Articles
The Beauty of Remote PHY (And Other Infrastructure Trends at ANGA 2014)
2 min read
Written By Daniel Etman, Director, Product Management, Cable Access at Cisco One of the taller trends protruding from the cable infrastructure side of life these days, along with Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), is the fiber optimization and convergence strategy known as “Remote PHY.” And if you’re into infrastructure trends, know […]
Standing out from the cloud: why agility is key in tomorrow’s TV
3 min read
Written by Nick Thexton, Vice President and CTO, Service Provider Video Software and Solutions, Cisco With almost a quarter of our waking time spent watching TV, video consumption is on a definite rise. Rather than competing, different devices and platforms are proving to complement each other, collectively contributing to that growth. But our digital lives […]
ANGA 2014: Igniting Growth for Service Providers
2 min read
By Mike McKeown – Director of Business Development for Service Provider Video at Cisco, EMEAR It may be a month of bank holidays in Europe, but there’s no standing still for the video industry in May. We’re proud to say that it started with an announcement from Synergy Research (at the end of April) that […]
Home Gateway CPE Virtualization
1 min read
Contributed By Dr. Ken Morse, Chief Technology Officer of Connected Devices at Cisco To compete in today’s market, your network needs to support new business models and increase revenue while lowering your operating expenses. You need a network that is: Agile Comprehensive Open Integrated Extensible In order to reach these goals the network is increasingly […]
Unified Gateway: More is better, but sometimes less is more!
1 min read
There are times where more is better; more sunshine, more vacation time, more cupcakes! However, less is also good. Think of a round of golf, or perhaps root canals! Or...
This isn’t your fathers connected life!
1 min read
By Joe Chow, VP & GM, Connected Devices Business Unit, Cisco With the proliferation of IP devices and ubiquitous access to broadband, consumers are increasingly enjoying the benefits of “being connected”. But being able to adjust your thermostat while on vacation or remotely limit your child’s internet access is just the tip of the iceberg. […]
5.5 Million Video-Optimized Wireless Set-top Boxes Shipped… and Climbing!
1 min read
This past January proved to be somewhat of a milestone for Cisco as we surpassed 4 million shipments of our Video-Optimized Wireless Set-top Boxes (VoWs). The momentum clearly seems to be continuing for these flexible and versatile set-tops in the home as, come May, we will have shipped over 5.5 million units. Hardly surprising really. […]
Over-the-Top (OTT) Considerations: Functionalities and Technologies
2 min read
By Tom Ohanian, Cisco Service Provider Sales Business Development Manger The television viewing experience that since its inception consisted of gathering in the family living room and watching live television has clearly changed. Today, television viewing perhaps should be changed to the more versatile term of content consumption. Regardless of whether that content is consumed […]
Virtualization Meets Video Processing at NAB 2014
4 min read
If anything is certain about the video business, it’s this: the volume of change is daunting and every change tends to make life more complicated, not less. This is certainly...
Cisco @ NAB: We’ve Got Your 4K, HEVC, OTT, IP, SDN, NFV — Right Here!
2 min read
There’s a reason the superlative term “broadcast quality” is the measuring stick and euphemism for “highest possible video quality” — and the people that make it happen are all here this week for the annual National Association of Broadcasters convention. If you’re reading this, chances are high that you’re on your way or already here, […]
On Teaming Up with Snell at NAB to Accelerate the IP Video Transition for Broadcasters
1 min read
By Charles Stucki The notion of combining enterprise-grade routing with broadcast television isn’t a new one, especially at a National Association of Broadcasters convention. Like everything else, the intersections between Internet Protocol-based technologies and just about everything — video included — have been building momentum for the last several years. But! This year is different, and […]
Cisco at CCBN: Transforming Video Experiences
1 min read
By Hanh Tu, Vice President, Great China CCBN (China Content and Broadcasting Network), the biggest cable industry trade show in Asia is happening between March 20-22, 2014 in Beijing, China. Cisco will be showcasing many cutting edge innovations around cloud, mobility and video to our customers and partners at the show. As we enter the Internet of Everything era, service […]
Israeli Pay TV Innovator Yes Launches Mobile TV Service with Cisco Videoscape
1 min read
Israeli subscribers to satellite TV provider yes can now view 60+ channels of live/linear video, and thousands of on-demand titles, on devices well beyond the television set — and they can do so inside and outside of their homes. It kicked off on December 23, when yes announced its “yesGO” service to PCs and Macs, […]
Connecting Everything at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show
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By Joe Cozzolino, SVP and GM, Cisco Service Provider Video Infrastructure Right now, in North America, home security is the leading beachhead into the Internet of Everything (IoE) landscape. AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Rogers, among others, moved into homes this year with advanced security products. All are actively cooking up ways to improve […]
