-top
  boxes, PC’s and mobile media players; offers better performance than
  its predecessor; and supports DVB-S2 in order to provide faster
  satellite delivery, while simultaneously enabling terrestrial delivery via
  a shared network (terrestrial unicast and multicast distribution are
  supported, Tandberg says). The system also incorporates encryption
  software and error correction, and provides proactive monitoring.
  “Increasing amounts of HD content require a more efficient delivery
  method as that content is distributed to both traditional and new TV
  platforms,” Andrew Rowe, Tandberg’s VP of software product
  management, said in a prepared statement. “Consequently, Tandberg
  Television expanded the features of the MediaPath Secure Content
  Delivery System. The next-generation MediaPath system removes
  previous file limitations and now supports the delivery of media assets
  beyond VOD to also include non-VOD content such as advertising,
  music, and games. Its ability to simultaneously deliver content via
  satellite and terrestrially allows content providers and operators even
  more flexibility.” Components of the new version of the MediaPath
  system include a Manager, a Pitcher and a Catcher: the Manager
  provides a set of tools to access details about inventory, scheduling,
  security and reporting, as well as about the other two components; the
  Pitcher provides simultaneous satellite and terrestrial (shared network)
  distribution; and the Catcher receives content from the Pitcher, and
  automatically delivers packages directly to an authorized asset
  management system or video complex, thus eliminating the need for
  manual processing.

• The company says that its OpenStream Digital Services Platform and
  its real-time ingest system have been chosen by China’s state-owned
  Tianjin TEDA Cable to support an expansion of its cable TV service
  into VOD and network PVR. Tianjin TEDA Cable, which serves the
  Tianjin Technological and Economic Development Area (TEDA),
  already uses a Tandberg headend and network control solution to
  support a multichannel digital cable offering. In addition to the
  OpenStream Digital Services Platform, the operator is using Tandberg’s
  Xport on-demand content production software system for its new
  VOD/nPVR service. “To achieve our goals, we needed a platform that
  was flexible and scalable and that had been proven in multiple
  deployments,” Jia Xiaolei, vice general manager of Tianjin TEDA
  Cable, said in a prepared statement. “The open architecture and market
  leadership of Tandberg Television’s OpenStream provides a reliable
  and forward-looking solution that will enable us to launch innovative
  on-demand services today and to grow those services in the future.”
  According to Tandberg, OpenStream is an open standards-based
  solution that seamlessly integrates with third-party products, allowing
  Tianjin TEDA Cable to use servers, applications, billing systems and
  other components from the suppliers of its choice. The company’s
  real-time ingest system is an extension of the OpenStream platform that
  is designed to enable operators to provide advanced time-shifted TV
  services without using DVR’s. Tandberg says that the real-time ingest
  and catalog solution includes enhancements to its Xport Producer and
  OpenStream that allow Tianjin TEDA Cable to deploy nPVR services
  quickly and easily and to offer VOD titles within seconds of the
  beginning of their broadcast. Tandberg claims to be deploying five
  VOD backoffice systems in China to date (see below), as well as five in
  Europe (where its customers include UPC Netherlands and Multimedia
  Polska). It has deployed numerous such systems in North America,
  where its customers include Comcast, Charter and Time Warner Cable.

• The company says that its local business partner, Star Communication
  Network Technology, is deploying the OpenStream Digital Services
  Platform for three other Chinese regional cable operators. The systems
  will power VOD launches in the provinces of Shandong and Gansu and
  the city of Yangquan that are scheduled to begin this summer.
  Tandberg’s partnership with Star Communication sees the latter
  carrying out all systems integration and operational deployment of the
  systems: Star Communication has been providing local integration
  support for Tandberg’s VOD backoffice products for the past two years
  and, in 2007, deployed its first VOD system in the city of Datong.

• The company says that Polish triple-play provider, Multimedia Polska
  (note: the company, which has around 600,000 subs, operates a hybrid
  cable/IPTV service), has deployed the OpenStream Digital Services
  Platform to power a new VOD service (note: the service also employs
  Harmonic’s StreamLiner video servers). The service features movies
  and sports and entertainment programming, offered on a free,
  subscription or pay-per-view basis, and also offers time-shift/catch-up
  services. Multimedia Polska is an existing Tandberg customer, having
  launched an HDTV service last year using the company’s encoding
  technologies. According to Tandberg, it plans to introduce additional
  advanced services, including mobile TV. “Our on-demand platform is a
  major part of our vision for an advanced media service for Poland,”
  Bartlomiej Kasinski, Multimedia Polska’s director of strategy and
  development, said in a prepared statement. “We were the first Polish
  operator to launch digital television services for our telephony
  subscribers and we are now in a position to be innovators in the Polish
  VOD market…Flexibility is a key factor and OpenStream’s open
  architecture will enable us to benefit from a multi-vendor environment
  and provide a firm foundation for our interactive, consumer-focused
  service.” Its deal with Multimedia Polska also sees Tandberg supplying
  the operator with its Xport on-demand content production software
  system.

• The company says that Dubai-based telco, du, has chosen its iPlex
  UltraCompression HD and SD IPTV video processing and transcoding
  system as the headend for its IPTV service. According to Tandberg, the
  iPlex headend is based on the company’s AVC platform and combines
  “the broadest choice of density and enhanced features with the
  industry’s leading picture quality/performance.” It supports MPEG-2
  SD encoding, MPEG-4 AVC HD and SD encoding, MPEG-2 to
  MPEG-4 transcoding, MPEG-2 transrating and picture-in-picture
  service generation.