CES: Cisco Demos Cloud Solution for Legacy STBs
Posted by Steve Fravel on Friday, January 13, 2012 · 
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Cisco has added to its cloud-based interactive TV software. Called Videoscape, the suite of software allows set-top-boxes to connect to the cloud to deploy user interfaces and interactive program guides along with video on demand (VOD) services. MPEG 2 set-top-boxes gain new life with the inclusion of a new generation of interactive features.
The addition of ActiveVideo Network’s CloudTV to Videoscape will afford service providers the ability to add new features to legacy set-top-boxes. Read more
33% Report Internet Access is a ‘Fundamental Resource’
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, September 26, 2011 · ·
Demonstrating the increasing role of the network in people’s lives, an international workforce study announced last week by Cisco revealed that one in three college students and young professionals (33%) believes that the Internet is a fundamental resource for the human race – as important as air, water, food and shelter. In addition, about half (49% of college students and 47% of employees) believe it is “pretty close” to that level of importance. Combined, four of every five college students and young employees believe the Internet is vitally important as part of their daily life’s sustenance.
Case in point, more than half of the respondents (55% of college students and 62% of employees) said they could not live without the Internet and cite it as an “integral part of their lives.” If forced to make a choice, the majority of college students globally – about two of three (64%) – would choose an Internet connection instead of a car. Read more
Cisco: Global Internet Traffic will Quadruple by 2015
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, June 6, 2011 · ·
Released June 1, Cisco’s latest Visual Networking Index offers some interesting insights into the development of Internet traffic in the coming years. Not surprisingly, the rise of Web-connected wireless devices and Internet video will drive Internet traffic.
Highlights from the report:
- Annual global IP traffic has increased eightfold over the past 5 years, and will increase fourfold over the next 5 years to 80.5 exabytes per month by 2015. To put this in perspective, researchers estimate that all printed material equals about 200 petabytes, which is equivalent to approximately one-fifth of a single exabyte. Read more
Cisco Purchases Inlet Technologies
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, February 7, 2011 · ·
Intent on adding strength to the Videoscape product, Cisco has announced plans to purchase Inlet Technologies of Raleigh, N.C., for $95 million. Inlet Technologies is a provider of adaptive-bit-rate video processing platforms.
The Inlet encoding capabilities are reported to adapt the quality of the video stream based on “real-time” network conditions relative to the receiving device in use. The Cisco Videoscape platform will deliver video content over IP-based networks to any qualified receiving device.
Cisco has indicated in promotional demonstrations and materials that Videoscape will dramatically change the television viewing experience so that conventional television content and online content can be integrated with videoconferencing and social networks and then extended to mobile devices.
The acquisition of Inlet Technologies adds strength and versatility to the Videoscape product, described as a more robust TV Everywhere experience. The deal is expected to be completed during the first half of 2011.
For more, see Cisco’s video release.
Cisco Unveils its Videoscape Solution at CES
Posted by Jesse Ward on Thursday, January 6, 2011 · ·
Live from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today in Las Vegas, Cisco announced the release of Cisco Videoscape, a comprehensive TV platform for service providers that brings together digital TV, online content, social media and communications applications to create an all-inclusive home and mobile video entertainment experience.
Videoscape is an open platform that utilizes cloud computing, IP networking and client devices and software. In a press conference today, Cisco CEO John Chambers said 75%-80% of Videoscape is software, making it primarily an architectural play that extends from the core network all the way down to devices. Read more
Cisco: Online Video Drives 26% of Broadband Traffic
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, November 1, 2010 · ·
Cisco’s Systems Visual Networking Index (VNI) Study notes that the average broadband connection now generates 14.9 GB of Internet traffic per month, up 31% from 11.4 GB last year. Cisco notes that the majority of this traffic is video driven, while traffic attributed to peer-to-peer (P2P) networks continues to decline; P2P traffic now accounts for 25% of global broadband traffic, down from 38% last year, while video accounts for 26% of all global broadband traffic. Other highlights from the study: Read more
Cisco Launches ‘Umi’ Home HD Videoconferencing Solution
Posted by Jesse Ward on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 · ·
After much anticipation by the tradepress, last week Cisco officially launched Cisco ūmi telepresence. Pronounced you-me, Cisco has developed an HD videoconferencing system aimed at consumers. (See the video after the jump.) The ūmi comes equipped with an HD camera, a console and a remote. The camera sits on top of the user’s HDTV and the rectangular set-top connects to the TV and Internet, while also handling the processing of the video data. Read more