Microsoft, UPC, Liberate und Motorola - was die Großen so treiben - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[Janphil]

Ein interessanter Artikel aus "Inside Broadband" zur Frage UPC, Microsoft, Liberate und Motorolas Set-Top-Boxen - sogar vorab aus dem Internet.


Inside Broadband for September 18, 2000

UPC Gets Liberate, Still Backs Microsoft

By JEFF BAUMGARTNER September 18, 2000


Apparently frustrated with delays surrounding Microsoft Corp.`s "Microsoft TV" interactive-television software, United Pan-Europe Communications N.V. (UPC) selected Liberate Technologies as a second-source supplier.

UPC noted in a press release that using multiple vendors was part of its interactive-TV strategy all along.

The MSO said it chose Liberate`s software due to its open architecture and the fact that "it has already been deployed."

UPC said it will initially offer the "Liberate TV Platform" in Vienna, Austria, one of its largest systems, with approximately 480,000 subscribers.

Liberate said UPC plans to launch its interactive-TV platform on Motorola Broadband Communications Sector boxes during the first quarter of 2001 to offer a menu of "walled-garden" applications such as e-mail, chat and electronic commerce. Wie ich schon sagte, Motorola - aber meine Begründung war falsch: Man hat sich offenbar nicht langfristig gebunden, sondern verfolgt eine Open-Vendor-Strategie.

The move follows news that delays would cause Microsoft -- which owns a 7.8 percent stake in UPC -- to miss the European MSO`s September deadline to deliver interactive-TV software for Philips Consumer Electronics Co. advanced digital set-tops in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Instead, UPC opted to add Microsoft TV to those set-tops via software downloads when it`s ready for primetime -- likely the first quarter of next year.

Microsoft`s software delays have created a window of opportunity for Liberate to generate business it might otherwise have not gotten, Liberate senior vice president of corporate development David Limp said.

...

"We`ve been talking to UPC since the first week [Liberate] was founded," Limp said. Those talks heated up after Microsoft told customers their software would be delayed, he added. Liberate`s presence on UPC systems might not be limited to Vienna, Limp said, adding, "They`re allowed to roll out our software anywhere they see fit. We didn`t limit the usage license to one particular territory." Of course, UPC will have to pay Liberate for any additional rollouts, he said.

Limp added that there was no truth to rumors that Liberate gave away software or committed an "unnatural act" to get the UPC account. "We`re selling to our business model," he said. Cable operators "will pay per subscriber that we deploy to. Obviously, our big customers get discounts -- the more they deploy, the lower the cost of the software gets."

Microsoft, hearing the news at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, said it wasn`t surprised that UPC selected a second interactive-TV-software company to fulfill its digital needs.

UPC "has always talked about an open-vendor strategy," Microsoft TV director of marketing communications Ed Graczyk said. "I don`t think that does anything to our existing relationship with UPC. We`re focused on winning the long term, if you will, rather than who`s got the first city or the biggest city. We`re not trying to fight the war of the press releases."

Graczyk -- who noted that Microsoft has deals in place to deploy interactive-TV software to 15 million set-tops-- was vexed about reports that classified Microsoft TV`s software troubles as a delay in product shipment."We`ve never announced a ship date for Microsoft TV," he said. "We`ve been consistent in saying that we`ll ship it when the software`s ready." Verkauf uns nicht für dumm, natürlich ist es ein delay - warum sonst wohl der Wechsel von UPC zu Liberate und Motorola.

Graczyk admitted, though, that each Microsoft interactive-TV-software deployment -- whether with AT&T Broadband, DirecTV Inc. or UPC -- involves "complex" and "significant" integration with new hardware because customer-user interfaces are rarely uniform.

"It`s a brand-new generation of hardware components that have to be developed, tweaked and tested," he said. "A lot of work needs to be done before we can do the final steps of integrating our software onto this new generation of hardware."

Graczyk said he was confident that Microsoft`s software would be ready to go in the first quarter of next year. "We`re confident in our piece of the puzzle," he added, "but there are other pieces we don`t control."

Da hat es schon entscheidende Vorteile, wenn Hardware und Software aus einem Hause kommen. Das ist die Schlußfolgerung.

In the meantime, Microsoft will continue to focus on the long term when it comes to building market share. Recht so. Wenn man Marktanteile will, tut man gut daran, sich auf die fernere Zukunft zu konzentrieren, allemal in der heutigen Zeit.

"Next year at this time, or two IBC shows from now, we can look at who`s installed where and who`s delivering the most innovative platform. That`s what we`re focused on, not who wins Vienna and who wins Amsterdam," Graczyk said. Ist das nicht köstlich. "Jungs, Ihr habt alle Zeit der Welt. Nächstes Jahr gibt`s auch wieder eine IBC, und dann schaut Ihr mal, was sich inzwischen so getan hat, or two IBC shows from now - na spätestens dann wird man klarer sehen. Microsoft bringt jetzt erstmal Ruhe in den Interactive TV-Markt." - Interviews scheinen in dieser Branche nicht gerade die Spezialität der Top-Manager zu sein. Also der hier könnte Montag seine Personalpapiere abholen, wenn ich Bill Gates wär.

Liberate also feels that its software is on trial, and that it must prove its mettle before attracting more contracts. "If we can outdeliver Microsoft, we can have the majority share of these accounts, but we have to deliver," Limp said. Das ist das Problem in dieser Industrie im Moment. Die heiße Phase steht kurz bevor, und Alle stricken sie deshalb jetzt mit heißer Nadel (bis auf Microsoft natürlich). Entwickler neigen immer dazu, den Zeitaufwand zu unterschätzen. Das kann übrigens auch Metabox passieren - und auch das wäre nicht so schlimm, wenn nicht diese Hysterie entstanden wäre. Aber das ist ein anderes Thema.

Long-term, Limp added, he`s more confident than ever that Liberate could be the No. 1 supplier of interactive-TV software.

Now that UPC has chosen a second middleware supplier, questions arose about whether AT&T Broadband -- which will launch a pilot this year of Motorola Broadband "DCT-5000s," and which has planned a wider rollout next year with the more sophisticated software stack -- will follow suit.

A company spokesman said AT&T Broadband has made no such announcements. He also restated that the MSO`s set-top software arrangement with Microsoft is nonexclusive.

****

Gruß, Jan Philip

[moege sein]

Warum nicht Met@box VERSCHENKEN?
************************************************

MSN USA lockt mit kostenlosen Settop-Boxen (15.09.2000)

Microsofts Onlinedienst MSN stattet in den USA jedes neue Mitglied gratis mit der nötigen Zugangshardware für WebTV aus. Im Paket enthalten sind eine Settop-Box und eine drahtlose Tastatur. Beide Geräte zusammen kosten im Handel etwa 250 US-Dollar. Microsoft erhoffe sich durch diese Maßnahme, mehr Kunden für sein interaktives TV-Angebot zu begeistern, ließ der Softwarekonzern heute verlauten.

Immerhin eine Millionen Kunden haben die Redmonder für den Dienst bisher gewinnen können. Doch mittlerweile hat Microsofts Tochterfirma WebTV in den USA durch AOLTV Konkurrenz bekommen. Wie Microsofts Settop-Box-System bietet auch AOL zu ähnlichen Preisen interaktives Fernsehen, Browser-im-Fernsehbild, E-Mail und Instant Messaging für die Wohnzimmer-Mattscheibe an. AOL hätte durch die geplante Fusion mit Time-Warner alle Trümpfe in der Hand: Der neue Konzern würde über jede Menge TV-Sender, die nötige Kabelnetz-Ausstattung sowie über das bei weitem mitgliederstärkste Messenger-System, nämlich AIM, verfügen.

Auf dem europäischen Fernsehmarkt zeigte Microsoft in jünster Vergangenheit starke Ambitionen, sich an interaktiven TV-Kanälen zu beteiligen. Doch die Pläne geraten derzeit durch Verzögerungen bei Microsoft selbst in Gefahr. (hob/c`t)

[moege sein]

ich meine natürlich "Phoenix-Boxen", die
das Konsortium abnimmt und dann weiter an
Ihre Kunden verschenkt.

[Janphil]

Aus der aktuellen Ausgabe (16. Sept.) des "Economist":


Interactive television

Microsoft’s blank screen

Despite $10 billion-worth of investments in cable systems in America and Europe, Microsoft’s television strategy is in trouble


WHEN United Pan-European Communications (UPC), Europe’s largest cable company, announced on September 10th that it would buy the software for its digital set-top boxes from Liberate, a small company in San Francisco, the impact of the news was felt most heavily in Redmond, Washington. Three months ago, Microsoft increased its stake in UPC to 8%. The industry assumed that the investment was to ensure that Microsoft got the contract for the set-top-box software that UPC would need to switch its customers to a digital interactive system. Instead, Liberate, Microsoft’s main competitor, got the business. UPC has thus delivered the biggest set-back yet to Microsoft’s aim to become the dominant supplier of smart-television software.

After 20 years of failed trials and unfulfilled expectations, interactive television is at last happening. Forrester, a consultancy, expects revenues from plain old television to level off, as those from smarter television take off (see chart).



Microsoft sees this as both a threat and an opportunity. Cleverer television may take over some of the functions of a PC, but then Microsoft may be able to insert its software into another box. It is trying to do this in two ways: by selling interactive TV directly to consumers (see article) and by selling software to interactive TV providers.

Over the past year, satellite companies have been rolling out interactive television services. In Britain, BSkyB’s customers can, for instance, buy compact discs, play games and watch football from five different camera angles, should they wish to. But the prospect of cable companies going interactive is causing more excitement, because cable has the fat pipes that most people in the business consider the best way of delivering the digital future into people’s homes.

That is why Microsoft has spent nearly $10 billion buying up slices of cable companies. In June 1997 it spent $1 billion on 11.5% of America’s Comcast. Since then, it has invested $5 billion in AT&T; $2.6 billion in Telewest and $500m in NTL in Britain; $400m in Rogers in Canada; and $353m in UPC, which is based in the Netherlands but owns systems in several European countries.

Most of the set-top boxes that are already deployed by satellite systems are made either by an American company, OpenTV, or by Canal Plus Technologies, a subsidiary of the French pay-TV operator. But they are both proprietary systems, written in a language that is not compatible with the Internet. Since those systems were designed, the Internet has taken off, and the cable companies now deploying digital set-top boxes are looking for Internet-compatible systems. Liberate and Microsoft are the two main companies offering these. Da wirft er er Hard- und Software mal eben locker zusammen.

Liberate has one big advantage over Microsoft: it has a product to sell. Microsoft’s software is not yet ready to ship. And cable operators, particularly in Europe, where competition from satellite operators is fiercest, are keen to push ahead. So earlier this year, Telewest announced that it was going with Liberate, even though Microsoft owns nearly a third of the company. Microsoft’s failure to deliver led UPC to delay the launch of its interactive service in Amsterdam. Now UPC has decided to go with Liberate. And NTL, Britain’s biggest cable operator, has had to abandon plans to buy its software from a third company

What has gone wrong for Microsoft? Windows, says the general consensus. “It’s Microsoft’s DNA,” says Mitchell Kertzmann, Liberate’s chief executive. “They’re genetically programmed to try to put Windows in everywhere. But Windows is big and bulky. Set-top boxes don’t have enough memory or fast-enough processors to deal with it.” Ed Graczyk, director of the Microsoft TV Platform Group, does not contradict him: “We want to deploy Microsoft TV when it’s bullet-proof.” He claims that Microsoft TV will be technically superior to the competition, when it finally reaches the market.

