Interoute, owner and operator of the most advanced and densely connected voice and data network announced full support for Apple's QuickTime 7, including a global deployment of the QuickTime Streaming Server to enable the distribution of stunning, and highly scalable, digital content.

"We are delighted to offer QuickTime 7 to our customers," said James Kinsella, Interoute's Executive Chairman. "The overall quality of the new H.264/AVC Video in QuickTime 7 is tremendous and made this a very easy choice. We see a huge opportunity with QuickTime 7 providing the foundation for us to deliver standards-based MPEG-4 and 3G content to our customers."

Kasenna announced that it is now shipping two new video server lines, MediaBase 1000 series Library Servers and RAMBase 1000 series RAM Cache Servers. These two systems add to Kasenna's broad video content delivery and management product portfolio to deliver unrivaled reliability and flexibility to meet the extensive reliability, performance and cost-effectiveness needs of service providers deploying on-demand services for Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) content. Both servers use 64-bit processes with extended memory architecture Combined with Kasenna's unique and patented cache propagation technology (US Patent 6,859,840), the servers can be deployed in a central cluster architecture or decentralized network architecture to meet the needs of large-scale IPTV or cable networks. Driving the servers is the latest MediaBase XMP v8.1 and vFusion v1.2 video network management software.

Sigma Designs announced it will be demonstrating its SMP8634 media processor at the IBC 2005 (International Broadcast Conference) in Amsterdam September 9-13, with Scientific-Atlanta's advanced IPTV set-top box, product mix to address telco opportunities on a worldwide basis. The demonstration of the new class of system-on-chip (SOC) based set-top box platforms will be shown at the Scientific-Atlanta stand (Stand 1.471).

Broadstream Communications, Inc., the industry leader in outsourced video head-end and content distribution and management services to the telecom industry announced separate content agreements with Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel, OLN, The Tennis Channel, Bloomberg Television, and The Golf Channel, further enhancing the industry's largest library of linear content for the IPTV industry.

OpenTV Corp. announced that Cabovisao, Televisao por Cabo SA, a leading privately-owned cable operator in Portugal, has selected OpenTV as a key technology provider for the deployment of interactive television services on their digital cable and broadband IP television networks. Cabovisao expects to deploy OpenTV Core 2.0 on its digital cable network and on its broadband IP network in 2006. Cabovisao currently offers cable-TV, broadband Internet access and fixed telephony services to over 240,000 residential customers and 12,000 enterprises in Portugal.

ManiaTV! is celebrating its first anniversary on Friday, September 9th. With almost 15 million viewers since its launch only one year ago, ManiaTV! has become the online entertainment destination for college students and young adults seeking unique broadband entertainment. Broadcasting live and on-demand programming to more than 1.5 million viewers per month, ManiaTV! offers a variety of content to its viewers including music, action sports, short films, animation, gaming, and more.

You can launch and watch ManiaTV! from our Internet TV station listing.

I can tell you this week's IPTV headlines in one word:

IBC
IBC
IBC

Gotta run, the press releases are pouring in from companies around the world participating at IBC.

Here are some other reads if you don't already have enough...

Cisco Systems announced continued momentum on its leadership with service providers around the world in delivery of video/IPTV services over its IP Next Generation Network (IP NGN) reference architecture.

Cisco has unmatched video/IPTV networking deployment experience, with platforms and technologies that enable scaling to millions of subscribers quickly and easily and with a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than others. Cisco's approach enables providers to improve the subscriber experience and increase average revenue-per-subscriber (ARPU) by offering enhanced viewing options, improved security and proven reliability. This is based on improved service control, intelligence within the aggregation layer and scalability at the network core. The Cisco IP NGN architecture gives providers an open platform for service differentiation, allowing them to move beyond video/IPTV to develop and deliver a variety of integrated media services in the connected home.

