Light Reading published an article saying that Belgacom is considering replacing its Nokia Siemens middleware. Light Reading thinks that Microsoft is the leading contender. The other major vendors supporting Microsoft are Arris/C-Cor for video on demand, Amino for set-top boxes, and Verimatrix for content security.
The Nokia Siemens middleware came from its acquisition of Myrio. Myrio's middleware was originally designed for the small U.S. independent telcos.
This is an interesting situation. It does not appear that Nokia Siemens has made the investment in the Myrio middleware to allow it to scale to meet Belgacom's needs and to support the next generation of interactive applications.
Microsoft's Mediaroom is an obvious candidate. I expect that Alcatel-Lucent will use its strong relationship with Belgacom to push the MyView middleware that it acquired from Telefonica. Thomson's middleware that is used by France Telecom should be another strong candidate.
It will be bad news for Arris/C-Cor, Amino, and Verimatrix if Belgacom its replaces Nokia Siemens middleware.
Showing posts with label Verimatrix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Verimatrix. Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, June 20, 2008
Three Screen Strategies
This week three interesting three screen were announced or shown at NXTcomm.
Verimatrix introduced its content security system for mobile applications. It now provides a single system that can support TVs, PCs, and mobile devices. Verimatrix has also added support for other security technologies into its system such as OMA DRM, Microsoft DRM, and Marlin DRM as well as its own VCAS DRM. This gives the service provider the ability to deploy a single system that can support a broad set of content security technologies.
Ericsson's Tandberg TV demonstrated a three screen metadata system that gives service providers to manage the metadata for their video assets including the ability to supplement the metadata delivered with the asset with additional metadata that is available from Internet sources. It also gives users the ability to browse and search this metadata with a very attractive interface from either the PC or a mobile device.
Alcatel-Lucent gave a demonstration at NXTcomm of three screen technology based on the Microsoft Mediaroom DVR capability. This system copies the content that the viewer records on the DVR to a network server and then provides access to these private network assets from both a PC and a mobile device. The network provides a catalog of what is available and the handles the format and compression conversion required to display on either the PC or the mobile device. A viewer can automatically record their favorite programs and then view them using either a PC or a mobile device while they are on the road.
Three screen TV is moving from hype to reality. Both Verimatrix and Tandberg TV now have products that add real value. The Alcatel-Lucent demonstration is quite interesting but raises a number of issues that need to be addressed. For example, the content providers may object to this use of their assets. There are also real privacy issues when you take private content and put it onto a network.
Verimatrix introduced its content security system for mobile applications. It now provides a single system that can support TVs, PCs, and mobile devices. Verimatrix has also added support for other security technologies into its system such as OMA DRM, Microsoft DRM, and Marlin DRM as well as its own VCAS DRM. This gives the service provider the ability to deploy a single system that can support a broad set of content security technologies.
Ericsson's Tandberg TV demonstrated a three screen metadata system that gives service providers to manage the metadata for their video assets including the ability to supplement the metadata delivered with the asset with additional metadata that is available from Internet sources. It also gives users the ability to browse and search this metadata with a very attractive interface from either the PC or a mobile device.
Alcatel-Lucent gave a demonstration at NXTcomm of three screen technology based on the Microsoft Mediaroom DVR capability. This system copies the content that the viewer records on the DVR to a network server and then provides access to these private network assets from both a PC and a mobile device. The network provides a catalog of what is available and the handles the format and compression conversion required to display on either the PC or the mobile device. A viewer can automatically record their favorite programs and then view them using either a PC or a mobile device while they are on the road.
Three screen TV is moving from hype to reality. Both Verimatrix and Tandberg TV now have products that add real value. The Alcatel-Lucent demonstration is quite interesting but raises a number of issues that need to be addressed. For example, the content providers may object to this use of their assets. There are also real privacy issues when you take private content and put it onto a network.
Win Multimedia to Offer WiFi IPTV in Thailand
Win Multimedia will deliver IPTV to a set-top box connected to the TV as well as to the PC over its WiFi based broadband network in Thailand and China. The IPTV services include 60 broadcast channels with an NPVR service, video on demand, Karaoke, Information Services, SMS, Tracking, Interactive Services, Gaming, and video conferencing. Win plans to sell the service at 10 thousand retail outlets in Thailand and China.
Digisoft is providing the middleware for this service, and Verimatrix is providing the content security. Both companies are supporting both PC and set-top box access.
This is an interesting deployment. It is the first wireless IPTV service I have run into. By this I mean wireless to the TV and not TV to a mobile device. It is also one of the first deployment that I have seen that is going to rely exclusively on retail sales channels.
Digisoft is providing the middleware for this service, and Verimatrix is providing the content security. Both companies are supporting both PC and set-top box access.
