Low-priced alternative to cable

If you're fed up with cable or satellite TV service, you may have another, potentially cheaper choice in the next few years, thanks to a new start-up.

Belmont, Calif.-based Sezmi plans to offer a fairly standard TV lineup with a combination of broadcast, standard cable and premium channels along with Internet-based video.

But it's the way the company plans to distribute its offerings that is unusual and could make it cheaper. It will partner with local TV stations to serve up much of the content, and use consumers' existing high-speed Internet connections to deliver the rest.

That means Sezmi won't have to launch any new satellites or roll out any new cables, both of which can cost millions or even billions of dollars. Without those and other overhead costs, the company thinks it can roll out its service quickly and charge customers half what they would pay for cable or satellite services.


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Open Your Eyes to a Brilliant Home Theatre Experience With the New BRAVIA V4000 Series

The sleek, exquisitely designed BRAVIA(TM) V4000 series LCD TV makes a bigger, better home cinema experience even more accessible. This feature-packed television delivers exhilarating Full HD picture quality and seamless connectivity that's sure to excite home theatre fans.

The stylish BRAVIA V4000 series is available initially in three screen sizes: 40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch. Other screen sizes will be available from later this year.

The BRAVIA(TM) 4000 series features elegant, understated looks inspired by Sony's innovative draw the LINE design concept. A sophisticated evolution from previous-generation TV designs, this minimalist philosophy accentuates the beautiful HD pictures being displayed without dominating your living space -- even at larger screen sizes.

Featuring an integrated DVB-C/DVB-T tuner*, the V4000 complements a 1080p Full HD LCD panel with an array of advanced signal processing technologies by Sony.


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Macrovision's TV Guide and Sunflower Broadband Collaborate on Set-Top Box Clickstream Measurement

Macrovision Solutions Corporation (NASDAQ:MVSND) and leading independent cable operator Sunflower Broadband today announced the planned deployment of a set-top box clickstream measurement solution for its TV Guide Interactive(R) i-Guide(TM), one of the cable industry's most widely-deployed interactive programming guides (IPG). The collaboration marks the first planned clickstream deployment for Macrovision(R) and Sunflower Broadband(TM) to collect valuable IPG usage data that can be used to make consumers' television experience more enjoyable.

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Digital TV Conversion Conversation

Fort Wayne, IN (Indiana's NewsCenter) -- Nine months from Saturday, television as we know it will change.You may have seen public service announcements featuring the four general managers of TV stations in Fort Wayne.The spot is part of a national awareness campaign about the conversion to digital television.Jerry Giesler\Indiana's NewsCenter GM: " This is the biggest sea change that has occurred in tv viewing habits since we went to color."Indiana's NewsCenter already broadcasts a digital signal, alongside the regular analog one.But Congress has mandated that next February, all TV stations must exclusively broadcast a digital signal, to free up the analog signals for emergency responders to use.If you have cable, satellite, or Verizon Fios, you won't notice a difference.But if you still use an antenna to watch TV, like thousands of people in northeast Indiana do, you'll have to buy a converter box to be able to get the new digital signal.Coupons for the boxes are available on the internet and through the mail.And people are getting the message.Jerry Giesler\Indiana's NewsCenter GM: " As I check the websites, thousands and thousands of people from northeastern Indiana are applying for certificates that give them a discount on converter boxes.



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Samsung Electronics Offers a Glimpse of the Future for TV Displays at . SID 2008

SID 2008 19/05/2008 02:00:00 Business Wire Demonstrating its world leadership in display technologies, Samsung Electronics Co.
will exhibit innovative new products ranging from large-screen LCD panels for televisions and digital information displays, to the most advanced mobile products, at the Society for Information Display (SID) International Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition on May 18-23.
At SID 2008, Samsung will unveil the industry s first 82-inch LCD TV panel with an ultra-definition (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate.
It displays ultra-definition (UD) resolution at 120 frames per second, minimizing the blurring that is sometimes experienced at 60Hz.
A red/green/blue LED backlight has been added to raise true color saturation to 150 percent, based on the NISC standard of 100 percent.


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Review: Zenith DTT900 digital TV box

The Zenith DTT900 is one of the digital TV boxes that shoppers can buy with a $40 DTV converter box coupon from the U.S. government, and it's worth a serious look. On arguably the most important features - reception and video quality - the DTT900 performs strongly, outperforming the other boxes we've looked at so far.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10, very good

The good: Solid video quality and reception; easy-to-use design, especially for digital TV amateurs; good aspect ratio controls for handling widescreen programs on standard TVs; attractive design; remote can control the TV's power.

The bad: Program guide is very basic; small remote control buttons aren't ideal for seniors; audio quality is subpar.

The bottom line: The Zenith DTT900 DTV converter box has an easy-to-use design and solid video quality, but buyers should be aware of cheaper - and possibly better - alternatives coming in the future.