The biggest question-mark, though, hangs over AT&T, America’s biggest cable operator, of which Microsoft owns 3%. Mr Graczyk says that AT&T has committed itself to putting Microsoft’s product into 10m set-top boxes. Although AT&T has said nothing publicly to counter that impression, the company is known to be impatient to get on with trying out the system. Trials were due to start later this year, but are now not expected until early next year.

Mr Kertzmann is not writing Microsoft off: “They’ll deliver. They always do.” But even then, he thinks, cable companies may be unwilling to buy Microsoft TV. “People are cautious about Microsoft. They’ve observed how much of the value of the PC business it carved out for itself,” he says. Mr Graczyk plays the problem down, insisting it was a bigger concern in the past than it is now. And there are, he points out, advantages to working with Microsoft: it can invest to offset risks and to help firms speed up broadband deployment.

Even Mr Kertzmann says he can see why cable operators might still want to plump for Microsoft. “These cable companies have huge capital requirements. We don’t have billions of dollars to throw around. If I was one of them, I don’t know what I’d do.”

****

JP

[DerErdnussMann]

Microsoft kopiert Metabox-Konzept:


MSN USA lockt mit kostenlosen Settop-Boxen

Microsofts Onlinedienst MSN stattet in den USA jedes neue Mitglied gratis mit der nötigen Zugangshardware für WebTV aus. Im Paket enthalten sind eine Settop-Box und eine drahtlose Tastatur. Beide Geräte zusammen kosten im Handel etwa 250 US-Dollar. Microsoft erhoffe sich durch diese Maßnahme, mehr Kunden für sein interaktives TV-Angebot zu begeistern, ließ der Softwarekonzern heute verlauten.
Immerhin eine Millionen Kunden haben die Redmonder für den Dienst bisher gewinnen können. Doch mittlerweile hat Microsofts Tochterfirma WebTV in den USA durch AOLTV Konkurrenz bekommen. Wie Microsofts Settop-Box-System bietet auch AOL zu ähnlichen Preisen interaktives Fernsehen, Browser-im-Fernsehbild, E-Mail und Instant Messaging für die Wohnzimmer-Mattscheibe an. AOL hätte durch die geplante Fusion mit Time-Warner alle Trümpfe in der Hand: Der neue Konzern würde über jede Menge TV-Sender, die nötige Kabelnetz-Ausstattung sowie über das bei weitem mitgliederstärkste Messenger-System, nämlich AIM, verfügen.
Auf dem europäischen Fernsehmarkt zeigte Microsoft in jünster Vergangenheit starke Ambitionen, sich an interaktiven TV-Kanälen zu beteiligen. Doch die Pläne geraten derzeit durch Verzögerungen bei Microsoft selbst in Gefahr.

[GermanGoody]

Nur, daß halt die Boxen nicht vergleichbar sind - ich weiß nicht, ob MBX ein Jahr Vorsprung immer noch hat.
Aber ein halbes Jahr könnte reichen.

Gruss gg

[Thierri]

Das Vorgehen von Microsoft bestätigt doch nur, daß Metabox auf dem richtigen Weg ist. Selbst Microsoft wird Metabox den Braten nicht madig machen können: 1. Ist der Kuchen groß genug und 2. war Microsoft noch nie besonders, wenn es darum ging, Innoationskraft zu zeigen. Mircosoft kopiert nur....und das mehr schlecht als recht.

Gruß Thierri

[Janphil]

Bericht aus w:o (Klaus Singer) von heute:

Philips steigt massiv in Markt für Set-Top-Boxen ein

In der ersten Folge unserer Artikelreihe über Set-Top Boxen hatten wir die (digitalen) Breitbandnetze untersucht und waren zu dem Schluss gekommen, dass sie einen riesigen, schnell wachsenden Markt eröffnen. Set-Top Boxen könnten in diesem Umfeld zu leistungsfähigen Träger einer integrierten umfassenden Kommunikation werden.

In der zweiten Folge wurde festgestellt, dass sich im Set-Top Box Markt offene, allgemein akzeptierte Standards (DVB, MHP) etablieren. Sie wurden und werden von den Branchengrößen der Unterhaltungsindustrie geprägt. Ihre Umsetzung erfolgt weltweit. Besonders in Japan und Nordamerika existieren noch regionale, ältere Plattformen.

In der heutigen Folge schauen wir uns einige, wichtige Anbieter auf diesem Markt an.

Die Anbieter

Allein im Umfeld DVB werden an die 500 illustre Adressen gehandelt (z.B. www.dvb.org). Zu einem bedeutenden Teil handelt es sich um Anbieter von Unterhaltungselektronik. So hat Matsushita z.B. in Japan neue digitale Fernsehgeräte angekündigt, die sich – obwohl noch nicht im Handel- großer Nachfrage erfreuen.

Wir konzentrieren uns im folgenden beispielhaft auf einige wichtige, technologisch und umsatzmäßig bedeutende Anbieter von Set-Top Boxen.

Philips

Die Digital Network Division von Philips will in diesem Jahr auf 1 Mrd. US-Dollar Umsatz kommen. Dabei entfällt der Löwenanteil auf digitale Set-Top Boxen für das interaktive Fernsehen. Philips führt den europäischen STB-Markt zusammen mit der französischen Thompson/RCA (TMS). Weltweit liegt das Unternehmen hinter Motorola (General Instrument) und Scientific Atlanta (SFA), möchte aber auf Rang eins vordringen. Das sagte der CEO Rob van Oostenbrugge vor einigen Tagen im Rahmen einer Tagung der International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam.

Europas größter Hersteller von Consumer-Produkten, Beleuchtung und Halbleitern will außerdem weitere Produkte zusammen mit den Softwareherstellern Liberate (LBRT) und Microsoft (MSFT) entwickeln.

Mitte August konnte das Unternehmen einen großen Deal mit AT&T Corp. (T) abschließen. Philips wird ab 2001 digitale Set-Top Boxen für Breitbandnetze liefern. Anfangsstückzahl ist 1 Million Geräte. Hier ist ein interessanter Zusammenhang mit der Entscheidung von AT&T zu sehen, die vollständige Kontrolle über Excite@Home (ATHM) zu übernehmen.

Das Geschäft wird als Durchbruch im amerikanischen Markt gewertet. Philips dürfte nun kräftig an der Dominanz von Motorola und Scientific Atlanta nagen.

Scientific Atlanta

Scientific Atlanta (NYSE:SFA) ist im amerikanischen Markt nach Motorola (MOT) die Nummer zwei im STB-Markt.

Das Unternehmen stellt seit Jahren Set-Top Boxen her. Aber erst in der jüngeren Vergangenheit ist das Geschäft durch den Internetzugang per Kabelmodem und das Thema "Interactive TV" beflügelt worden. Die Nachfrage boomt, wie sich unschwer an der Umsatzentwicklung von 1,24 Mrd. US-Dollar im Geschäftsjahr 1999 (Juni) auf 1,72 Mrd. US-Dollar im Geschäftsjahr 2000 (Juni) ablesen lässt. Der Gewinn je Aktie kam auf 94 nach 65 Cents.

Scientific Atlanta`s digitale Set-Top Box Explorer wird Woche für Woche über 40.000 mal installiert. Die aktuelle Jahresmenge von 3 Mio. Stück soll bis nächstes Jahr auf 5,2 Mio. steigen.

Scientific-Atlanta hat seine Fühler auch nach Europa ausgestreckt. So wurde etwa im Januar ein Vertragsabschluß mit NTL, dem größten Betreiber von Breitbandmedien in Großbritannien, über die Lieferung von mindestens 250.000 Set-Top Boxen bekannt. Laufzeit geht über einen Zeitraum von drei Jahren.

Kunden von SFA sind z.B. MediaOne Group Inc. (NYSE: UMG), Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR) und Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX). TWX ist mit 16% Anteil der größte Einzelkunde. Time Warner verfügt über mehr als 13 Mio. Kunden des gegenwärtigen analogen Kabeldienstes. Das Unternehmen rechnet damit, dass sie alle vom digitalen Dienst Gebrauch machen, um in den Genuss künftiger, zusätzlicher Dienste zu kommen.

Scientific-Atlanta liefert neben den Endgeräten auch Infrastruktur für Breitband-Netzwerke. Anfang Juli hatte Scientific-Atlanta z.B. gemeldet, dass seine Division SciCare Broadband Services Teile des Kabelnetzes von Cox Communications erfolgreich modernisiert hat. Damit können nun 400.000 Kunden in Louisiana und Ohio erweiterte Dienste via Kabelmodem und Set-Top Boxen nutzen. Erst vor einigen Tagen war bekannt geworden, dass SFA -größtenteils optisches- Kabel-Equipment an Betreiber in Deutschland und Frankreich liefern wird. Der französische Kunde, Sudcable Services, befindet sich im Besitz von Intercom, die wiederum zu UPC gehört. UPC besitzt Anteile an der deutschen Primacom.

Morgan Stanley Dean Witter sieht voraus, dass die US-Breitbandkabelindustrie ungefähr 10 Mrd. US-Dollar investieren wird, um die eigenen Netze zu modernisieren, sprich zu digitalisieren.

SCM Microsystems

Die am Neuen Markt notierte SCM ist zwar kein Set-Top Box Hersteller im eigentlichen Sinn, beschäftigt sich aber u.a. mit PC-Einsteckkarten für das digitale Fernsehen. Das Unternehmen hatte wesentlichen Anteil an der Entwicklung des DVB-CI (Common Interface). Darunter versteht man technisch einen PCMCIA-Steckplatz in der STB, der zur Aufrüstung der Funktionalität dienen kann. Damit ist vor allem "Conditional Access", wie der Bereich Entschlüsselung angesprochen.

Man kann davon ausgehen, dass das Unternehmen seine Aktivitäten hier deutlich verstärken wird. Bis heute hat SCM etwa 2,5 Millionen Stück des eigenen CAM-Verschlüsselungsmoduls hergestellt, sowie seit etwa einem Jahr 750.000 Controllerchips geliefert, die in STB’s eingebaut werden. Damit verfügt das Unternehmen über eine durchgängige Wertschöpfungskette vom Silizium über Software bis zur Hardware.

SCM kooperiert u.a. mit Microsoft.

Microsoft

Microsoft wird das eigene Engagement im Bereich des interaktiven Fernsehens weiter ausbauen. Kürzlich wurde mit der US-Fernsehgesellschaft CBS ein Abkommen geschlossen, wonach beide Unternehmen Möglichkeiten entwickeln, damit sich Zuschauer aktiv an TV-Programmen beteiligen können. CBS will über 500 Stunden Fernsehen unter anderem aus den Sparten Drama, Comedy, Specials, Spielfilme und Sport produzieren. Abonennten von Microsofts Tochterfirma WebTV sollen zukünftig während des Anschauens solcher Programme chatten, zusätzliche Information abrufen oder auch online einkaufen können.