4 Million Video-Optimized Wireless Set-top Boxes Shipped: Who Else Can Say That?
1 min read
By Joe Chow, VP and GM, Connected Devices Business Unit, Cisco A milestone is a foot, and we’d like to commemorate it with this brief blog to promote our latest set-top box triumph. The milestone: Four million! That’s the number of video-optimized wireless set-top boxes now enhancing how consumers watch television, thanks to the notably […]
Cisco at the 2014 International CES
1 min read
It’s a new year, so one thing is certain: It’s time to go to Las Vegas for the International Consumer Electronics Show. CES is always an energetic annual kickstart here at Cisco, since so much of our mission is to develop and build the technologies that link consumers and businesses to service providers and big […]
Open UX Foundation Blog Setting the Foundation for HTML5
2 min read
For pay-TV service providers, delivering multi-screen TV services is a must. Same goes for embedding web and social applications. But with the proliferation of video-enabled devices such as set top boxes (STB) and computer electronics (CE) devices, software platforms become more fragmented. And that makes it more of a challenge to deliver and maintain a high […]
The 4K / HEVC Video Roadmap: Follow Cisco’s at CES 2014
2 min read
By Ken Morse, CTO, Connected Devices Business Unit, Cisco One of the trending topics here at CES in Las Vegas this week, without question, is 4K video/ 4K television, and its consumer-facing brand, “UltraHD.” Like HD did, 4K redefines TV and this is what CES is all about – compelling new technologies that ultimately draw […]
IPv6 Video Rollout via RDK Hits Europe, You Heard it Here First!
4 min read
By Bill Ver Steeg, Distinguished Engineer, Cisco Systems We are proud to put down in writing what we believe to be the first Reference Design Kit (RDK)-based deployment of IP video. Oh, and it is the first IPTV system running on IPv6. And one of the first based on a combination of premises based products […]
How Black Arrow, Cisco and Innovid Are Partnering to Advance Advertising at CES 2014
2 min read
By: Conrad Clemson, VP of business development, Cisco Service Provider Video Let’s start this blog with this simple observation: TV didn’t kill radio, but it did disrupt how advertising flows. Same for the impact of online media, on print. And by our reckoning, it’s about to happen again — the diverted flow of advertising resources […]
Cleaner, Greener Set-top Boxes Under a Landmark Voluntary Agreement
1 min read
By Joe Chow, VP & GM, Cisco Connected Devices BU The Set-top box sits at the heart of our home entertainment centers, providing hours of enjoyment for the best of what’s on television. Over the past few years, it has become clear that we can do better when it comes to reducing set-top-box energy consumption. […]
Videoscape Helps Customers in India, Mexico, Brazil and Germany Deliver New Connected Video Experiences
2 min read
In Sao Paulo, GVT TV needed a way to protect its satellite-delivered video content. In New Delhi, direct broadcast satellite provider Tata Sky needed a way to outfit its customers to stream video to IP-connected screens. In Mexico, Megacable — the first in the country to launch broadband Internet over cable, needed to build the […]
SCTE Cable–Tec Expo 2013 in Atlanta: Video Blog Series
1 min read
If you missed SCTE Cable-Tec Expo at Atlanta last week., check out the following three videos on what Cisco took away from the show. Cisco’s Joe Cozzolino, SVP &GM, Cisco SP Video Infrastructure, shares his thoughts on joining Cisco, and what the ‘hot topic’ demo areas are at the Cisco booth this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlZHA5vLZqQ
Cisco@SCTE Expo 2013: Seven Papers and a Breakfast
3 min read
It wouldn’t be an SCTE Cable-Tec Expo without a stellar lineup of technical papers and workshops – even better because each one happens twice, to alleviate trade show schedules. This year’s program features seven papers and presentations by my engineering colleagues, and a breakfast. Food first: Please join us at 6:30A on Tuesday for a […]
A Practical Path to Gigabit Services Over Cable
2 min read
By John Mattson, Senior Director of Marketing, Cisco Cable Access Business Unit By now you’ve heard from AT&T, Google Fiber, Verizon, and the mainstream media, about their plans to offer Gigabit services in over14 states that’ll get wired for 1 Gig next year. Will Gigabit become a “New Norm”? And if you’re a broadband service […]
Cisco’s TV Technology Footprint Spans Nearly 300 Million Homes
2 min read
By Joe Chow, VP & GM, Connected Devices Business Unit, Cisco Headsup: Worldwide, Cisco’s TV technologies are present in nearly 300 million homes. Three. Hundred. Million. Homes! As my kids would say: Get. Out! That means that nearly a quarter of the homes on planet Earth are watching TV powered by Cisco – pretty amazing, […]
The Top Six Things to Ask a Prospective DRM Provider
2 min read
With over 25 years’ experience in content protection and over 250M VideoGuard secured devices, we at Cisco know a thing or two about security. We are harnessing this knowledge to further develop VideoGuard DRM, an open, comprehensive solution built to meet the Pay TV provider’s unique needs. For that reason, we’ve compiled our Top Six […]
Behind the Scenes of Cloud DVR
2 min read
In the three months that passed between this year’s Cable Show, in Washington, D.C., and this week’s IBC conference, in Amsterdam, one thing is certain: Cloud DVR. It’s on. Comcast started the buzz, with its X2 platform. Ever since, we’ve seen a surge of interest in cloud DVR from service providers around the globe. Directionally, […]
Behind the Contours of the Contour
1 min read
Earlier this week, our colleagues at Cox took the wraps off a beauty of a next-new version of personalized television, branded “Contour.” It’s a continuation of its service extensions earlier this year into screens “beyond the TV,” such as iPads, tablets, laptops, and smartphones. Until Contour, the app was called “Cox TV Connect,” and offered […]
What’s New With Cisco, CPE, & RDK, You Ask?