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Swisscom’s high-end Bluewin mobile television service powered by Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks

Swisscom has launched its mobile television service, Bluewin TV mobile, in Switzerland to become one of the first European providers to offer high-quality television experience to its mobile customers. Working together, Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks enabled this service with their leading-edge mobile TV technology, services and expertise. .


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Verizon Taps ON Networks to Expand FiOS TV High-Definition Video-On-Demand Programming

Verizon and ON Networks(R), Inc. (ON) today announced that Verizon's FiOS TV customers will now have access to high-definition (HD) original digital TV shows from ON Networks. These shows can be watched any time for free on FiOS TV's video-on-demand (VOD) service, which customers access by pressing the "VOD" or "On Demand" button on their remote control, by using the main menu on FiOS TV's interactive media guide, or by selecting the VOD channel.

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DirecTV Is Outpacing Dish. And Now Comes Malone.

Liberty Media chairman John Malone and Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen are two of the most mercurial executives in the pay TV industry.

Now, the two mavericks are determining the futures of DirecTV and Dish Network, the two satellite providers, with roughly 31 million subscribers between them.

Yet, as Malone and Ergen begin to hit heads, the companies they run have diverged, with one handily beating the other in gaining customers.

DIRECTV ROLLING

DirecTV, the nation's second-largest pay TV provider with 17 million subscribers, is basking in strong subscriber growth. DirecTV gained 275,000 subscribers in the first quarter, an increase of 17%. Its winning formula has been: Focusing on upscale customers; growing its lineup of national HD channels, now at 95; and aggressive marketing.


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Designed for Today's HD Lifestyle AOC Releases 42-inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Today's electronic consumers want a digital lifestyle with high-definition, wide-screen digital quality performance at a price that doesn't break the bank. Today, AOC delivered on all accounts with the release of their Envision Series 1080p 42-inch HD LCD TV.

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For 2 New Shows, Fox Cuts Back on Ads

LOS ANGELES Fox is shaking up the commercial TV model with "Remote-Free TV."

At its upfront presentation Thursday, the network announced it will air two new drama series, J.J. Abrams' Fringe and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, with dramatically reduced commercial breaks.

"It's a simple concept and potentially revolutionary," Fox Entertainment chairman Peter Liguori said. "We're going to have less commercials, less promotional time, and less reason for viewers to use the remote. We're going to redefine the viewing experience."

Both shows would have network commercial loads of about five minutes per hour, about half the usual. The commercial pods would also be shorter and they would have about half the promo load as well.

In an interview after the presentation, Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly acknowledged that "Remote-Free TV" was a risk but there needed to be a "paradigm shift" in network TV.



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Pace Americas Announces Family of Next-Generation MPEG-4 Set-Top Boxes for Cable

BOCA RATON, Fla. & NEW ORLEANS, BUSINESS WIRE -- Pace Micro Technology plc (LSE:PIC), the leading independent developer of digital TV technologies for the global payTV industry, today announced a new family of next-generation Click for the lowest price on dmnobieblankmpeg');" onMouseOut="setTimeout('hideLayer()',500);" class=hotlink2>MPEG-4 advanced video compression set-top boxes for cable operators in North and South America. The announcement was made at the cable industry's premier convention, The Cable Show - '08, being held May 18-20 at The Ernest Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

The Pace family of Click for the lowest price on dmnobieblankmpeg');" onMouseOut="setTimeout('hideLayer()',500);" class=hotlink2>MPEG-4 set-top boxes provides cable system operators with solutions to meet their subscribers' increasing demand for both linear HD (high definition) channels and bandwidth intensive HD VOD (video on demand).



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Govt approves digital TV plan

Prague, April 28 (CTK) - The Czech government Monday approved a plan for the switch to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting which sets the date for the end of analogue broadcasting on most of the Czech territory as of Nov 11, 2011.

The government also agreed that an interministerial commission be set up to find a way for toughening conditions for imports and registration of used cars.

In two regions, namely Zlinsky and Jesenicky, analogue TV broadcasting is to continue until June 2012 due to technical problems.

The plan is voluntary and its implementation cannot be forced. It is necessary that Czech TV, TV Nova and TV Prima exchange their current analogue frequencies for digital ones. If they agree, each of them will get one more digital licence in exchange.


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Verizon to offer Big Apple TV service

BASKING RIDGE — Verizon Communications Inc. has reached an agreement with city officials to provide television service throughout New York City that would compete with cable and satellite companies.

Officials of Basking Ridge-based Verizon said they intend to build over the next six years a high-speed fiber-optic network, opening a potential market of 3.3 million homes in the city's five boroughs.

Sales of the service in Manhattan, marketed under the FiOS brand name, will start later this year, they said.