Mit Philips zusammen will Microsoft gemeinsam Set-Top-Boxen entwickeln. Sie basieren auf Philips’s Nexperia-Hardware-Plattform und arbeiten mit Microsofts TV-Software zusammen. Die Geräte werden erweiterte Funktionen haben, wie etwa Personal Video Recording, eCommerce, Online-Spiele, Internet-Zugang/Email, sowie Pay-per-view.

Microsoft arbeitet auch an gemeinsamen Projekten mit dem Kabelbetreiber UPC. Hier hatte es einige Verzögerungen bei der Produktentwicklung gegeben. Darüberhinaus will der Software-Riese die eigene TV-Funktionalität in den Windows-2000-Nachfolger Whistler integrieren, versteht das aber nicht als strategische Abkehr vom Set-Top Boxen Markt.

Zusammenfassung

Der Markt im Bereich digitale Breitbandnetze ist anbieterseitig geprägt von unterschiedlichsten Allianzen, Entwicklung von Standards und neuen Techniken, sowie von grossen Pilotprojekten.

Die Vermarktung von Set-TopBoxen scheint genauso zu verlaufen, wie im Handy-Markt: Die Betreiber von Netzen, auch die Content-Anbieter stellen diese ihren Kunden zur Verfügung. Sie verdienen nicht prmär an den Geräten, sondern am laufenden Geschäft.

Darüberhinaus wollen sich die großen (japanischen) Konzerne für Unterhaltungselektronik eine Scheibe des Kuchens abschneiden. Die Funktionalität von Set-Top Boxen soll künftig auch in TV-Geräte integriert werden.

Es ist allerdings die Frage, ob TV-Geräte mit ihrer relativ langen Nutzungsdauer in einem sich technologisch weiter rasant entwickelnden Markt die richtigen Vehikel sind. Eher denkbar, dass die Set-Top Boxen noch einige Zeit getrennte Produkte bleiben, die über eine –modernisierte- Videoschnittstelle mit dem TV-Gerät verbunden sind.

Die spannende Konvergenz-Frage ist: Wird das Internet das Fernsehen transportieren oder wird das digitale Fernsehen auch noch –so "nebenbei"- Internet (und Telefon) mitliefern. Anders ausgedrückt: Wird der PC zum Fernseher oder wird der Fernseher Internet-tauglich?

Na, was meint Ihr? Werden wir demnächst massenweise PC`s in unseren Wohnzimmern stehen haben und damit fernsehen?? Ich halte das für abwegig und die Konvergenz-Frage in diesem Punkt für beantwortet.

Letzte Folge – Metabox
In der letzten Folge werden wir das bisher Gesagte auf die Produkte und das Geschäft der Metabox AG abbilden und einen Blick auf die Zahlen des Unternehmens werfen.

*****

JP

[legbiter]

*****

Bis jetzt ist SCT 5000+ das Beste was es gibt

...aber MBX Phoenix ist einfach SCT 5000+ um Lichtjahre vorraus!!


*****

Leggy

[DerErdnussMann]

Metabox lässt seine Boxen in Singapur bei FLEXTRONIC bauen und siehe da Motorola auch, gibt es da Verbindungen ?
Gruß
EM

Motorola: Milliardendeal mit Flextronics

Der US-Elektronikkonzern Motorola hat Fertigungsaufträge im Gesamtwert von 63 Mrd. DM an die Firma Flextronics International vergeben. Nach Angabe der Firmen handelt es sich dabei um das größte Abkommen, das jemals in der Auftragsfertigung abgeschlossen wurde.

Motorola wird sich im Zuge einer strategischen Allianz an Flextronics beteiligen. Dafür erhält Motorola zu einem Discountpreis das Recht auf Umwandlung in elf Millionen Flextronics-Aktien. Flextronics hat momentan etwa 172 Millionen Aktien.

Flextronics wird Handys, Pager, Mobilfunkausrüstungen, Komponenten und andere Elektronikprodukte produzieren. Motorola ist der zweitgrößte Handyanbieter der Welt. Flextronics wird die Produkte für die Motorola Communications Enterprise (Motorola CE) fertigen. Der Großauftrag repräsentiert rund 15 Prozent der Motorola CE- Gesamtfertigung über fünf Jahre.



Lieferfähigkeiten verbessern


Motorola wolle mit dem Auftrag seine Lieferfähigkeiten verbessern und die eigenen Produkte schneller auf den Markt bringen, sagte Merle Gilmore, der Präsident der Motorola CE. Das Unternehmen könne so auch zusätzliche Kapazitäten für das künftige Wachstum aufbauen.


Flextronics ist ein rasant wachsendes Unternehmen mit Sitz in Singapur und der operativen Basis im kalifornischen San José. Das Unternehmen hat im ersten Quartal des Geschäftsjahres 1999/2000 seinen Umsatz um 76 Prozent auf 5,74 Mrd. $ und den Gewinn um 84 Prozent auf 198,8 Mio. $ erhöht. Der Großauftrag gibt Flextronics einen kräftigen Wachstumsschub.



Boom bei Auftragsfertigung


Nach US-Schätzungen wird die Auftragsfertigungsbranche weltweit in diesem Jahr Elektronikprodukte im Wert von fast 100 Mrd. $ produzieren. Oft werden bei diesem Vereinbarungen auch Fabriken der Auftraggeber an die Auftragsfertigungsfirmen übertragen, doch ist dies bei Motorola nicht der Fall. Flextronics hatte in letzter Zeit ein Werk von Bosch in Dänemark, von Ericsson in Schweden, von Hewlett-Packard in den USA und von Ascom in der Schweiz übernommen und kleinere Auftragsfertigungsfirmen geschluckt.


Flextronics war bisher bereits in vielen Ländern für Motorola tätig. "Beide Firmen wollen auch gemeinsame Geschäfte in großem Stil ausbauen, angefangen von elektronischen Handel bis hin zu einem weit reichenden globalen Service-Angebot", erklärte Flextronics-Chef Michael Marks.



© dpa

[DerErdnussMann]

Diese Firma scheint der Gehäuse-Lieferant der Metabox zu sein:
Gruß
EM

Um die Kundenbasis der Telekommunikationsindustrie noch besser betreuen zu können, ist der Auftragsfertiger Flextronics Intenational eine strategische Allianz mit Chatham Technologies eingegangen. Insbesondere geht es Flextronics International darum, die durch den Pakt entstandenen Synergien für Engineering Services- und kundenspezifische elektronische Gehäuse-Lösungen zu nutzen: Denn Chatham Technologies ist ein weltweit agierender Anbieter von Design-, Fertigungs-, Integrations-, und Installations-Dienstleistungen und verfügt über ein weltweites Netz an kundenspezifisch zugeschnittenen Anlagen und Systemen für die Kommunikationsindustrie. Flextronics International ermöglicht Chatham Technologies den Zugriff auf eine nachgeordnete Verbindlichkeit (subordinated debt) von bis zu 125 Mio. Dollar. Damit kann der Allianzpartner Chatham künftig für Kunden beider Unternehmen die Dienstleistungskanäle ausbauen und erweitern. Ein aus dieser Kooperation entstehendes, billigendes Beteiligungsrecht von Flextronics an Chatham Technologies wird es allerdings nicht geben. (ms, Markt&Technik)

[Nitrilo]

Danke ErdnussMann, habe mich schon den ganzen Morgen gefragt, wann der erste mit einer Info bezüglich Flextronics kommt.
Gruß Nitrilo

[junkstro]

Motorola mit Großauftrag
von: Björn Grabbe
Der Telekommunikationsausrüster Motorola (Nyse: MOT) hat heute einen Auftrag von Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR) bekannt gegeben. Der Betreiber von Kabelfernseh-Systemen hat Motorolas Broadband Communications Unit mit der Lieferung von 300.000 SURFboard Kabelmodems beauftragt, die Zwei-Wege-Kommunikation bei hohen Geschwindigkeiten erlauben. Motorola ist der Hauptlieferant von Kabelmodems an Charter. Die Motorola-Aktie profitiert von der Meldung und klettert um 3 Prozent auf 34 US-Dollar.

[junkstro]

interesant im letzten teil die ausführungen über
e-Bertelsman Venturecapital...............


.Bertelsmann Wants Out
By Thor Olavsrud



Bertelsmann AG, staking that its future on the Internet does not lie in the ISP business, is divesting itself of its stake in America Online and AOL Europe and focusing its attention on content e-commerce and a new Internet-oriented venture capital fund.

The company said Wednesday that its stake in mediaWays, operator of Germany`s second-largest IP network for digital data communications, is another possible candidate for divestiture. Bertelsmann said divesting these three companies should generate more than 20 billion marks ($8.8 billion). In June, Telefonica SA, the Spanish telecom, indicated its interest in mediaWays and offered $1.6 billion for Bertelsmann`s stake.

Bertelsmann believes that content e-commerce will be one of its core businesses. It noted that BOL now has a foothold in 14 countries -- including Japan and Korea. It has expanded its joint U.S. venture, bn.com, and acquired Internet audio retailer CDnow for $117 million. These moves, along with Bertelsmann`s other lines of business, allowed the company to increase its revenues by 25 percent over the previous year. In addition, Bertelsmann said its Web presence -- BOL, bn.com, CDnow, bokus.com, booksonline.com, BMG Music and other brands -- have racked up 32 million unique visitors.

"This performance elevates Bertelsmann into a new dimension," said Thomas Middelhoff, Bertelsmann`s chairman and chief executive officer. "In just two years, the company has lifted its revenues by the amount generated in 1989/1990. Our Internet operations are recording strong increases in value. We`re approaching by leaps and bounds our strategic goal of achieving global market leadership as a content provider and a provider of e-commerce with media products. We`re making huge investments into our content business and into our core businesses` Web applications."

To keep its momentum, Bertelsmann is financing eBertelsmann, a new venture capital fund with a total volume of up to $1 billion. The company said it will be the largest media/Internet fund in Europe. This will be the fourth Internet-related fund in Bertelsmann`s stable, joining Bertelsmann Ventures, Venturepark Incubator AG, and Bertelsmann Valley. eBertelsmann will support the company in developing or acquiring new businesses and in developing new business fields and new technologies relevant to the creation and distribution of media content, the development of new services, and for BeMobile (Bertelsmann eCommerce Group).

"With this step, we`re strongly expanding our venture capital business," Middelhoff said. "The `eBertelsmann` fund will not only achieve attractive yields but recognize trends at an early point in time and develop new businesses that are relevant to Bertelsmann."

[tschernobyl]

UPC<UPEC.AS>to use Liberate, Wind River software

AMSTERDAM, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Cable operator UPC <UPCOY.O> said on Thursday set-top boxes being launched in the Netherlands would in the future use software from Liberate <LBRT.O> and Wind River Systems <WIND.O> as well as from Microsoft <MSFT.O>.

Earlier this year, United Pan-Europe Communications NV (UPC) was forced to delay the launch of digital interactive TV with e-mail, Internet, e-commerce and video-on-demand after Microsoft failed to deliver its software on time.