2 min read
By Joe Chow, VP/GM, Cisco Connected Devices BU Part of the tech-buzz at this week’s Cable Show, in Washington, will be about customer premises equipment – set-tops, cable modems, gateways. Of the CPE buzz, half of it will be about “RDK,” and the other half about how to divvy up what functions live in the […]
The Cloud, the TV, and The Cable Show
2 min read
By Conrad Clemson, VP of strategy, Cisco Service Provider Video Technology Group Well, we’re nothing if not patient. For those of us who’ve been active in cable VOD (video on demand) since it began, 12+ years ago, it’s totally great to finally see glimmers of acknowledgement for the category. It’s like knowing your kid is […]
Cisco @ #Cable13 – The Cable Show: See you in Our Nation’s Capital!
2 min read
If you’re reading this, chances are high that you’re on your way or already in Washington, D.C., where you’ll spend the next few days attending this week’s Cable Show. We’re there too, not surprisingly, with a lot to share with our cable friends and colleagues. And I do mean a lot. Let’s see if I […]
Comcast and Cisco Ride the Cloud
1 min read
OpenStack Summit Demonstration Provides Sneak Peek into Future of Networking and TV Content will always be king. But soon, with powerful cloud technology, Pay TV customers will be sitting on the throne, whether they are on their couch, in the café, or on the bus. Late last month at the OpenStack Summit in Portland, […]
Cisco’s “Future of Video” Demo Wins NAB Technology Innovation Award
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Our “Future of Video” (formerly known as “Fresco”) wall took home the National Association of Broadcasters’ Technology Innovation Award this week, during a grand ceremony keynoted by NASA chief Charles Bolden. We are thrilled! (And not just because we’re all latent astronauts around here.) The NAB award, now in its 5th year, goes to “advanced […]
See it at NAB: Cisco & Fox Running Live, Uncompressed Video – Over Ethernet
1 min read
It’s early April, which means it’s time to trek back to Las Vegas for the annual National Association of Broadcasters show (Booth A113, North Hall.) It’s a busy NAB for us this year, for lots of reasons – starting with the (way cool!) proof of concept demonstration we’re doing with Fox, to run live, uncompressed […]
Wondering What Content Networks Will Look Like in the Future? Cisco at NAB 2013
1 min read
If you’re wondering what’s been facing video content creators like Fox and TV Globo, and how they view their future in these madcap days of TV everywhere, you’ll want to find a seat at the Las Vegas Convention Center room S222 at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9. That’s where a panel of experts on the […]
One to Watch This Week at Cable Congress 2013: Jesper Andersen’s Keynote
1 min read
If you’re in London this week for the 2013 Cable Congress, and have any interest in the roadmap and economics of cloud-TV, you don’t want to miss the keynote address by Jesper Andersen, SVP/GM of our Service Provider Video Technology Group. He’s on at 4P on March 5, just after the international CTO panel. What […]
And the (Two!) Technology & Engineering Emmys Go To….
By Jeff Seebeck, VP/GM, Video Control Plane Business Unit,Cisco …Cisco! As you can imagine, this super-charged our annual trek to Las Vegas for the International CES show, which serves as host for the fanciest-ever black tie event for tech people. (It even had a tech host – David Pogue, himself an Emmy award winning tech […]
Cisco Behind the Scenes of AT&T’s New “Digital Life”
1 min read
By Joe Chow, VP, Connected Devices, Cisco Service Provider Video Technology Group Today Cisco announced the launch of a UL-certified, all-digital, wireless-based home security and automation service with AT&T Digital Life. Cisco built and will provide the Digital Life control panel and back-office provisioning and applications life-cycle management system, which allows customers to monitor, protect […]
Who enables over 50% of all digital cable homes in India to watch TV? We do.
3 min read
By Jayant Changrani, Country Head and General Manager – India, NDS, now part of Cisco As we near the end of the calendar year, the last part of which as a newly acquired Cisco company, we’ve reached yet another milestone in India. At the end of 2011, NDS celebrated that its solutions were enabling digital […]