Intel Corporation and TANDBERG Television have a collaborated to bridge the gap between the PC and TV with a new broadband television programming solution that provides entertainment programmers with an easy way to develop and deploy broadcast-quality content over the Internet to Intel technology-based devices and PCs, such as those based on the Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

On the verge of its nationwide commercial IPTV launch, SES AMERICOM, an SES company announces that Comcast Networks, Fox Cable Networks, NBC Universal, Showtime Networks, and Turner Broadcasting System, representing some of the world’s best and most watched television, have joined the IP-PRIME IPTV digital dial, which now features more than 350 channels.

Comcast Networks, Fox Cable, NBC Universal, Showtime Networks and Turner have signed IP-PRIME transport agreements, enabling SES AMERICOM to process their popular programming for IPTV distribution over its AMC-9 satellite to authorized video hubs and consumers’ IPTV set top boxes.

At NAB2007 Microsoft announced additional top technology suppliers providing technologies that support the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform, which is being deployed by several leading service providers worldwide. The announcement illustrates the accelerating growth of the IPTV industry and Microsoft's commitment to work with a broad range of solutions providers to ensure ongoing industry innovation while allowing service providers the flexibility to choose from a variety of technologies to deploy IPTV services.

Kasenna announces that it has teamed with HP and Intel to complete a one-million-IPTV-subscriber benchmark test for broadcast television and bandwidth- intensive VOD services. The benchmark test proved that an IPTV infrastructure developed by Kasenna, together with HP and Intel, can support one million subscribers.

The IPTV-infrastructure test-bed, built around Kasenna's Portal TV product suite, consisting of the LivingRoom middleware platform and MediaBase video server software, utilized industry-standard HP ProLiant servers powered by Intel low-power Dual-Core Xeon processors. The test was conducted in a simulated access network environment at the HP Communications, Media and Entertainment Solution Center in Grenoble, France.

The steady growth of IPTV subscribers and service revenue continues on an upward trend in Europe and Asia and, to some extent, in North America, according to the new MRG report IPTV Global Forecast Report--April 2007.

Driving the market's successful growth in the past 6 months is fast growth in Europe, especially France, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe; in Asia, especially China, Japan, and Hong Kong; and in North America, especially Verizon, the IOCs (Independent Operating Companies) and Canada. "Our forecast shows service provider revenue growing from $3.6 billion in 2007 to $20.3 billion in 2011," states Len Feldman, Director of IPTV Analysis for MRG. "Europe continues to be the biggest market for IPTV, with France easily leading the growth spurt through IPTV operators Free, Orange France Telecom and Neuf Cegetel."

Fifty-three percent of Internet users would replace their cable and satellite TV with broadband TV, if they could get the same TV channels, according to a new Zogby poll, sponsored by Redback Networks, an Ericsson company.

The Zogby poll asked 1006 Americans how they use broadband services, Internet-connected mobile devices and what video and mobile services they would pay for in the future. The Zogby-Redback findings can be reviewed at http://www.redback.com. Among the highlighted findings:

• 53 percent of Americans would replace cable and satellite with broadband TV
• 88 percent believe video cell phone calls will become reality within five years
• 64 percent of parents would subscribe to mobile TV in cars to entertain kids
• 74 percent believe a video-centric Internet may be more dangerous for kids
• 55 percent say parents and individuals are responsible for making broadband technology safe
• 75 percent agree that it is rude to use a BlackBerry or similar device in a meeting or restaurant
• 70 percent said that people can become 'addicted' to using a BlackBerry or similar device
• 80 percent agree that it should be illegal to use Internet mobile devices while driving
• 29 percent feel parents have primary responsibility to make Internet devices safe for kids
• 12 percent said they either had or nearly had a car accident checking email on their Blackberry
• 5 percent of respondents confessed checking email on Internet mobile devices in the bathroom

BitBand announces that FASTWEB is installing BitBand's new Vision 880 Video On Demand servers throughout FASTWEB's points of presence in Italy, providing higher streaming throughput and increased storage capacities, thus enabling FASTWEB to easily expand the delivery of IPTV services.

FASTWEB is Italy’s leading provider of commercial converged triple-play services over broadband and one of the most successful triple-play service providers in the world today. BitBand’s video solutions enable FASTWEB to deliver high quality IPTV VOD, NPVR (Network Personal Video Recording) and Catch-Up TV services to subscribers throughout Italy.