Dutch-based UPC, which offers telephony, Internet and television on its cable network, said it planned to launch 30,000 set-top boxes made by Philips Electronics <PHG.AS> and Motorola <MOT.N> in Amsterdam by the end of the year.

Initially the boxes will offer digital television, near video-on-demand and an electronic programme guide. Following a remote software upgrade planned for early next year, services will be expanded to include e-mail and Internet services.

The future generations of software will include Wind River`s VxWorks operating system and associated middleware from Liberate next to Microsoft`s WinCE and MSTV products, UPC said.

Europe`s largest cable operator in terms of number of customers, UPC is 51 percent owned by UnitedGlobalCom <UCOMA.O>. Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> owns eight percent of UPC`s shares.

((Amsterdam newsroom, [phone], Fax [phone], [e-mail]))

MORE

Rtr 04:22 10-12-00

[GermanGoody]

.

[guuruh]

up

[opernheimer]

ich denke, ich bin jetzt im richtigen thread. Hat jemand die Meldung gelesen, dass microsoft mit thomson multimedia eine Set-Top-Box ab 05.12. auf den Markt bringen soll? Hab es gegen 14.00 Uhr auf Onvista gelesen, dann wars plötzlich wieder weg.
Übrigends wäre ich dafür, dass Janphil für seine Verdienste eine Box persönlich von H. Dohmeyer überreicht werden sollte - natürlich als Geschenk.

[flyfish]

FACTBOX - Profile of Sky Global Networks
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2001 4:54 PM
- Reuters

A 02-07 0269 FACTBOX - Profile of Sky Global Networks

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A deal by Rupert Murdoch`s News Corp. (NYSE:NCP)(NYSE:NWS) to take control of DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite television provider, would create a $70 billion global network. Here are key facts about Murdoch`s Sky Global Networks satellite television business:

Sky Global Networks was set up last year to bring together Rupert Murdoch`s satellite television businesses. It has interests in broadcasting platforms stretching across Europe, Asia and Latin America, reaching 85 million households.

Sky Global consists of direct and indirect interests in the following satellite platforms and related technology businesses:

* British Sky Broadcasting (NYSE:BSY) -- 37.5 percent stake.
* KirchPayTV 1/8KRCH.UL 3/8 -- 24 percent stake owned by BSkyB.

* Stream (Italy) -- 43 percent stake.

* STAR TV (Asia) -- 100 percent.

* SkyPerfecTV (Japan) -- 10 percent stake.

* Latin America DTH: Sky Brazil (36 percent), Sky Mexico (30 percent), Sky Multi-Country (30 percent)

Interests in Conditional Access and other technology assets:

* NDS Group Plc (NASDAQ NM:NNDS) (NASDAQ NM:NNDS) -- 80 percent stake.

* Gemstar/TV Guide (NASDAQ NM:GMST) -- 21 percent stake.

Sky Global`s Platform Subscribers/Households:

2000
Europe: 11.4 million
Asia: 71.3 million
Latin America: 1 million
TOTAL: 83.6 million
Sky Global`s estimate for 2001
Europe: 14.0 million
Asia: 83.7 million
Latin America: 1.4 million
TOTAL: 99.2 million



Rtr 16:54 02-07-01 Copyright 2001, Reuters News Service

[junkstro]

News Medien
Ausbaupläne von Kabel NRW in Warteschleife
Überraschend absagen musste der private Kabelnetzbetreiber Kabel NRW seine Pressekonferenz zum Ausbau der TV-Kabelnetze. Das von dem internationalen Investor Keller and Associates gegründete Unternehmen hatte Verhandlungen mit dem Dienstleisterkonsortium über die genauen Bedingungen des Ausbaus nicht mehr termingerecht abschließen können. Trotzdem glaubt Kabel NRW den eigenen Zeitplan für den Launch des aufgerüsteten Kabelnetzes einhalten zu können.

Im Spätsommer sollen 500.000 Kabelhaushalte in Düsseldorf und Köln an das auf 862 Megaherz aufgerüstete Netz angeschlossen sein. Dann wird das Unternehmen eine eigene Marke präsentieren, unter der die Angebote TV, Internetdienstleistungen und Telefonie vermarktet werden. Im TV-Angebot will Kabel NRW wie die Mainzer Primacom eigene digitale Pakete präsentieren. "Allerdings werden wir das analoge Spektrum nicht antasten", heißt es seitens Kabel NRW.

8. Februar 2001
http://www.horizont.net/medien/news/pages/show.prl?params=re…

[junkstro]

Sony leaves digital TV venture to go solo
REUTERS


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan`s electronics giant Sony Corp has decided to go alone in providing interactive service systems for digital television broadcasting, Japanese media reported.
Saturday`s edition of Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, monitored in New York on Friday, said that a team of four -- Matsushita Electric Industrial, Hitachi, Toshiba and Sony -- had formed a joint venture last year to develop common standards for digital TV, which will allow viewers to conduct in-home shopping and other activities. But Sony decided to withdraw from the venture.

Saturday`s edition of economic daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun, also monitored in New York, said Sony`s decision to depart from the four-way venture was partly due to belief that going alone would give Sony more flexibility and the joint venture would not be profitable.

[junkstro]

BBC hints at digital set-top giveaway




Fri, 09 Feb 2001 13:58:53 GMT

Matthew Broersma


But broadcaster insists no licence fee funds would be used to help Britain go digital

The BBC is downplaying comments by director general Greg Dyke Thursday that the broadcaster may fund a digital set-top box giveaway.

Dyke was addressing the problem of how digital television can become universal enough for analogue signals to be switched off -- something the government plans for between 2006 and 2010. Digital TV would have to reach 98 percent penetration for the switch-off to take place, but industry research suggests 25 to 30 percent of the population would be unwilling or unable to afford to change their current television system.

About 30 percent of the population currently uses digital services.

The BBC director general told MPs at the Commons media select committee that the corporation is discussing ways of driving adoption of digital television, and admitted proposed new BBC channels may not be enough to drive universal take-up. He allowed the possibility that the BBC could become involved in a set-top box giveaway or subsidy scheme. "We have been doing a lot of work on this. Could you give them away, and could the BBC fund them?" he said, according to published reports.

A BBC spokesman said Dyke`s words should not be taken too broadly. "There is no question of the licence fee being used [to subsidise set-top boxes]," he said. "He was talking around the issue. He basically feels it will be impossible for the government to reach its switch-off target for analogue unless there is some other initiative to boost take-up, such as a distribution of free or cheap set-top boxes."

Although set-top boxes are currently free, users have to tie themselves into a contract with satellite or cable providers. These start at around £10 per month.

The BBC is also actively involved in the government`s plans for encouraging Net use, but there has been little discussion of the use of the corporation`s digital television presence to bring people online. "It`s not something the BBC is directly involved in," said the spokesman. "If we come to the point where the digital set-top box is the primary window on the Internet as well, our services could interact further in that respect. It`s very much in the future."

The BBC would not comment on industry rumours that it could be charged with carrying out the government`s plans to bring Britain online, through interactive TV.

Interactive TV systems, already offered by British Sky Broadcasting, Telewest, ntl and others, are thought by many to be a way of bringing the Internet to the non-computer-savvy mass market.

[Gösta]

Wenn ich mir diese Beiträge so anschaue,
die wieder und wieder auf die zweifellos
bestehenden Marktchancen hinweisen sollen,
dann fallen mir nur Verdurstende in der Wüste ein,
die sich Geschichten vom Nil erzählen.

Gösta, der gerne spottet

[Fahrschein]

@ Das heißt es für UPC bald , billig billig .Der Preis inkl. Qualität muss das Kriterium für die settop Box sein !
Da sind evtl. Beteiligungen völlig unbedeutend ...

Da fallen PC-settop-Boxen schon weg ,bei deren Preisen . schade schade , aber gut für Metabox .



UPC bekommt Schlankheitskur verordnet


[IWol] Zinsaufwendungen von 600 Millionen Euro pro Jahr zwingen zum Umdenken.

-Amsterdam- Vorstandsvorsitzender Mark Schneider verkündet die Streichung von 280 der weltweit 9000 Stellen des niederländisch-amerikanischen Kabelunternehmen. Den Hauptanteil von 250 Mitarbeitern macht hierbei Holland aus, in dem sich auch der Hauptsitz des Unternehmens befindet.

Als weitere Option stehen noch Verkäufe von Kabel-Beteiligungen in Zentral- und Ost-Europa zur Diskussion, um den erdrückenden Schuldenberg von über 5,5 Milliarden Euro entscheidend zu verringern. Finanzexperten schätzen den jährlichen Verlust des Unternehmens auf ca. 1,7 Milliarden Euro, der durch den massiven Expansionskurs UPC`s entstand.

Quelle: DiePresse/Austria

F

[Gösta]

Wasser, Wasser, ... Wasser, ......

Gösta

[Fahrschein]

@ .......bitte . Ich nehme ein lautes Wasser .

[flyfish]

GemStar complains to ITC
By Jonathan Moules
Published: February 15 2001 04:40GMT | Last Updated: February 15 2001 04:46GMT



Gemstar-TV Guide on Wednesday said it and its subsidiary, Starsight Telecast, have filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission of the US against Pioneer, Scientific Atlantic, EchoStar and SCI Systems, alleging importation of set top boxes containing interactive program guides which infringe on Gemstar`s patents.

Gemstar, which is a unit of Australian media group News Corporation, said in a statement issued in the US that it had brought the claims under section 337 of the Tariff Act, which bans the importation into the US items that infringe valid US patents.

Starsight and Gemstar have sought an order from the ITC excluding the infringing boxes from importation into the US and requiring the proposed respondents to immediately end all sales of the boxes in the US, according to the statement.

Gemstar has pending patent infringement suits against Pioneer, Scientific Atlanta and EchoStar in federal district courts. SCI Systems is a supplier of EchoStar`s allegedly infringing set top boxes.

"Gemstar-TV Guide keeps an open licensing policy and has always been ready to offer reasonable licensing terms to accomodate licensee needs," said Jonathan Orlick, senior vice president and deputy general counsel. "However, Gemstar must enforce its intellectual property rights and will pursue all relevant legal processes."

[DerErdnussMann]

Grundig kommt.......bald auch mit einer Box.....
http://tao-group.com/2/tao/index.html


Fuerth, Germany, January 5th 2001 - Grundig has been manufacturing set-top boxes for the digital video broadcast (DVB) markets since 1996. It has sold more than 1.5 million units across Europe, especially for BSkyB in the United Kingdom. Although business in these vertical national markets is continuing to be successful, Grundig is also engaged in entering horizontal markets with open standards. Therefore, Grundig has been actively supporting the DVB`s Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) for two years. This now forms a cornerstone of Grundig`s system and product philosophies. The first MHP-based products from Grundig will be shown at IFA `01.

For the realisation of both MHP-based and Free-to-Air DVB products, Grundig has selected Tao`s intentTM multimedia platform as the core software platform upon which Grundig has been implementing its solutions. This includes the ElateRTM Real Time Operating System (RTOS), its multimedia technologies and the intent Sun Microsystems-branded, JavaTM Virtual Machine & libraries. All of these components are fundamental items in Grundig`s approach to developing its systems.