The network would give the company capacity to package TV, high-speed Internet connections and phone lines to compete with Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems Corp. and other companies.

"With the introduction of direct competition among cable companies, prices and service levels would reflect real market forces, and New York City customers would be the beneficiaries," said Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber, president of the city Economic Development Corp.


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Verizon To Cut Off FiOS TV Analog In Massachusetts

Verizon Communications will eliminate analog versions of local broadcast channels for FiOS TV customers in Massachusetts on May 12, continuing its transition to all-digital operation as part of an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission.

Verizon provided the duplicate channels to allow digital subscribers to view local programming in an analog format without using a set-top box. It has already stopped analog TV service in other markets, for example, shutting off analog TV channels in New York on April 21.

The telco pledged to the FCC to eliminate analog channels before the Feb. 17, 2009, digital TV transition in order to receive a temporary waiver to the agency's ban on set-tops with integrated security functions.

FiOS TV customers will need to install a Verizon-supplied set-top box to continue to receive the service on each TV in their home.



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Duke Realty Selects B2B-TV to Provide Satellite TV to Commercial Office Tenants

B2B-TV, a leading provider of television distribution systems to commercial properties, announced today that it has formed a strategic partnership with Duke Realty Corporation, one of the nation's largest commercial real estate companies, to bring satellite TV programming to tenants in Duke buildings throughout the US.

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Macrovision Stockholders Approve Gemstar-TV Guide Acquisition Proposal

Macrovision Corporation (NASDAQ:MVSN) (the "Company") today announced that at its special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, its stockholders approved the share issuance to complete the proposed acquisition of Gemstar-TV Guide (NASDAQ:GMST). Gemstar-TV Guide stockholders also approved of the sale of Gemstar-TV Guide to Macrovision at a special meeting held earlier today.

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Miniweb launches 'TV Key' service on Sky Digital

Miniweb Interactive has launched a new 'TV Key' service on the Sky Digital TV platform, making TV Key enhanced programming available to over 8.8 million Sky users and all TV channels.

The company also announced a content acquisition programme, aimed at providing the services required to enable advertisers, brands, channels and content owners to quickly, easily and cost-effectively launch video rich interactive applications on the Sky platform.

"Today's launch on Sky makes TV Key functionality available to over 8.8 million TV viewers in the UK and can be used by any broadcaster or channel on Digital Satellite. It is the first step on our interactive road map," said Ian Valentine, CEO, Miniweb Interactive. "Our mission is to change the economics of interactive TV so the industry can deliver video rich interactive services over broadband to multiple types of TV device.


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Gol TV Nets Rights Deals

Gearing up for its upfront presentation to advertisers, Gol TV is buttressing its futbol roster with deals for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches for three top European sides.

The soccer-centric service has netted deals for qualifying games involving the Italian, Spanish and German national teams, the third-, fourth- and fifth-ranked teams in the world, during 2008 and 2009, leading up to the World Cup in South Africa, said Gol TV founder and CEO Enzo Francescoli.

Gol, which offers both English- and Spanish-language audio feeds, also gained rights to the March 26 "friendly" between top-ranked Argentina and Egypt, the African Cup winner.

The deal with Germany, terms of which were not disclosed, gives Gol TV, which counts some 16 million subscribers, exclusive U.S.


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Virgin Media and BBC to bring iPlayer to TV

Virgin Media has announced a partnership with the BBC to launch BBC iPlayer onto its platform, making its customers the first in the UK to get the popular service via a TV platform. Viewers using BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media will be able to watch full screen pictures at full quality on their television set without the need for downloading.

As of today (30th April), Virgin Media customers will be able to catch up on their favourite BBC programmes by pressing the red button on any BBC channel. Access to BBC iPlayer through Virgin Media's EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) menu is due this summer.

BBC iPlayer allows viewers to catch-up on over 350 hours of TV programmes from the past seven days, at no extra cost. This includes shows such as Eastenders, Doctor Who, Gavin and Stacey, Top Gear and The Apprentice.



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Free Connected Home Whitepaper Identifies Increasing Adoption of Internet-Enabled Consumer Electronics Devices, ...

Adoption of an Internet Protocol (IP) interface is growing across virtually all TV-oriented consumer electronics devices, according to a new whitepaper recently released by MultiMedia Intelligence (http://www.MultiMediaIntelligence.com). Manufacturers of IPTV, cable, and satellite set-top boxes, video game consoles, Blu-ray DVD players, audio devices, digital media adapters and a new class of Internet-enabled TVs are adding an IP connection to their boxes. By 2012, MultiMedia Intelligence projects over 217 million Internet-enabled consumer electronics will be shipping annually.

