Open-minded agnosticism is the ideal approach toward Internet architecture and network management, engineers central to the Internet’s development and academics told the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) Friday. Several times they dismissed as “religious” the views of net-neutrality supporters who claim that the so- called end-to-end principle was central to the Internet’s development. But Christopher Yoo, director of the Center for Technology, Innovation and Competition at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, credited FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s speech last week (WID Sept 22 p1) with the most “nuanced” view of network management from an official to date.
Many indicators in the satellite business remain largely flat rather than down, despite the world recession, several industry analysts said. Though in some regions capacity on satellites is still coveted and rising in price, pricing overall is mostly stagnant, industry officials said.
Broadcasters are seeking digital-signal changes from the FCC because some VHF stations remain troubled by reception problems, said about a dozen industry executives and commission officials we surveyed. One problem is interference to antennas inside homes from other electronics. The commission received several hundred applications over the past year or so from DTV stations seeking to run distributed transmission systems, operate translators, change channels or increase power levels, said commission officials. Broadcasters and the FCC are running tests to see how reception can be improved, said industry and agency officials.
Broadcasters are seeking digital-signal changes from the FCC because some VHF stations remain troubled by reception problems, said about a dozen industry executives and commission officials we surveyed. One problem is interference to antennas inside homes from other electronics. The commission received several hundred applications over the past year or so from DTV stations seeking to run distributed transmission systems, operate translators, change channels or increase power levels, said commission officials. Broadcasters and the FCC are running tests to see how reception can be improved, said industry and agency officials.
A Disney Web site that has drawn heat from small video providers over fees (WID July 30 p7) is open to Suddenlink broadband subscribers at no additional charge to the customers. Suddenlink, which has 1.3 million video customers, said Monday that it won’t charge for access to ESPN360.com. Users can pause, fast-forward and rewind live sports events and watch up to 15 different of them at the same time, Suddenlink said. A spokesman declined to say whether the company was paying ESPN extra to allow subscribers access to ESPN360.
A Disney Web site that has drawn heat from small video providers over fees (CD July 30 p5) is open to Suddenlink broadband subscribers at no additional charge to the customers. Suddenlink, which has 1.3 million video customers, said Monday that it won’t charge for access to ESPN360.com. Users can pause, fast-forward and rewind live sports events and watch up to 15 different of them at the same time, Suddenlink said. A spokesman declined to say whether the company was paying ESPN extra to allow subscribers access to ESPN360.
It was hardly ever easy for new CE and game companies to get funding, but such efforts have become far more difficult since the onset of the economic crisis, executives at startups in both categories told Consumer Electronics Daily. While some report already having had funding in place before the economy really tanked or were able to raise adequate capital despite the crisis, for others, raising cash has been a huge scramble.
The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to Cablevision’s remote DVR, the high court said Monday after considering Cable News Network et al. v. CSC Holdings. That decision was expected because the U.S. solicitor general asked the court not to take the case (WID June 1 p5). The appeals court ruling that blessed the service as noninfringing threw a wrench in the Copyright Office’s proceeding on Copyright Act Section 115, forcing it to sidestep the issue of whether so-called buffer copies count as “digital phonorecord deliveries” (WID Nov 10 p2). Cablevision will start using the technology later this summer to let subscribers pause live TV, the company said. The decision gives firms such as Cablevision, Comcast and Time Warner Cable more certainty they can sell remote DVR service “without legal risk,” wrote analyst Paul Gallant of the Washington Research Group. Losers in the case are content companies including CBS, Disney, News Corp., Viacom and Time Warner Inc., he added. The case wasn’t participated in by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the court said, without saying why.
The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to Cablevision’s remote DVR, the high court said Monday after considering Cable News Network et al. v. CSC Holdings. That decision was expected because the U.S. solicitor general asked the court not to take the case (CED June 2 p3). Cablevision will start using the technology later this summer to let subscribers pause live TV when their phone rings, the company said. “This landmark case gives the cable industry, and Cablevision in particular, the opportunity to do something that our satellite competitors cannot do,” it said. “Mindful of the potential implications for ad skipping and the concerns this has raised in the programming community,” the company aims to “work with programmers” on full DVR functionality through existing set-top boxes while benefitting advertisers, it said. CEA hails the court “for letting stand a decision that supports the growth of technology and innovation,” President Gary Shapiro said. “The ability to record television programming has become commonplace to millions of Americans, which has benefitted consumers and allowed the consumer technology and content industries to contribute billions of dollars to our economy and create millions of jobs,” he said. “From a common-sense standpoint, the court’s decision was a slam-dunk” because it previously ruled that consumers have the right to time-shift TV shows, Shapiro said. The decision gives firms such as Cablevision, Comcast and Time Warner Cable more certainty they can sell remote DVR service “without legal risk,” wrote analyst Paul Gallant of the Washington Research Group. Cable vendors Arris and SeaChange may see increased demand, he said. Losers in the case are content companies including CBS, Disney, News Corp., Viacom and Time Warner Inc., Gallant added. Remote DVR will mean lower storage costs for Cablevision and fewer technician visits to customers’ homes, wrote Stifel Nicolaus analysts. Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn said the product also will lower costs for consumers. The case wasn’t participated in by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the court said, without saying why. A CNN spokeswoman had no immediate comment on the decision.
The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to Cablevision’s remote DVR, the high court said Monday after considering Cable News Network et al. v. CSC Holdings. That decision was expected (CD June 2 p8) because the U.S. solicitor general asked the court not to take the case. Cablevision will start using the technology later this summer to let subscribers pause live TV when their phone rings, the company said. “This landmark case gives the cable industry, and Cablevision in particular, the opportunity to do something that our satellite competitors cannot do,” it said. “Mindful of the potential implications for ad skipping and the concerns this has raised in the programming community,” the company aims to “work with programmers” on full DVR functionality through existing set-top boxes while benefitting advertisers. The decision gives firms such as Cablevision, Comcast and Time Warner Cable more certainty they can sell remote DVR service “without legal risk,” wrote analyst Paul Gallant of the Washington Research Group. Cable vendors Arris and SeaChange may see increased demand, he said. Losers in the case are content companies including CBS, Disney, News Corp., Viacom and Time Warner Inc., Gallant added. Remote DVR will mean lower storage costs for Cablevision and fewer technician visits to customers’ homes, wrote Stifel Nicolaus analysts. Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn said the product also will lower costs for consumers. The case wasn’t participated in by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the court said, without saying why. A CNN spokeswoman had no immediate comment on the decision. CEA hails the court “for letting stand a decision that supports the growth of technology and innovation,” President Gary Shapiro said. “The ability to record television programming has become commonplace to millions of Americans, which has benefitted consumers and allowed the consumer technology and content industries to contribute billions of dollars to our economy and create millions of jobs,” he said. “From a common-sense standpoint, the court’s decision was a slam-dunk” because it previously ruled that consumers have the right to time-shift TV shows, Shapiro said.