Grundig has to work with a software technology that allows it to deliver high performance multimedia in restricted memory footprints. It also requires a technology that allows it to move to different operating systems and hardware platforms with the minimum cost in terms of both effort and time. Michael Silverberg of Grundig said, "The selection of the intent platform ensures that we have the most powerful and capable multimedia platform available and one that can continue to evolve along with the DVB markets. Tao`s JavaTM engine guarantees us the best performance for running MHP middleware. The intent multimedia capabilities combine with Tao`s open approach to allow us to add real value and keep ourselves as a leading player in this space. The unique combination of this with Tao`s system-wide binary portability across both operating systems and processors gives us an advantage in every way."

Francis Charig, Chairman of the Tao Group, noted that "We have been working with Grundig for quite some time in the development of MHP solutions. Its world-class engineering skills are contributing to very exciting product and Tao is confident that the Grundig relationship is going to remain a key partnership for some years to come."

[Fahrschein]

@
UPC , es gibt Neuigkeiten ...


20. Februar 2001, 8:45 Uhr

UPC bündelt Aktivitäten

[FPoe] Amsterdam - United Pan-Europe Communications N.V. (UPC) führt das Management seines unter dem Namen chello geführten Breitband-Unternehmensbereichs mit UPCtv-Aktivitäten zusammen.

Die daraus entstehende leistungsfähige Content-Division wird unter der Bezeichnung UPC Media geführt. Zudem hat UPC Media die Verpflichtung des UPC-Managers Andrew Barron für die Führung des neuen Unternehmens bestätigt.

UPC Media wird für das Management der folgenden Geschäftsbereiche zuständig sein:

1. chello broadband Internet Access. chello ist der führende europäische Anbieter von Breitband-Internetzugängen. Dieser Bereich wird weiterhin unter dem etablierten Markennamen chello agieren und über Systeme von UPC und anderen Anbietern bereitgestellt.

2. chello Interactive Services. Dieser Geschäftsbereich wird die für den Roll-out der digitalen UPC-Systeme in Europa erforderlichen Schlüsselprodukte implementieren, darunter Breitband-Portal-Services, interaktives Fernsehen, E-Commerce-Dienste mit Walled-Garden-Konzepten (kanalisierte Weiterleitung auf andere Links) und Unterhaltung.

3. Transactional Television Services. Zu diesen Services gehören unter anderem Pay-per-View, Near-Video-on-Demand und Video-on-Demand für UPC-Systeme, Systeme anderer Anbieter und für Breitband-Internetverbindungen. Die Angebote für diesen Bereich werden bereits erfolgreich in den Niederlanden und Österreich eingesetzt.

4. Pay Television Channels. UPCtv produziert zurzeit 8 erfolgreiche Themenprogramme, die über Systeme in ganz Europa verbreitet werden und ca. 8 Millionen Teilnehmer erreichen). Dazu gehören Marken wie Extreme Sports, Avante und Innergy. Darüber hinaus ist UPCtv finanziell an verschiedenen anderen Sendern und Produktionen beteiligt.

Ferner wird UPC Media den UPC-Anteil von 23,5 Prozent an SBS kontrollieren. SBS ist ein führendes Broadcast-Network, das seine Programme kostenlos europaweit ausstrahlt. UPC Media wird auch den 50-prozentigen UPC-Anteil an IPS kontrollieren. IPS produziert zusammen mit Disney fünf Programme für den spanischen und den portugiesischen Markt.

*ende

[Fahrschein]

@DerErdnussmann , Kannst du erläutern was da "UPC" mit
Near-Video-on-Demand im besonderen meint ? Habe dies schon einmal bei einer NM-AG gelesen , diese hätte dazu Lösungen entwickelt ( Siehe Pkt. 3 unten )
Kann mich aber nicht erinnern wo bzw. bei welcher AG .

F

[Oliver H.]

bin zwar nicht peanut...

Man muss hier sehr vorsichtig sein. Near-video-on-demand ist ein System bei dem auf mehreren Kanälen zitversetzt (z.B. 15 Mnuten) der sele content startet. Man kann es sich sozusagen "aussuchen", wann man mit dem Flm Beginnt (20:00, 20:30, 21:00 etc.). Es ist dennoch ein system, dass auf einen kontinuierlichen straem beruht. Der Kunde hat nur eingeschränken Enfluss auf die art des content. Ähnliche systeme werden bereits für pay-per-view Angebote eingesetzt.

Nicht zu verwechslen ist das mit einem von MBX patentierten Verfahren genannt video-near-on-demand. Hier kann der Kunde für verschlüsselte MPEG4 DVDs über das Internet einen Encryption schlüssel erhalten (natürlich gegen Bezahlung). Eigentlich kein dummes Verfahren. das Problem ist aber, die verschlüsselten DVDs an den "Mann" zu bringen. Hier geht ohne starken Partner wohl gar nichts. Und das ist das Problem.

[Fahrschein]

@Oliver , das weiß sicherlich keiner ...
Metabox hat gar eigene Patente Probleme mit dem Verteilen sehe ich eigentlich nicht , da sollten die Möglichkeiten wohl unendlich sein . Oder wer will keine DVD "geschenkt" bekommen , allerdings muss man dafür evtl. die mitgelieferten Werbespots anschauen ? Dann wird der Preis auch erträglich , die Möglichkeiten sind da und letzlich für einen starken Partner jederzeit lösbar .
Wichtig ist das Patent , und das "sitzt" bei MBX . Könnte auch für Videoketten sehr interessant sein .

F

[Oliver H.]

Naja - bin da skeptischer...

Dennoch ändert das nichts daran Near-video-on-demand ist nicht gleich video-near-on-demand.

[Kochtolany]

Cablevision Delays Digital-Box Deployment
http://www.tvinsite.com/multichannelnews/index.asp?layout=st…

Deren Box scheint von Sony zu sein.

Metagrüße

[Kochtolany]

Scientific-Atlanta Unveils Explorer 4000DVB Set-Top; Built to Meet Demand for Triple Play Services for DVB and PAL Cable Systems
http://quicken.excite.com/investments/news/story/pr/?story=/…


Telewest Names Scientific-Atlanta Set-Top Box Supplier
http://quicken.excite.com/investments/news/story/djbn/?story…
Ende des Jahres soll es losgehen.

Kochtolany

[junkstro]

Telewest mixes Scientific-Atlanta with Pace for STBs
by Derek Parkinson on 21 February 2001 09:00:00 GMT

Telewest has signed up Scientific-Atlanta as an additional supplier of digital set-top boxes (STBs), with rollout due to begin by the end of this calendar year and expected to continue for around two years.

The broadband services supplier, which has cable services running to around 1.7m UK households, previously relied on UK-based Pace Micro alone for its STBs.

Telewest is committed to rolling out half a million STBs in the UK by the end of Q1 2001, a timetable that threatened to come off the rails when Pace Micro ran into problems sourcing flash memory chips: “There was a short period last summer when chips were difficult to get hold of, but it wasn’t just a set-top box problem – it affected mobile phones as well,” said a Pace Micro spokesperson.

A Telewest spokesperson denied that the deal signalled the end of the relationship with Pace Micro: “Pace Micro are supplying us according to our original agreement. It’s always helpful to have an alternative supplier and it’s not unusual,” she said.

According to analyst Tim Grimsditch of Forrester Research, US-based Scientific-Atlanta is a natural choice for Telewest: “Scientific-Atlanta is a serious player – in Europe there is really only Pace Micro, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta and maybe Philips,” he said.

Telewest declined to reveal how many STBs it has deployed to date.

[junkstro]

BW2126 FEB 21,2001 4:06 PACIFIC 07:06 EASTERN



( BW)(PA-RAVISENT/TIBOCO)(RVST) RAVISENT Launches Pilot Program With Tiboco; Set-top Box Offers Internet Access Through the Television in Holland Market

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2001--RAVISENT Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:RVST), a provider of digital audio, video software solutions and Internet appliance technology, today announced a business relationship with Tiboco BV, the first Internet provider in Holland to provide Internet access through the Television.
Tiboco, as part of an Internet pilot program, is utilizing RAVISENT`s e-Surfer(TM) embedded software Internet browser and Internet set-top box to provide users access to the Internet via their televisions.
Designed to enhance the Web browsing experience for non-PC devices, the e-Surfer browser is optimized for next generation Internet appliance products, including digital televisions and set-top boxes, enabling OEMs and set-top box manufacturers to deliver robust Internet connectivity to entertainment devices.
RAVISENT has been working with Tiboco and other Internet providers worldwide to help them leverage the advanced functionality of e-Surfer across their Internet access devices. With a monthly subscription, the consumer receives a set-top box, an infrared keyboard and Internet connectivity making access to the web via the TV easy.
"RAVISENT provides an innovative Internet access solution enabling us to offer ease of access to the web via the TV to our customers," said Usha Doekhie, Managing Director for Tiboco BV. "The e-Surfer embedded software browser optimized for Internet set-top boxes enables us to deliver cost effective, high-quality Internet enabled entertainment devices to consumers."
"We are extremely pleased to be working with Tiboco," said Sebastian Pistritto, Vice President of Marketing for RAVISENT. "Through this relationship, RAVISENT and Tiboco offer a comprehensive solution to the Holland market by facilitating access to Internet content directly from the television."
At less than 2MB (Roman Character encoding), e-Surfer is ideally suited for Internet appliance devices built with a small memory footprint without the need for an operating environment. Designed to be operating system independent, e-Surfer can work on a number of processors and operating systems and can be easily ported to new combinations as required.

About the e-Surfer(TM) Browser

The HTML 3.2-compliant e-Surfer browser is available in over a dozen international languages and includes DHCP support for networked installations. It includes new intelligent features such as support for viewing frames and tables, an on-screen-movable "zoom" window, selectable font sizes, and multiple-window support, affording richer Web browsing capabilities.
Using these features, the e-Surfer browser is able to optimize and faithfully reproduce rich PC-oriented Web content on Internet appliances - and do so in real time on the appliances themselves, requiring no special server-side support. RAVISENT is deploying the e-Surfer browser worldwide with customers including Formenti, Cybernet Communications and IPM.

About Tiboco BV

Located in Holland, Tiboco means TV Internet company and it is the first provider in Holland to provide Internet access through the TV. Based on a monthly subscription, Tiboco aims to attract consumers who primarily do not use the Internet or consumers who would like a secondary form of Internet access. Additional information about Tiboco can be found at www.tiboco.nl.

