To complement theircollaboration on advanced encoders to support Internet Protocol television (IPTV), Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. and Microsoft Corp. announced that they are working together on IP set-tops for initiatives to support the growing worldwide demand for IPTV technology, including SBC's Project Lightspeed.

Espial®, a leading provider of client IPTV applications and middleware, announced the availability of the Espial Portal Content Development Kit (Portal CDK), a PC-based tool that complements the Espial ® Escape ^TM browser for developing interactive content services for IPTV subscribers.

TVover.net is pleased to announce the addition of IPTV Information (www.iptvinformation.net), a new portion of our site dedicated to help provide general information (e.g. books, events, glossary of terms) on IPTV. With this addition, we hope that TVover.net can be the most comprehensive source of IPTV resources on the Internet.

To gain a good grasp of what IPTV is and how it works can be difficult. We hope this site helps consumers decipher the jargon and acronyms that are found nearly everywhere on the topics covering IPTV.

Now help us make this a more informative site:

• Post revisions or additions for any IPTV-related term or subject. Our mission is to accurately provide as much detail on each subject but also convey it as simpl as possible.
• If you believe we're missing a word relating to IPTV, contact us and let us know.
• Know of other IPTV information, such as books, events, guides, FAQs, etc., that you believe would be valuable for the average consumer? Contact us and share it.

What do you get when you merge one of the biggest music events on television with on-demand access to bonus performances and original content available no where else? MTV announced "My VMAs," where users can customize their own VMA experience on MTV's new broadband video channel, MTV Overdrive.

You can always check out MTV Overdrive on our Internet TV station listing.

I don't know about you, but we continue to be mindboggled at the prospects of broadband over powerline as it stretches on to make headlines. Have your doubts? Simply go to Newegg.com or your favorite online equipment supplier (who offers powerline networking products) and read the reviews of people already using powerline solutions. And those reviews are of the slower 14Mbps devices. Simply wait until Intellion demonstrates HD IPTV streaming at 200Mbps over powerline.

Switching subjects...for us, watching the giant telcos and cable companies in the U.S. battle it out is about as entertaining as a heavyweight title match with a bag of popcorn. Perhaps that's because, like most Americans, we're also tired of seeing the cable companies enjoy their monopoly-by-community and increase rates without any direct-line competition. So if you're like us, we highly recommend you read the USA Today article below, "FCC chief considers forcing cable TV competition." This adds an interesting spin to how the table could turn on cable companies.

Other interesting reads...

Kreatel Communications announced the continued collaboration with Norwegian broadband provider Lyse Tele AS. Under the terms of the agreement, Kreatel remains the provider of IP set-top boxes for Lyse's solution and will deliver an additional 45,000 units over the coming two years.

Amino announced that its advanced software stack for IPTV set-top boxes will be combined with Philips Nexperia^TM home entertainment engine PNX8550 to be ported to the STB810 semiconductors reference and development platform for set top boxes. The integration of Amino's software will create a ready to use set-top box blueprint for manufacturers, ideal for the rapidly growing IPTV market. The combined platform will allow set-top box manufacturers to bypass much of the software research and development and enable them to launch reliable, high-performance products in a minimum period of time.

Harmonic Inc., a leader in digital video compression and IP delivery systems, announced that Video Networks Limited (VNL), provider of the HomeChoice entertainment and communications service, has completed the migration of its broadcast line-up to MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), becoming the world's first revenue-generating broadcast television service delivered exclusively using an advanced compression technology. This landmark event in the broadband TV industry, enabled by Harmonic's versatile DiviCom® MV 100 multi-codec encoding platform, definitively validates the promise of MPEG-4 AVC and the power of IPTV. It also affirms the technology and video quality leadership that has made the ultra-low bit-rate MV 100 the market's most widely deployed advanced codec-ready encoder.

Packet Vision, stand 3.218: Introducing addressable advertising for IPTV, Mobile TV and other formats

One-to-one interviews and product demonstrations available

IBC 2005 sees the official launch of Packet Vision (stand 3.218): developers of a new delivery platform for highly targeted advertising on IPTV. This British company is using IBC as the first public showing of its addressable advertising solution, which enables many advertising commercials to be shown simultaneously in one slot, targeting demographic groups or even individual households. And at the same time the system gathers information about viewers’ reactions.

New STB Software to Enable IPTV and IP Device Networking over Coaxial Cable

Coaxsys, Inc., makers of multimedia-over-coax solutions, today announced that it has reached an agreement with ConFocus Technologies, Inc., to provide set-top box reference designs with integrated TVnet. TVnet, the standard for Ethernet-over-Coax, is already deployed by more than fifty Telcos, cable operators, and service providers to deliver IPTV and in-home multimedia networking. TVnet has, to date, been available in adapter form; this announcement marks the first publicly announced set-top box (STB) client integrations.

Interactive Online TV Program Allows Gamers to Tailor Show Content in Real Time

GameTrailers.com, the leading online source for videogame multimedia content, is pleased to announce its new original show, "GT Weekly." Unlike any other news show on the internet, "GT Weekly" allows viewers to choose the segments they want to watch based on their preferences.

"Every videogame fan is different, and each one has very specific and intense loyalties, but more importantly they have no patience to watch coverage of games they don't care about. The interactive format of the show lets viewers choose the topics they want to see, and skip past the stories they are not interested in. This is one of many advantages internet programming has over traditional TV," said Jon Slusser, CEO of GameTrailers.com. "A massive number of people now have broadband access and this opens up endless possibilities for high quality content. GT Weekly is bringing audiences 'TV on the internet' with a new level of technology and production value."

Sprint and MobiTV, the global leader in providing live mobile television services and technology, today announced that both companies have won historic recognition: The Emmy® Engineering Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Winning The Emmy Award for mobile television marks the first time the wireless industry has achieved such unique and high-profile recognition from the entertainment industry. MobiTV and Sprint were the first companies to put live mobile television in the hands of consumers.

"For example, a home user with a 56K dial-up modem would perceive that his or her modem has been accelerated to over 250kbps. In addition (and more significant at high connection speeds), the data volume flowing over the connection is reduced by approximately 80%."

Artera Group, Inc., a subsidiary of NCT Group, Inc., announced Fujitsu Siemens Computers as the supplier of server hardware for Artera's Internet optimization network of data centers called the Artera Worldwide Optimized Backbone.

"The implementation of the Artera Worldwide Optimized Backbone enables us to effectively deliver optimizations to any region throughout the world," said Michael J. Parrella, CEO, Artera Group, Inc. "Each Artera Data Center is able to recognize the others and optimization choices are made based on user location, data location and best routing paths. We believe the deployment of this backbone to be a true breakthrough in data delivery."

Alcatel has been chosen by the State Ministry of Communications (MOC) in Kuwait to supply a gigabit passive optical network (GPON) solution that will serve about 60 % of the access areas involved in the present rollout. Alcatel's solution will enable the MOC to offer triple-play services (voice, video and data) to subscribers via a fiber to the user (FTTU) architecture. As MOC's strategic partner for this project, Alcatel will support the full end-to-end system integration for both the network and the service roll out.

Video Without Boundaries, Inc., a leading provider of interactive, media-convergent home entertainment devices, announced it will be demonstrating the full line of MediaREADY broadband media devices at CEDIA Expo 2005 in Indianapolis. CEDIA Expo 2005 marks the first time Video Without Boundaries (VWB) will be exposing its line of digital media centers, which combine Internet, cable, network-based home entertainment, and other media choices, to the home theater and home networking contractor/dealer community.