Thread: Satellite News June 2010

Bee.tv iPhone app

Bee.tv, a service that helps consumers find and discover TV shows and movies on television, the web and mobile, has confirmed the launch of an iPhone app available now from the Apple iTunes store. The Beetv mobile application enables users to receive personalized recommendations for content ranging from real-time broadcast programming to online and mobile TV shows and movies. Content recommendations are generated by a proprietary technology that analyses and matches individual tastes and preferences.

Bee.tv iPhone app

Bee.tv, a service that helps consumers find and discover TV shows and movies on television, the web and mobile, has confirmed the launch of an iPhone app available now from the Apple iTunes store. The Beetv mobile application enables users to receive personalized recommendations for content ranging from real-time broadcast programming to online and mobile TV shows and movies. Content recommendations are generated by a proprietary technology that analyses and matches individual tastes and preferences.

EchoStar's ViP-TV to Deliver IP Video Service to Vermont Cable Company

EchoStar Satellite Services announces an agreement to deliver its ViP-TV service to Duncan Cable TV in Vermont. With a ViP-TV-connected headend, Duncan Cable will be able to deliver more than 45 popular high definition TV channels.

Duncan Cable provides video services to more than 2,800 residents and businesses in Southern Vermont and sought a platform that would enable it to offer competitive HD video services using its existing IP network.

EchoStar's ViP-TV solution provides secure delivery of more than 250 popular, broadcast-quality TV and music channels in Internet protocol MPEG-4 format.

Telstra T-Box Brings BigPond TV, Internet Entertainment and On-demand Movies to Aussie TVs

Entertainment from the internet, free-to-air TV, movies and sport will be available on the biggest screen in consumers’ homes when Australia’s largest ISP and online content provider launches an IPTV service later this month.

The Telstra T-Box brings HD free-to-air TV, BigPond TV and YouTube videos to one set top box and one remote. BigPond TV includes seven sports, news and music channels plus a library of on-demand videos. BigPond content is unmetered and exclusive for BigPond customers with no monthly subscription fees on top of their regular internet connection.

Telstra Chief Executive Officer David Thodey said television was fast becoming the gateway to entertainment from the internet, with enhanced live TV services and internet video coming direct into the lounge rooms of Australian homes.

“Internet connectivity is the biggest thing on TV since the launch of cable television, opening the door to boundless options for on-demand entertainment and Telstra’s new T-Box is the best way to access it all,” Mr Thodey said.

“Our line-up of downloadable BigPond Movies has been expanded for the T-Box launch, with more than 1300 titles from Hollywood’s biggest studios and great independents with regular new releases, as well as a growing range of TV series.

“BigPond TV’s content on the T-Box also brings a host of channels for no extra cost, including 24/7 news, dedicated and exclusive AFL, NRL,V8 Supercars channels, plus a 24/7 BigPond Sports News channel, live horse racing from Sydney and Melbourne and a music channel called BPM.

“YouTube fans can also sit back and enjoy the latest videos in the comfort of their lounge room via the T-Box,” he said.

Mr Thodey said customer trials of the T-Box identified the most popular features as downloading BigPond Movies and pausing and rewinding free-to-air TV.

“T-Box also enhances free-to-air TV by working as a personal video recorder, meaning customers can record, pause and rewind live TV or watch one channel while recording another. It has 320GB of storage and an easy-to-read seven day TV guide, making recording and viewing programs simple,” he said.

“Customers now have multiple devices connecting to the internet in their home, each delivering different experiences with the T-Box bringing broadband out of the study into the lounge room.

“T-Box makes a trip to the video store a thing of the past; customers with a high speed BigPond broadband service can rent and start watching a movie in full digital quality in minutes.

“T-Box is the latest innovation from Telstra, and together with the T-Hub home phone launched earlier this year, it represents a step towards the digital home that will make consumers’ lives simpler,” he said.

T-Box, with full personal video recorder functionality, twin HD tuners and 320GB of hard drive storage, will be competitively priced at $299 outright, or eligible customers can add it to one of Telstra’s bundles and pay it off in installments over 24 months. BigPond movies will start at $3.99 per movie.

The T-Box provides HDMI, composite and component video connections to the TV and requires a high speed BigPond Broadband connection such as BigPond Cable Elite or BigPond ADSL 2+ Elite, connected via ethernet or WiFi. Additionally, the T-Box will enable analog televisions to receive digital broadcasts, ideal for customers who don’t want to upgrade their current TV to a digital set.