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How to make the digital TV conversion

I am one of those few people who still get TV through a 'rabbit ear' antenna (no cable, no satellite). I know that in February 2009, analog transmissions will end and people like me will have to get a converter box to continue watching television. Will receiving digital transmissions that are converted into analog result in better, sharper picture quality on my TV? I realize that it will not be high definition, but will it produce a crisper, clearer picture and better sound? - N.J.

The quality of the broadcast will be significantly improved, says Shermaze Ingram, spokeswoman for the National Association of Broadcasters. You will no longer have to deal with issues such as blurred or wavy images, says Ingram, who compares the quality of the picture transmitted via the digital-to-analog converter box to that of a DVD.


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World Mahjong Tour, Inc Announces Strategic Partnership with Taiwan's MUCH TV on Mahjong Television Shows

The strategic partnership between World Mahjong Tour and MUCH TV grants MUCH TV the right to co-brand their upcoming Taiwan based mahjong television shows under the World Mahjong Tour name and will be played and filmed in Taipei during the month of May. .



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Gemstar-TV Guide Stockholders Approve Merger with Macrovision

Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMST) announced today that its stockholders have approved the proposed combination of Gemstar-TV Guide and Macrovision Corporation (NASDAQ: MVSN). Based on results announced at today's special meeting of stockholders, more than 90% of Gemstar-TV Guide's outstanding shares on March 17, 2008, the record date for the meeting, were voted in favor of the transaction. The parties currently expect the merger to be effective on May 2, 2008.

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Give us your questions about upcoming digital television conversion

American television stations will be required to broadcast using higher quality digital TV signals beginning in February 2009. They will no longer be able to broadcast traditional analog signals.

So what does that mean to Montana television viewers?

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(AFX UK Focus) 2008-04-28 15:14 Gemstar-TV Guide hits 13-mo. low ahead of shareholder vote on Macrovision merger

NEW YORK (Thomson Financial) - Shares of Gemstar-TV Guide tumbled to its lowest level seen in over a year a day ahead of a special meeting of shareholders to consider the merger with Macrovision Corp.

The stock was last down 19% at $4.18 on volume of 1.7 million shares, compared with the full-day average over the past 30 days of 3.7 million shares.

The shares had been down as much as 21% at the intraday low of $4.04, the lowest price seen since March 2007.

Gemstar shareholders are convening on Tuesday to vote on the proposed acquisition by Macrovision. Ahead of the Dec. 7, Macrovision said it agreed to buy Gemstar in a cash and stock deal valued at $2.8 billion, or $6.35 a share.

Macrovision shares were last up 4.2% at a 2-month high of $15.72. The stock is still down 40% since the Dec.



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LG Enters Thin-TV Race With Scarlet Sets

LG Electronics has officially thrown its hat into the thin TV ring with the launch this week of its Scarlet TV set. The TV, which was first unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas, is LG's thinnest flat-panel TV yet.

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Watani.tv portal brings UAE heritage Online

AL AIN - The National Treasures Campaign has embarked on a road show to cover universities across the UAE in its latest effort to make students familiar with the Watani.tv portal and encourage them to join the campaign for documenting the UAE heritage.

The campaign to create an electronic reservoir of UAE culture and traditions online was introduced to the students at the UAE University (UAEU) in Al Ain on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by students of UAEU, faculty and officials.

During the ceremony, UAEU Secretary-General Dr. Fatma Al Shamsi reiterated that in line with the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan's declaration of the year 2008 as the National Identity Year, preserving national heritage and traditions is the responsibility of everyone.

She stressed that mere words cannot preserve the national identity.


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Ads pay for free TV on mobiles

AUSTRALIA is about to get its first live free-to-air mobile TV network with the launch of Bluetooth broadcaster YoMo, backed by Melbourne's influential Schwartz family.

Starting this month, the service, which will feature a video news and entertainment feed updated throughout the day, will be broadcast, using Bluetooth technology, to a network of transmission points in the eastern states.

Anyone with a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone will be able to receive the free service - to be funded by a range of blue-chip advertisers - if they are within range of a transmitter, regardless of their mobile carrier.

News agency Reuters has signed on to provide news, while the company has employed its own journalists - including an on-screen newsreader - and has had discussions with other local publishers, including Fairfax.


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Blockbuster In Talks To Take stake in New Premium CableCo; Wants Digital Rights: Report

So Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) is desperate for a deal, any deal, any which way: after its strange proposal to buy CircuitCity (which will have a tough time going through) comes the news that it is in talks about taking a stake in the new Viacom-led premium TV channel that we reported on last weekend. Under the deal being discussed, Blockbuster would get digital rights to the new channel's programming in return for an investment in the partnership.


By Rafat Ali
Copyright © 2008 paidContent.org

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LG enters thin-TV race with Scarlet sets

LG Electronics has officially thrown its hat into the thin TV ring with the launch this week of its Scarlet TV set. The TV, which was first unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas, is LG's thinnest flat-panel TV yet.

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