The consumer DVD recorder market experienced smaller than expected growth in 2006, but IMS Research estimates the volume of DVD recorders shipped worldwide in 2011 will reach 59 million units, generating approximately US$20.2 billion in manufacturers revenues.

Digital video recorders currently have the advantage of being deployed by pay-TV operators at relatively low cost in the North America, Western Europe, and some parts of the Asia Pacific region. However, recording onto an optical disc is expected to gain momentum due to several factors that will enhance current usage models and value propositions for burning elaborate, menu-driven DVDs from a consumer DVD recorder. Traditionally, elaborate DVD creation has been confined to PC-based applications.

Adobe announced the Adobe Media Player at NAB2007 trade show. This desktop application expands Adobe’s Internet video solutions, adding to an emerging ecosystem that enables new ways to distribute and monetize media, while helping viewers discover and view high-quality content both online and offline. Leveraging Adobe’s Emmy Award winning Flash architecture, the Adobe Media Player delivers more engaging video experiences to viewers while offering content publishers new abilities to distribute, track and build businesses around their media assets. A preview of the new player will be shown during NAB, April 16 - 19 (Booth SL 3220).

At NAB2007, Microsoft unveils Silverlight, a new cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. Early supporters of the new platform include Akamai Technologies, Brightcove, Eyeblaster, Limelight, Major League Baseball and Netflix.

Microsoft Silverlight, previously called Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere, integrates with existing Web technologies and assets to provide higher-quality experiences with lower costs for media delivery. Delivered to end users through a seamless, fast installation, Silverlight offers consistent experiences to both Macintosh and Windows users on a variety of browsers including Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.

ATEMET announces that Sylvain Riviere has joined the management team as Executive Vice President of Marketing - a new position for the company. Mr. Riviere joins ATEME's operational leadership as the company also welcomes the founder of the billion-dollar Iliad Group, Mr. Xavier Niel, to its Board of Directors.

An industry veteran with years of hands-on experience in marketing, management and video compression technology, Mr. Riviere joins ATEME with the mandate to apply all of these areas of expertise to his position within the company. He is specifically in charge of ATEME's worldwide corporate and product marketing, as well as helping to implement a new solutions focus for ATEME technologies and products in Broadcast and Broadband market segments.

Five percent of UK households will be watching television over an internet connection (IPTV) by 2011, according to new research study.

Around 1.5 million households in the UK will be watching TV over an internet connection by 2011, according to a new study published today by the Centre for Telecoms Research

The new study expects a surge in households with IPTV (from around 80,000 in 2006) driven by consumers migrating to faster broadband connections and the promotion of hybrid DTT/IPTV set top boxes by telecom operators (such as BT Vision).

CBS Corporation announces the creation of the CBS Interactive Audience Network which will initially include new content deals with a host of online distributors including AOL, Microsoft, CNET Networks, Comcast, Joost, Bebo, Brightcove, Netvibes, Sling Media and Veoh. The agreements, building on the Company's existing arrangements, solidify CBS's position as the most widely distributed professional content provider on the Web.

All content will be advertiser supported and free to the consumer. CBS will begin selling the CBS Interactive Audience Network in the coming weeks, including the upcoming Upfront marketplace. Advertising revenue will be shared between CBS and its partners. All content will be available domestically with select clips and full-length sports programming distributed worldwide.

Private announces a multi-year agreement with the Belgacom Group, Belgium's leading telecom, for the supply of content for distribution via their Video-On-Demand (VOD) service on the Belgacom TV platform.

The agreement includes access to hundreds of titles from Private's proprietary movie library and includes both new releases as well as classic blockbuster titles. With this agreement Private takes another step forward in its aggressive strategy to be featured on all major IPTV & Cable VOD platforms in Western Europe by the end of 2007.

Amino will preview a concept of its newest high definition product, the PVR-capable AmiNET530 at the 2007 NAB Show in Las Vegas. In addition to product demonstrations, Rick Sailor, Vice President of Sales, Americas for Amino will be featured as a speaker at the IPTV World Conference within the NAB Show, taking part in a panel discussion entitled "Reinventing Advertising" on Wednesday, April 18 at 5:30pm (Las Vegas Convention Center S219/220).

During this presentation, Rick along with other industry experts, will explore how service operators are exploiting new alternatives to traditional 30-sec spot advertising, such as Video-on-Demand, interactive television and micro-channels, and how cable, satellite and broadcasters are responding to the challenge.