[junkstro]

BW0151 FEB 22,2001 5:29 PACIFIC 08:29 EASTERN



( BW)(CA-24/7-MEDIA)(TFSM) 24/7 Media Catapults Past Broadband Competition to Bring New Opportunities to Interactive TV

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2001--


Company Signs Agreements With SeaChange International and Pace Micro Technology to Integrate its e.merge Suite of Digital Applications With Innovative Technologies

24/7 Media Inc. (Nasdaq:TFSM), the global leader in multi-platform interactive marketing, today continued its aggressive push into the broadband space by announcing agreements with two leading companies in the interactive television industry, SeaChange International (Nasdaq:SEAC) and Pace Micro Technology.
24/7 Media, Broadband & Professional Services (formerly IMAKE Software & Services Inc.) will integrate its e.merge suite of back office digital applications with SeaChange`s ITV System, the world`s most widely deployed video-on-demand (VOD), and with Pace`s set-top box.
The integration of e.merge provides increased ROI opportunities for distributors of digital entertainment by enabling centralized management and distribution of media assets (such as movies), real-time billing, the bundling and packaging of broadband services, as well as the ability to add commercial slots in front or back of video-on-demand streams.
With SeaChange`s top-selling media server, and Pace`s set-top boxes, which are offered across all digital platforms, as well as Pace`s status in the global market for pay television, distributors of digital entertainment can now support subscribers in real-time and open up valuable new revenue streams.
"With the acquisition of IMAKE by 24/7 Media earlier this year, 24/7 Media inherited an eight-year heritage in interactive TV, and we`re excited about these two partnerships which open up new opportunities for distributors of digital entertainment. The overall power of e.merge joined with SeaChange`s exceptional media serving capabilities and Pace`s world-renowned set top boxes will provide unprecedented one-stop shopping for the digital delivery market," said Mark Schaszberger, president of 24/7 Media`s Broadband & Professional Services division.
24/7 Media recently boosted its broadband capabilities by integrating its e.merge suite of back office digital components with 24/7 Connect, the company`s next-generation ad server, bringing its dynamic real-time targeted marketing application to the forefront of interactive television.
As the most comprehensive back-office system, 24/7 Media`s e.merge solves the growing problem of how to manage and monetize content in a digital age, providing the complex management of assets, contracts, scheduling and packaging for video-on-demand offerings, all operating from a single database.
"In the increasingly complex world of broadband entertainment, distributors need a comprehensive solution to manage their assets and to deploy new broadband offerings. We are partnering with 24/7 Media to meet that need and offer new opportunities for revenue-generating services on a global scale," said Yvette Gordon, vice president, interactive technologies, SeaChange International.
"We look forward to working closely with 24/7 Media to maximize the opportunities in the rapidly expanding interactive television market which is now open to a whole new world of marketing opportunities as well," said Helen Kettleborough, Pace Micro Technology. "As the viewing experience moves from a passive one to an active one, we now offer advertisers an opportunity to creatively capture this more engaged and more valuable audience with the power of our combined next generation tools."
24/7 Media`s e.merge is hardware independent and supports video-on-demand services regardless of the distribution pipe.

About Pace Micro Technology

Identified by independent research analyst Dataquest, as Europe`s largest digital set-top box manufacturer, Pace Micro Technology plc is one of the major players in the worldwide digital television market. Pace`s Americas base is in Boca Raton, Fla., and its headquarters is in Saltaire, Yorkshire.
Pace`s export activity earned it a Queen`s Award last year. By August 1999 Pace had manufactured over 2.5 million digital set-top boxes that were delivered to 19 international (18 of whom launched their service with Pace product) broadcasters in the UK, Europe, Latin America, Australasia and the Far East.
Pace has also manufactured 6.5 million analog set-top boxes since it entered the pay television market in 1987. Pace is the only company to offer a complete digital solution across all five platforms: digital satellite, terrestrial, cable, MMDS and xDSL.
Despite the fact that Pace was competing against the major consumer electronics heavyweights in the UK, it was the sole launch supplier of digital receivers to SkyDigital for its launch of digital satellite in the UK in October 1998.
It was also the launch partner for Cable & Wireless Communications` rollout of digital cable TV in the UK and one of the first to supply to ONdigital for its digital terrestrial TV launch in November 1998. Year-end 1999, NTL and Telewest successfully launched digital cable using Pace`s digital cable technology.

About SeaChange International

SeaChange International Inc. is the world leader in digital video systems. The company creates powerful server and software systems that manage, store and distribute professional-quality digital video for interactive, play-to-air and advertising applications.
SeaChange`s innovative products are based on a scalable, distributed software architecture and standard technology components to continually deliver exponential improvements in digital video cost-performance. As a result, SeaChange enables broadband, broadcast, satellite and new media companies to streamline operations and reduce costs, allowing for expanded services, new applications and increased revenues.
SeaChange is headquartered in Maynard, Mass., and has product development, support and sales offices throughout the world. Visit www.seachangeinternational.com.

About 24/7 Media Inc.

24/7 Media Inc. is a leading global provider of end-to-end advertising and marketing solutions for Web publishers, online advertisers, advertising agencies, e-marketers and e-commerce merchants.
24/7 Media provides a comprehensive suite of media and technology products and services that enable Web publishers, online advertisers, advertising agencies and e-marketers to attract and retain customers worldwide, and to reap the benefits of the Internet and other electronic media.
The company`s solutions include advertising and direct marketing sales, ad serving, promotions, e-mail list management, e-mail list brokerage, e-mail delivery, data analysis, loyalty marketing and convergence solutions, all delivered from the company`s industry-leading data and technology platforms.
The company`s 24/7 Connect ad serving technology solutions are designed specifically for the demands and needs of advertisers and agencies, Web publishers and e-commerce merchants.
24/7 Media is a global company headquartered in New York. For more information, visit www.247media.com.

[junkstro]

Liberate, AT&T Wrap Trial
Multichannel News
2/23/01 12:24:00 PM
Steve Donohue

Printer-Friendly version

E-mail this to a colleague



Liberate Technologies recently competed a six-week field trial of its middleware platform on one of AT&T Broadband’s cable systems in the Denver suburbs, MSO and Liberate officials said.

The six-week trial -- conducted with Motorola Broadband Communications Sector `DCT-5000` set-tops by several dozen AT&T Broadband employees -- positions Liberate well in its middleware war against Microsoft Corp.

Microsoft cut a licensing deal with AT&T Broadband (then Tele-Communications Inc.) in 1998, but it still hasn’t conducted any trials in the United States, company officials said.

`It was a very successful trial,` Liberate vice president of product marketing Charlie Trischler said.

AT&T Broadband spokeswoman Tracy Baumgartner confirmed that the trial was completed, but she said the company wasn’t prepared to discuss whether it will commercially deploy Liberate on its advanced digital platform.

`Microsoft TV` platform director of marketing Ed Graczyk downplayed the Liberate trial, noting that his company expects to conduct a trial with AT&T Broadband sometime this year.

`We’ve taken a much different strategy from Liberate,` he added. `We’re not a small start-up that is primarily driven by press releases. We’re not taking an approach of doing a trial here, a trial there, to be able to announce a ‘design win.’`

AT&T Broadband announced plans to conduct a trial with Liberate in September, after Microsoft said there were some delays in integrating its software with the advanced digital set-tops.

Motorola has shipped fewer than 500,000 DCT-5000 set-tops to date to AT&T Broadband and two other U.S. MSOs, said Bernadette Vernon, director of strategic marketing at the company’s DigiCable unit. But she added that she didn’t know how many are actually deployed.

`Two other MSOs beyond AT&T are now in test modes or preparing for pilot modes for the 5000,` Vernon said.

[junkstro]

Release Date: February 26, 2001 Photo


Cox Communications to Purchase 240,000 Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 2100 Digital Set-tops

--Cox has already successfully deployed more than 500,000 Explorer advanced digital set-tops since 1998, as part of its ongoing rollout of digital cable and interactive TV services--

ATLANTA, GA - Cox Communications is showcasing the power of digital cable through the rapid deployment of Scientific-Atlanta`s Explorer® advanced set-tops to subscribers across the U.S. Scientific-Atlanta today announced that Cox plans to purchase at least 240,000 of its Explorer 2100 digital interactive set-tops in 2001.

Scientific-Atlanta`s Explorer set-tops are being deployed in many of Cox` biggest sites, including Phoenix; San Diego; Las Vegas; Fairfax, Virginia; Oklahoma City; Ft. Walton Beach and Pensacola, Florida.

Scientific-Atlanta`s Explorer 2100 advanced interactive set-top offers enhanced features targeted to increase consumer demand for both digital set-tops and interactive TV applications by improving their performance, look and feel, and ease-of-use. The Explorer 2100 set-top also features superior applications and graphics performance with a 130 MHz processor and generous cache memory that enables cable operators to deploy multiple applications such as e-mail, Internet access, t-commerce and video-on-demand.

"With more than half a million Explorer digital set-tops already deployed in our major systems, Scientific-Atlanta is enabling us to deliver the digital cable and content our customers want and demand," says Chris Bowick, senior vice president of engineering and CTO, Cox Communications. "The Explorer platform`s flexibility and compatibility is capable of supporting multiple applications at multiple levels over a single set-top and network platform."

"The technology and know-how behind our proven, scalable network solution delivers more value to cable operators than other solutions currently available today," says Michael P. Harney, corporate vice president and general manager of Subscriber Networks at Scientific-Atlanta. "Cable operators like Cox can layer multiple applications on their networks to capture new revenue opportunities, attract and retain subscribers and maintain a competitive advantage over satellite."

The Explorer 2100 advanced interactive set-top also incorporates improvements focused on reducing costs for the cable operator. These include:

Significantly improved reliability and product quality through increased electronics integration
Expanded capability for subscriber self installations driven by a four-fold improvement in staging performance
Integration of VCR commander electronics; eliminating the need for expensive and cumbersome external electronics
Improved, more practical, MSO-installed branding options that allow MSOs to create their own unique branding labels or badges at the divisions, eliminating the need for factory orders
The PowerTV® operating system, which provides operators with an open platform for software development and applications.
About Cox Communications, Inc.

[junkstro]

March 2, 2001, 6:34 AM PST

Sony Goes It Alone With Interactive TV Standards

The Japanese electronics giant has pulled out of a joint venture with three of its biggest rivals.
By Reuters




Hitachi America, Ltd.
Sony Corporation (SNE)
Toshiba Corporation (TOSBF)






Universal and Sony in Napsterless Harmony
CBS Tinkers With Interactive TV

Sony Pitches Its Broadband Plans for PlayStation

Sony’s Profit Sinks on PlayStation Woes







Who Wants Their ITV?






Field of Dreams
(March 5, 2001)
Napster to Block Unauthorized Music
(March 2, 2001)

Napster`s Pledge to Block Songs Triggers Frenzy
(March 2, 2001)

EU Official Plays Down Cyber-Security Worries
(March 2, 2001)







Network Storage: Keeping the Information Economy`s Assets
Establishing a Strategy for Document Migration to XML

2001: A Service Provider’s Odyssey

E-Business Efficiency Series








Email to a Friend
Print Article
Write the Editor






TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese electronics giant Sony (SNE) Corp said on Friday it planned to seek its own fortune in the brave new world of interactive TV, pulling out of a joint venture with three of its biggest rivals.

The move – which means halting investment in a company set up last year with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd, Toshiba (TOSBF) Corp and Hitachi Ltd – is the first shot across the bow as firms battle for position in the age next-generation television.

Last October, the four companies set up ePF Network Corp, with a view to standardizing platforms – including customer management and bill-collection systems – and creating content for services to be beamed to super-high-tech television sets from communication satellites (CS).

Using advanced set-top boxes – the "brains" of interactive TV – viewers will be able to store programs digitally and later skip between them like tracks on a compact disc.