T-Box also supports connection to home theatre systems with digital audio and standard audio connections. It will receive remote software updates which automatically download and install, so your T-Box is always up to date.

T-Box can be purchased from selected Telstra Stores later this month.

AT&T to Launch Spanish-Language U-verse TV App with Univision FIFA World Cup Multiview


AT&T and Univision announce the launch of the Univision 2010 FIFA World Cup app, the first Spanish-language TV app available from U-verse TV. In addition to delivering live access to all 64 matches via Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision, AT&T will provide comprehensive Univision Spanish-language content in the U-verse TV On Demand library, and exclusive Mexican National Team Spanish content across multiple screens. AT&T is bringing fans more ways than any other provider to follow the 2010 FIFA World Cup with live and on demand coverage across screens.

The U-verse Univision 2010 FIFA World Cup app includes a Univision Multiview that lets you watch the Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision channels featuring World Cup matches on your screen at one time. The app also features athlete bios, photos, groupings and the latest team standings straight from South Africa to your U-verse TV screen in Spanish.

Broadcasting all of the event's 64 matches in HD, this summer Univision will be transformed into the U.S. FIFA World Cup destination, leveraging its market-leading assets — Univision, TeleFutura, Galavision, Univision.com, Univision Movil, and Univision On Demand — to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience for its audiences with nearly 900 hours of comprehensive coverage. AT&T customers can live this experience via the U-verse Univision 2010 FIFA World Cup Multiview, which includes the ability to watch Univision, TeleFutura, Galavision and your local Univision and TeleFutura stations at one time, based on market and programming package. You can choose which channel appears as the main picture with audio. The app is available on channel 3001 to all U-verse TV customers at no extra charge.

Complete live Univision FIFA World Cup coverage will be available to U-verse TV customers on Univision (channel varies by market), TeleFutura (3005) and Galavision (3003). After each match, all games will be added in both Standard Definition and HD to the U-verse TV On Demand library. The FIFA World Cup on Univision will begin airing live on Friday, June 11, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern/7:00 a.m. Central/5:00 a.m. Pacific. A complete schedule of Univision's FIFA World Cup coverage is available at UnivisionFutbol.com.

The U-verse TV On Demand library will also offer special Univision Spanish-language content such as a tour of the Mandela Bay Stadium built for this year's World Cup; videos providing information and history of Johannesburg and South Africa; and the "FIFA Road to the World Cup" series, which takes a close look at all 32 teams participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In addition to Univision's coverage and as a proud sponsor of the Mexican Men's National Team, AT&T will have exclusive access to content featuring the team's "El Tri: Mision Sudafrica" available online at AT&T FanZone, through the U-verse TV On Demand library and on mobile phones through AT&T Mobile Video.

AT&T will also have live and interactive U-verse TV content available in English, Arabic, German, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese.

ZDF will disappear temporarily from Hot Bird during the World Cup


Coverage provided Eutelsat orbital position of 13 degrees East in areas like the Middle East and North Africa obliges the second public television channel Germans to cease their emissions within a month.



While disputing the World Cup in South Africa from June 11 to July 11, ZDF in the Hot Bird satellite is replaced by the cultural channel ZDF Infokanal, which can also be captured in open Astra (19.2 ? East). Once finished the World Cup, from July 12, ZDF will revert back to their emissions through the Hot Bird, always open.

ZDF This measure comes after news that the other German public channel ARD, broadcasts will cease from July 11 in Hot Bird.

The programming of both channels of television will remain the same, unchanged, in Astra.

FLO TV covering all 64 World Cup matches

FLO TV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, has revealed it will offer ESPN’s coverage of all 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup live from South Africa on FLO TV devices and AT&T Mobile TV capable handsets. FLO TV coverage will include a dedicated 24-hour World Cup channel.

South Africa switchover faces delay

The switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting could be delayed by at least a few months, Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda has confirmed, as the technical standards to be used in the manufacture of STBs were under review.

A possible policy reversal midway into the digital migration process was decried by opposition parties as costly, unnecessary and in possible contravention of SA's international agreements. It could also result in further delays in the process, which was already running behind schedule.

In written submissions, television broadcasters M-Net and e.tv expressed their concern at the possibility of a change in the standard, which they believed was not justified on technical or any other grounds. The SABC was concerned that delays in the digital migration process would threaten its long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive industry.

Independent Communications Authority of SA CEO Paris Mashile told Parliament's communications committee it could take up to six months to issue new digital migration regulations if the standard for set-top boxes was changed.