This is an interesting deployment. It is the first wireless IPTV service I have run into. By this I mean wireless to the TV and not TV to a mobile device. It is also one of the first deployment that I have seen that is going to rely exclusively on retail sales channels.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
ZTE IPTV System
I was at the ZTE analyst meeting in Shenzhen, China on March 25 and 26. ZTE was quite serious about its telco IPTV system. It offers an open system that combines ZTE and third party components, including:
- Headends from Tut Systems (now part of Motorola), Optibase, Tandberg TV, envivio, and Thomson
- Video On Demand Servers from ZTE
- Middleware from ZTE
- Content Security from ZTE, Irdeto and Verimatrix
- Set-top boxes from ZTE, Sunniwell, and Yuxing
- China (with 50 percent market share according to ZTE's numbers)
- Free Internet, Thailand
- VNPT Vietnam
- Belorussian Telecom
- Progroup, Estonia
- STC, Saudi Arabia
- Emcali, Columbia
- CanTV, Venezuela
Monday, March 10, 2008
Verimatrix Introduces PC Video Player
Verimatrix introduced its ViewRight PC Player 2.0. This player uses Verimatrix's industrial grade content protection as part of the product. This player operates with the key management system that IPTV and other pay TV providers use to protect their content.
This player can be used by IPTV providers that use Verimatrix content security to deliver content to the PC as well as the TV. It could also be used by over the top Internet video providers that implement Verimatrix's content security.
I think that this kind of player could open PC delivery to a broader set of content. The broadcasters and the Hollywood studios should be significantly more comfortable with the security provided with this kind of system. They are likely to be more willing to provide the hottest titles to the PC that support this level of content security.
Verimatrix is a pioneer of this kind of player. Clearly, the other established content security companies can offer similar products and will as they become popular.
This player can be used by IPTV providers that use Verimatrix content security to deliver content to the PC as well as the TV. It could also be used by over the top Internet video providers that implement Verimatrix's content security.
I think that this kind of player could open PC delivery to a broader set of content. The broadcasters and the Hollywood studios should be significantly more comfortable with the security provided with this kind of system. They are likely to be more willing to provide the hottest titles to the PC that support this level of content security.
Verimatrix is a pioneer of this kind of player. Clearly, the other established content security companies can offer similar products and will as they become popular.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Widevine and Verimatrix Enter Legal Battle
The content protection/digital rights management company Widevine is suing Verimatrix, one of its major competitors for patent infringement based on Widevine's patent for selectively encrypting different portions of data sent over a network. Widevine has offered Verimatrix the opportunity to license its selective encryption patent, but Verimatrix has not responded.
Verimatrix denies Widevine's claims and states that it will vigorously defend itself.
Both of these companies have done well in the IPTV market. The preliminary conclusions from our report "Opportunities in TelcoTV" are that Verimatrix appears to be in a stronger position today because it has been included in the IPTV service of more major telcos than Widevine. This report will be released by the end of this month.
Verimatrix denies Widevine's claims and states that it will vigorously defend itself.
Both of these companies have done well in the IPTV market. The preliminary conclusions from our report "Opportunities in TelcoTV" are that Verimatrix appears to be in a stronger position today because it has been included in the IPTV service of more major telcos than Widevine. This report will be released by the end of this month.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
IBM and Cisco Partner for IPTV
IBM and Cisco have formed a partnership to address the Tier 2 and Tier 3 carriers implementing TelcoTV services in Europe. While the Tier 1 carriers in Europe have already set their strategy, the company sees significant opportunities with the smaller carriers, especially in Eastern Europe and the Middle East as we as some carriers in Scandinavia. Their first joint deal is with Dansk Bredband in Denmark.
Cisco sill provide networking products, Scientific Atlanta headend systems, Arroyo video on demand servers, as well as home gateways and set-top boxes from Linksys and Kiss.
IBM will provide business and technical consulting services plus a vendor finance package.
The two companies will also include middleware from Kasenna and content protection from Verimatrix as part of their TelcoTV offering.
IBM and Cisco have complementary roles, so this combination makes sense for both companies. However, while the Tier 2/Tier 3 market is quite active, the Tier 1 carriers will have most of the subscribers and will account for most of the spending in most product categories.
Cisco sill provide networking products, Scientific Atlanta headend systems, Arroyo video on demand servers, as well as home gateways and set-top boxes from Linksys and Kiss.
IBM will provide business and technical consulting services plus a vendor finance package.
The two companies will also include middleware from Kasenna and content protection from Verimatrix as part of their TelcoTV offering.
IBM and Cisco have complementary roles, so this combination makes sense for both companies. However, while the Tier 2/Tier 3 market is quite active, the Tier 1 carriers will have most of the subscribers and will account for most of the spending in most product categories.
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