They will also be able to use their TVs to surf the Internet and go shopping electronically.

Because CS satellites offer a greater bandwidth than the digital broadcasting satellites that started services in Japan last October, they can transmit greater volumes of information and offer more sophisticated interactive functions.

"We have decided to go it alone in terms of providing services because we found differences in ways of providing services," a Sony spokesman said.

He added, however, that the company planned to stick to the standard platforms adopted by the joint venture.

ePF Network, which is spearheaded by Matsushita and Toshiba, both of which hold a 25 percent stake in the venture, said on Friday three other Japanese electronics manufacturers had jumped on board in Sony`s place.

They are Victor Co of Japan Ltd (JVC), Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, and Sharp Corp, ePF Network said.

Details of the new, expanded alliance, including possible capital investment in the venture, will be decided as early as this month, a Matsushita Electric spokesman said.

Shares in Sony on Friday closed down 1.09 percent at 8,130 yen, prior to the news, in line with weakness in the broader stock market. Matsushita Electric shares rose 1.46 percent to 2,090 yen, while Toshiba fell 1.84 percent to 641 yen and Hitachi declined 0.92 percent to 974 yen.

Copyright 2001, Reuters News Service

[junkstro]

March 7, 2001 11:15am

Liberate Seeks to Close OpenTV Gap

Reuters


By Merissa Marr, European media correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) - Interactive TV software maker Liberate Technologies Inc. said on Wednesday it expects to begin to close the gap on key rival OpenTV this year as it progresses toward breakeven at three million subscribers.

Liberate CEO Mitchell Kertzman told Reuters the California- based group expected to push through the one million barrier in Europe this year in terms of set-top boxes using its software and reach six figures in the less-developed U.S. market.

Liberate, a spin-off from U.S. software giant Oracle Corp, had its technology deployed in 700,000 set-top boxes globally by the end of November, a long way behind California-based OpenTV which had 13.9 million as of last month.

``This year we expect to be seven figures in deployments in Europe and six figures in the United States. We should also break through to seven figures in the United States in 2002,`` Kertzman told Reuters in an interview.

Kertzman would not say when the breakeven level of three million subscribers would be reached but said he would give an update when results are published later in March. Analysts expect Liberate to break even in 2003.

HEAD TO HEAD WITH OPENTV

Kertzman, a former computer programmer, said he saw OpenTV as Liberate`s only real competitor in Europe now after the troubled launch of Microsoft`s TV software last year.

Europe`s largest cable operator United Pan-European Communications (UPC) switched its software contract to Liberate last year after its shareholder Microsoft failed to deliver software on time for the roll-out of its TV service.

OpenTV has had a strong head-start in Europe with well tested technology deployed across a wide base of mainly satellite TV clients including Rupert Murdoch`s British Sky Broadcasting and U.S. pay-TV provider Echostar.

Meanwhile, Liberate has been running pilot projects with some of the biggest pay-TV players including AOL-Time Warner, using more sophisticated technology well-suited to cable and the next round of set-top boxes coming to the market.

``Microsoft has had a tough time in Europe and as I see it, Liberate will continue to be the leading player among cable companies for the foreseeable future while Open TV`s clients will be dominated by satellite operators,`` Kertzman said.

``When the next generation of satellite boxes are launched, we may then have a chance of picking up some of those accounts.``

EYING GERMANY

In Europe, Liberate has signed up British cable operators NTL and Telewest and Kertzman said he had his eye firmly fixed on Europe`s largest television market, Germany.

Liberate could be well placed for that market. U.S. cable pioneer and UPC shareholder John Malone has just taken control of six of nine German regional cable TV companies.

Liberate is also in talks with AOL Time Warner about the possibility of extending its contract beyond AOL TV.

On the acquisition front, Kertzman said the group might be in play for some smaller technology players after the downturn in values. While Liberate has a sizeable cash pile, Kertzman noted the downturn had also eroded its own stock price.

``We probably wouldn`t be looking for targets in our core technology but in complementary technology,`` he said.

(additional reporting by Jana Sanchez in Amsterdam)

²²²²¦¦¦Ñ+



Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited. Click Here for

[junkstro]

SAGEM liefert Decoder für den Nahen Osten und Nordafrika
[FPoe] Paris - SAGEM hat vor kurzem von ORBIT, dem größten Satellitenbetreiber für den Nahen Osten und Nordafrika, eine erste Bestellung von Decodern für interaktives Fernsehen im Wert von mehreren Hundert Millionen französischer Francs erhalten.

Die Settop-Boxen SAGEM ISD 5210 sind mit einem Mikroprozessor mit einer Geschwindigkeit von 150 Mips ausgerüstet, der den Terminals die Leistungsfähigkeit einer MHP-Plattform (Multimedia Home Platform) verleiht: Damit kann der Benutzer bei vollständiger Transparenz die Software-Anwendungen herunterladen und nutzen, die im Auftrag des Betreibers für eine regelmäßige Verbesserung der interaktiven Programme des Geräts entwickelt werden.

Die Settop-Boxen verwenden die MEDIAGUARD-Technologie für die Zugangskontrolle. Zusätzlich sind sie mit einer von CANAL + TECHNOLOGIES entwickelten MEDIAHIGHWAY- Interaktivitäts- Engine ausgerüstet, die die JavaTM Virtual Machine integriert, die vom DVB-Konsortium definierte Referenzsprache für die MHP-Decoder.

Der SAGEM ISD 5210 ermöglicht den Benutzern in 23 Ländern des Nahen Ostens und Nordafrikas, die durch den Betreiber ORBIT abgedeckt werden, eine große Anzahl interaktiver Anwendungen, wie zum Beispiel Video- und Radiomosaik, Teilnahme an interaktiven Spielen im Netz, T-Commerce usw.

[guuruh]

Vielleicht heute wegen MEDIA NETCOM AG aktuell geworden:

Vivendi universal WKN 591068 bietet seit langem
"Interactive Home Cinema" an. Weiss jemand von Euch,
welche STBoxen benützt werden?

Die Zusammenarbeit mit Bertelsmann ist bekannt.

http://www.vivendiuniversal.com/

cheers, guuruh

[guuruh]

top news vom 25.01.2001



Flextronics akquiriert 30 Mrd.-Dollar-Auftrag

Singapur Motorola und Flextronics haben eine strategische
Allianz über die nächsten fünf Jahre angekündigt. Während der
Laufzeit soll Flextronics für die Kommunikationssparte (CE) von
Motorola rund 15 Prozent der Produktion übernehmen. Gefertigt
werde Komponenten und komplette Einheiten bei Handys, Pagern
und anderen mobilen `Kommunikationsgeräten.

Das Geschäft soll die Produktlinien von Motorola CE durch
Ausgliederung von Aktivitäten und nicht zu den
Kern-Kompetenzen zählenden Geschäftsfeldern optimieren,
darunter Netzwerk-Produkte und Set-Top-Boxen. Der Deal
spült laut Flextronics allein im fünften Jahr rund 10 Mrd. Dollar in
die Kassen. Es handelt sich um eine weltweite, jedoch nicht
exklusive Vereinbarung unter bestimmten Wettbewerbskriterien,
die durch Flextronics erfüllt werden müssen. »Wir sind über diese
Allianz, die praktisch unsere ganzen Möglichkeiten fordert, sehr
erfreut« meinte Michael Marks, Vorstandsvorsitzender und CEO
von Flextronics International. Als weiteren Teil der Vereinbarung
erwirbt Motorola für eine erste Zahlung von 100 Mio. Dollar eine
Option auf den Erwerb von 11 Mio. Flextronics-Aktien. (ru,
Markt&Technik)



http://www.wekanet.de/

[junkstro]

Aunty tunes in to digital teens
Sarah Bryden-Brown
31 March 2001



ABC TV will launch two new digital channels dedicated to children and teenagers.

ABC head of digital TV Ian Carroll said the children`s channel would be launched in winter, while the youth channel was still in development and had no launch date. "The ABC is making a modest and strategic start to a multi-channel world. Over the next few years, the ABC will be required to adapt to a world where all Australians have more choices. TV will, like radio, provide a number of options," he said.
"Children and teenagers were the focus for the new channels because they are two groups that don`t get a great deal from any broadcaster, either being pushed to the edge of the schedule or not enough money being spent on their programming."

Mr Carroll has received 3000 applications for positions on the two new channels and says there will be a continual stream of employment, the majority of which will be on a contract basis.

Viewing the new channels requires a set-top box that delivers a digital signal to an analog TV, and which retails for $700.

Of 5000 Thomson set-top boxes imported from Europe, only 2500 have been sold, said Thomson managing director Laurie Ruddock. Another 3000 are expected to arrive in the country next week. Teac has sold 82 to date and expects another shipment of 320 in April.

Under the Government`s recent digital TV legislation, the ABC and SBS are allowed to multi-channel while the commercial free-to-air broadcasters are not. Instead of using all the new spectrum to broadcast a cinema-quality picture - as the free-to-airs argued for, and got - the public broadcasters are able to split theirs up to offer a wider choice in programming.

The ABC has been lobbying the Government for extra funding to produce new Australian content for the children`s and youth channel. Their fate will

be decided by the May Budget.

The free-to-airs can`t multi-channel but will be able to offer interactive services and high-definition pictures. All have agreed on a software platform to be shared that facilitates interactive services called Multimedia Home Platform, or MHP. This software will be launched in Germany in August and expected to be available in Australia by 2002.

TOP OF THIS PAGE
http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,1849…

[junkstro]

Liberate schnappt Microsoft Digital-TV-Auftrag weg

Die niederländische United Pan-Europe Communications (UPC), größter Kabelnetzbetreiber in Europa und seit kurzem neuer Besitzer von PrimaCom, wird seine Settop-Boxen für digitales Fernsehen mit der Software von Liberate ausrüsten. Ein Test der Software von Liberate in Wien sei erfolgreich verlaufen, hat das Wall Street Journal erfahren. Nun sei es sehr wahrscheinlich, dass UPC die Software neben Microsofts Digital-TV-Software einsetze.

Zwar ist noch nicht klar, in welchen der 17 von UPC belieferten Länder Liberate zum Zuge komme, das US-Blatt schätzt aber, dass Liberate mit Lizenz-Einnahmen in mehrstelliger Millionenhöhe rechnen könne. Zuerst soll die Liberate Software, mit der TV-Zuschauer E-Mails verschicken und online Einkaufen können, in Holland an den Start gehen.

Microsoft hatte seine Digital-TV-Software im vergangenen August nicht rechtzeitig liefern können, woraufhin UPC nach alternativen Softwareherstellern Ausschau hielt. Dies schmerzt Microsoft umso mehr, da die Redmonder mit acht Prozent an UPC beteiligt sind. Erst letzte Woche hatte Liberate mit Carter Communications einen neuen Kunden für seine Software vorgestellt, dessen Hauptaktionär Paul Allen, Mitbegründer von Microsoft, ist.