Optibase, Ltd., a leading provider of advanced digital video solutions is showcasing an exciting array of new products and technologies that target the High Definition (HD) market and the new MPEG -4 AVC IPTV standard, at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), Booth # 2.249, September 9-11, 2005.

MPEG MovieMaker 200 HD is designed for post-production studios working on video-on-demand (VOD) content and integrators working on high-resolution military simulation or surveillance projects. MovieMaker 200 HD board supports both high definition and standard definition video input, with MPEG-2 compression support at up to 80Mbps. The board digitizes from an array of inputs (file, analog or digital) and will drop files to a host as either compressed or uncompressed data.

Joining forces to power AVC/H.264 IPTV deployments, Envivio Inc. and Sigma Designs announced the port of EnvivioTV^TM player's interactive features for Sigma's new 64-bit, SMP8634, AVC/H.264 decoder chip. The Envivio client software integrated with the Sigma chip enables set-top box manufacturers to support full featured interactive television services and for service providers to deploy new revenue generating client services using the open standard MPEG-4 format.

Microsoft Corp. and Sigma Designs Inc. announced today at IBC2005 the availability of a new class of system-on-chip (SOC) that will enable the production of low-cost, high-definition-capable devices optimized for the Microsoft TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform. The new SMP8634 media processor from Sigma Designs will enable set-top box and consumer electronics manufacturers to create a range of products for broadband service providers to deliver IPTV services to the home.

Today at IBC2005, the International Broadcasters Convention, in a milestone for the industry's move toward Internet Protocol television (IPTV) readiness, Microsoft Corp. announced further partner support for its IPTV software platform with a host of new set-top-box offerings and a new class of system-on-chip (SOC) that will enable the production of low-cost, high-definition (HD) set-top boxes. The announcements underline a growing choice of Microsoft® TV IPTV Edition-enabled devices, allowing broadband service providers worldwide to develop offerings best suited to their business models and customer needs.

Hardware partners Linksys-KiSS, Motorola Inc., Scientific-Atlanta Inc., Tatung Co. and Thomson confirmed support for the Microsoft TV platform with a range of new set-top boxes supporting Microsoft TV IPTV Edition:

ANT Limited Browser and Orca Interactive Middleware Combine with TI DSPs To Ensure Interoperability for IP Set-Top-Box Technology

**Available Soon on the Code-Compatible DaVinci Media Platform**

Uniting three of the top-tier technologies in the streaming media industry, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) has joined with software providers ANT and Orca Interactive to facilitate interoperability for manufacturers looking for low-risk solutions that will hasten the design cycle of IP Set-Top-Box products and services. By bringing the core software together on TI silicon - soon including the new DaVinciT technology, an integrated offering of processors, software, and tools - the three companies deliver an end-to-end solution that saves valuable time and dollars making it simple to offer a full range of IPTV and Video on Demand (VoD) capabilities today. For more information on DaVinci technology, please see: http://www.thedavincieffect.com.

Orca Interactive, a global market leader in developing middleware and applications for IPTV, announced the development of a new IPTV user interface using Macromedia® Flash® 6, to deliver a new compelling, interactive user experience for the broadband television industry.

The new SUI helps operators and service providers to attract subscribers to the interactive world of IPTV where subscribers actively define content and schedules, thus increasing usage and revenues. It provides an optimal user experience for IPTV with minimal interference with the television viewing experience to increase satisfaction of content offering and reduce customer churn due to an addictive user experience.

Orca Interactive, a global market leader in developing middleware and applications for IPTV, introduced a SUI SDK for Macromedia® Flash® as part of its RiGHTv^TM IPTV middleware. Orca SUI SDK for Flash incorporates Macromedia Flash technology for third-party development of IPTV applications, enabling service providers and system integrators to build branded, feature-packed TV interfaces that provide an optimized user experience.

A full demonstration of Orca's SUI SDK for Flash, running on Espial® Escape® browser with Macromedia Flash 6.0 plug-in, will take place at booth # 2.230 at IBC2005, September 9-13 at the Amsterdam RAI.