Neben UPC hat auch der britische Kabelnetzbetreiber NTL, an dem Microsoft mit 2,5 Prozent beteiligt ist, sein digitales Fernsehprojekt mit Microsofts Software auf Eis gelegt und bereits im vergangen Oktober bekannt gegeben, Liberates Software in Großbritannien einzusetzen. Neben UPC bleibt nur noch das portugiesische Kabelfernsehunternehmen TV Cabo, das in Europa auf Microsofts Lösung setzt.

Der Präsident von Microsofts Fernsehabteilung, Jon DeVaan, macht derweil gute Mine zum bösen Spiel: Microsofts Software sei komplexer und Leistungsfähiger als die Produkte der Konkurrenz und deshalb werde man auf lange Sicht triumphieren. So waren beispielsweise die von NTL in London präsentierten interaktiven Spiele, die mit der Software von Liberate möglich sind, gerade einmal auf "Tic-Tac-Toe"-Niveau. Jedoch machen die höhere Hardware-Voraussetzungen das Microsoft-System unattraktiv für Kabelfernsehbetreiber, die ihre Settop-Boxen mit möglichst einfacher und billiger Technik ausstatten wollen.

UPC steckt zurzeit noch tief in den roten Zahlen. Die Verluste für das Geschäftsjahr 2000 sind mit 1,98 Milliarden Euro mehr als doppelt so hoch wie 1999. Vor Steuern, Abschreibungen und Zinsen wurden 363 Millionen Euro Verlust gemacht, der Umsatz stieg auf 1 Milliarde Euro. Wegen der hohen Investitionen werde sich das Ergebnis jedoch im kommenden Jahr verbessern: Der Umsatz soll sich auf 1,4 Milliarden Euro steigern und der Verlust nur noch 200 Millionen Euro betragen. Ende vergangenen Jahres hatte UPC 8,4 Millionen Kabelabonnenten. (hag/c`t)

www.heise.de

[Janphil]

Microsoft snit over Liberate use

It`s not disloyal. Liberate just finished the test first and didn`t antagonize the test-giver.

United Pan-Europe Communications NV reportedly has chosen Liberate Technologies` software to go alongside Microsoft`s in UPC`s 17-country rollout of its digital ITV service. The rollout will start in the Netherlands. The announcement is the second in the hotly competitive, European ITV software market, as several companies, including Microsoft, Liberate and OpenTV vie to supply UPC.

A Liberate spokesman told CEDaily that UPC had announced in September 2000 that it would use Liberate software in Vienna. The latest announcement pairs the two software suppliers` products in 17 countries.

According to The Wall Street Journal, UPC, a key Microsoft customer in Europe and a company of which Microsoft is an 8 percent owner, had been testing both companies` software. Liberate`s record landed it the first crack at supplying the software in that market and put Microsoft`s nose out of joint, WSJ reports.

A Microsoft system also had been tested and performed well. But Microsoft`s failure to complete the TV software by an October deadline was a hard hit for UPC, causing observers to speculate Liberate would be first choice.

Last October, NTL Inc. in the U.K. also chose Liberate`s software for its interactive services on NTL`s U.K. cable network and to rethink a digital service that would have used a Microsoft software, WSJ reports.

Last week, UPC announced it would merge its German subsidary EWT/tss and its TeleColumbus option from Deutsche Bank and its subsidiary B.V. Holding CAI with PrimaCom AG, creating Germany`s third-largest cable operator with approximately 1.6 million subscribers.

http://www.cedmagazine.com/cedailydirect/0104/cedaily010402.…

[Janphil]

Motorola Denies Facing Serious Liquidity Problem

An April 6 Bloomberg News column which claimed Motorola had $6.4 bil. in outstanding commercial paper and was facing a serious liquidity problem prompted a quick denial, but not before the company’s share took a tumble on Wall Street.
To make matters worse, CS First Boston sharply reduced its full-year earnings estimates the same day because of continued weakness in the company’s key businesses.
Motorola issued a statement strongly denying the Bloomberg report, claiming that the company had $4.5 bil. in cash compared to commercial paper outstanding of $3.1 bil. Shares of Motorola (NYSE- MOT- $11.50) fell 23% on the day.
1622 PDT April 6

http://www.kagan.com/net/internet_page.html#motorola

[Janphil]

Analysten sehen Aussichten von Motorola zunehmend skeptischer

New York (vwd) - Analysten sehen die Prognosen von Motorola Inc, Schaumburg, für 2001 zunehmend skeptisch. Das Unternehmen könne beim Gewinn je Aktie für das Gesamtjahr unter die Schätzung von 0,11 USD je Aktie fallen, erklärte Analyst Marc Cabi von Credit Suisse First Boston am Freitag in einem Report. Motorola verzeichne in drei seiner Kernbereiche weiterhin Schwächen, so der Analyst. "Im schlimmsten Fall könnte bei einem Umsatz von 34,0 Mrd bis 34,5 Mrd USD ein Breakeven beim Gewinn je Aktie herauskommen", schrieb Cabi.

Andere Analysten verwiesen auf die Verbindlichkeiten des Unternehmens, die negativ ins Gewicht fielen. Die Aktie büßte am Freitag im Handelsverlauf 27 Prozent ein und notierte auf einem 52-Wochentief von 10,69 USD. Das Unternehmen wird am Dienstag Zahlen für das erste Quartal vorlegen.

vwd/DJ/6.4.2001/mn

6. April 2001, 21:32

[junkstro]

FOOL PLATE SPECIAL
Scientific-Atlanta Doubles Profits

Television set-top box and cable transmission products specialist Scientific-Atlanta reported a doubling of third-quarter profits and raised fiscal year estimates. As cable providers canvas the country with pitches for digital cable, Scientific-Atlanta has been the top choice for the boxes required to view the expanded channel feeds. A recession-resistant growth story? You got it -- and Wall Street is tuning in.




By Rick Aristotle Munarriz (TMF Edible)
April 20, 2001


If we`re heading into a recession, we`ll do it as couch potatoes. Growing demand for digital, cable-ready set-top boxes finds Scientific Atlanta (NYSE: SFA) topping March quarter expectations and hiking demand projections for the full fiscal year.

For its fiscal third quarter (ended March 30), profits doubled from the year ago period to $76.2 million, or $0.46 a share. That was four cents ahead of Wall Street expectations. Revenues shot up by 51% to $663.7 million.

The key to the company`s recent growth spurt has been its Explorer set-top box. With cable companies eager to push fatter digital offerings and consumers willing to pay a premium for the programming girth, upgrading older set-top boxes has been an easy sell for Scientific-Atlanta. To date, nearly 6 million Explorer boxes have been sold. (George Runkle chronicled his tour of the company`s headquarters, during which he discussed the business with several executives, in a December column. )

The company is also upping its full-year earnings forecast. It now expects to earn $1.72 a share this fiscal year, which ends in June. While some companies have been faulted with poor visibility in their guidance, Scientific-Atlanta has good reason to be deemed reliable. With a backlog of orders that shot up to a cool billion dollars, investors are comfortable with the revised numbers.

After moving 1.4 million units in the third quarter, the set-top leader is also raising its full-year target by 200,000 to 4.9 million units. While the speedy rate of box upgrades will cool off come fiscal 2002, Scientific-Atlanta still sees double-digit revenue growth.

Yes, the company that was founded in Georgia 50 years ago is about more than just set-tops. From video compression to broadband access systems, Scientific-Atlanta is angling to be more than simply the object of your remote control clicking obsession. However, the cable boxes did make up just over 70% of the company`s third-quarter sales. So while Scientific-Atlanta has plenty of channels working, this is the only one worth watching

[opernheimer]

Auch noch was Interessantes:
http://www.bigcharts.com/news/articles.asp?newsid=778294749&…
Hoffe der Link funktioniert!
Auch die USA erkennen das Potential von iTV!

[guuruh]

Tuesday June 5, 9:16 am Eastern Time

Press Release

Inprimis to Provide Additional Engineering Services Under Liberate Contract

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2001--Inprimis Inc. (Nasdaq:INPM - news) today announced that it has
signed an amendment to its existing contract with Liberate Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:LBRT - news) that significantly increases
the scope of work that Inprimis will perform for Liberate.

The amended agreement will produce revenues in the second and third quarters and also allows Inprimis to sell the Liberate
Connect server and development tools to its customers.

About Inprimis

Inprimis Inc. provides product design services and the technology to help consumer electronics companies, cable operators,
Internet service providers and telecommunications companies bring devices to market quickly and cost effectively. Headquartered
in Boca Raton, Fla., the company develops product designs, customizes embedded system software and offers systems engineering
and manufacturing consultation services for interactive-television, video-on-demand, Internet-access and other
convergent-technology appliances. Inprimis`s television set-top box designs are currently used by Philips Electronics for
AOLTV(TM) and by LodgeNet Entertainment. The company maintains strategic relationships with Liberate, National
Semiconductor, Conexant, Sigma Designs and others.

For more information, call [phone] or visit the company`s Web site at www.inprimis.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management`s best judgment, based on factors currently known.
However, these statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the receipt of revenue from the new contracts, the rate of
development of the information appliance market, the successful development and market acceptance of new products and
services, the degree of competition in the market for such products and services, competitive pricing practices, and low barriers of
entry into the software development and services markets. Further, a significant portion of the company`s sales is derived from a
limited number of customers, the loss of one or more of which could adversely impact operating results. These and other risks are
detailed in Inprimis`s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, as well as in the company`s other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements included in this release.

cheers, guuruh

[junkstro]

Scientific-Atlanta Shares Drop
Friday July 20, 2:38 PM EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Scientific-Atlanta Inc.(SFA) tumbled more than 35 percent on Friday, touching a new 52-week low, the day after the maker of digital set-top box units reported fourth-quarter revenues that fell short of forecasts.

Shares of the company, whose digital interactive set-top boxes allow consumers to receive cable TV programming and interactive online services such as movies-on-demand, changed hands at $22.78 in mid-afternoon trade, off $12.30, or about 35 percent from Thursday`s close of $35.08. Earlier, the stock hit a new 52-week low of $21, .


Late on Thursday, Atlanta-based Scientific-Atlanta reported fourth quarter net earnings before one-time charges of $80.5 million, up from $59.1 million a year ago. At 48 cents a share, the 2001 quarter`s profit exceeded analysts estimates by about one penny.

But analysts said that while sales, at $619.6 million, rose $67 million, or 12 percent from the same period a year ago, the figure was more than $50 million lower than some had projected.

The company`s subscriber business also slowed with 1.25 million set-top box shipments in the quarter, compared with 1.4 million in the previous quarter.

"Our lingering fear with SFA`s business has been the potential for slowing growth in fiscal year 2002 as North American digital (box) shipments hit the flat part of the growth curve," said Thomas Weisel Partners Jason Ader.

"What we didn`t anticipate was how quickly and how sharply the growth would fall off," he added.

Prudential Securities analyst Randy Scherago cut his rating on the stock to hold from buy, citing corporate bookings which declined to $507 million in the fourth quarter from $713 million in the third quarter.

A chorus of Wall Street analysts also downgraded the stock, including firms Credit Suisse First Boston and Morgan Stanley.

But UBS Warburg analyst Anton Wahlman upgraded the stock to strong buy from buy, citing the fundamental strength of digital cable TV installations, higher software content, expense control and higher gross margins.


©2001 Reuters Limited.