Motorola Mobility announced the Televation on Monday, a new device that plugs into a Wi-Fi router and uses your home network to stream live television to connected IP devices. Once it’s plugged into a router, it will automatically translate programming from MPEG-2 to MPEG 4 and match a device’s resolution to display content properly. Motorola is also providing Android and iOS SDKs so that its customers will be able to develop custom applications for finding shows and other content offered by cable providers. “Consumers love entertainment, and want easy access to TV no matter where they are in the home,” said John Burke, senior vice president and general manager, Converged Experiences, Motorola Mobility. “Coupled with the explosive popularity of tablet devices, this represents a terrific opportunity for MSOs [multiple system operators, or cable companies] to increase customer satisfaction while generating new revenue.” Unfortunately, it sounds like Televation will not be a direct-to-consumer product, and will instead be offered to Motorola’s cable partners, so pricing has not yet been announced. Hit the jump for the full press release.
Motorola Mobility Introduces Live Streaming Device For All the Other Screens in the Home
The new Motorola Televation™ product securely streams subscription TV to IP devices connected to the home Wi-Fi networkCHICAGO, Ill – June 13, 2011 – Motorola Mobility Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced the availability of Motorola Televation™, a broadband device that works with a Wi-Fi router to allow consumers to watch live TV on a connected IP device anywhere around the home, whether they are preparing food in the kitchen or relaxing in the backyard.
According to Motorola’s 2010 Media Engagement Barometer research, Americans watch an average of 21 hours of video content a week and about 86 percent pay for TV service. Furthermore, in May 2011, Motorola conducted focus groups with consumers in the New York and Los Angeles metro markets. In many cases, consumers liked the idea of watching live TV somewhere other than a traditional family room and felt it would allow them to spend more time with loved ones if they had the ability to watch different programs in the same room.
“Consumers love entertainment, and want easy access to TV no matter where they are in the home. Coupled with the explosive popularity of tablet devices, this represents a terrific opportunity for MSOs to increase customer satisfaction while generating new revenue,” said John Burke, senior vice president and general manager, Converged Experiences, Motorola Mobility. “Televation gives our customers the ability to launch a new service that puts innovation back into TV, enabling their subscribers to enjoy TV beyond the TV.”
Televation employs a 1GHz digital tuner and CableCard to access broadcast TV channels directly from a coax outlet. The device has a high-performance transcoder that translates programming in real-time from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4, as well as changing resolution and bit rate to match the capabilities of the consumer’s viewing device while maintaining excellent picture quality. The device has an Ethernet jack to plug directly into the home Wi-Fi router so the TV show can be wirelessly streamed over IP to any device connected to the home network. To keep the programming secure while it is being streamed, and to preserve the digital rights associated with the program, Televation utilizes Motorola’s SecureMedia IPRM-HN technology. IPRM-HN has been approved by both CableLabs and the DTLA (Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator), giving content owners peace of mind that their valuable asset remains safe.
Motorola provides Software Development Kits (SDKs) for both Android and iOS development environments, so customers can easily develop client applications that enable the subscriber to navigate, discover and select the show they want to watch. Motorola also provides a reference client application for tablet devices that can be easily branded, giving customers an alternative to developing their own application. Motorola worked closely with engineers at Comcast Innovation Labs to develop Televation.
“Motorola shares our focus on developing innovative consumer entertainment experiences, and we’re pleased to have been able to work with them on Televation,” said Tony Werner, executive vice president and chief technology officer for Comcast. “As the digital home continues to evolve, Televation is one of many tools that MSOs can use to give consumers a more portable TV experience in the home so they can watch anytime and anywhere.”
As the developer of the Motorola XOOM™, the award winning tablet powered by Android, and Televation, Motorola is uniquely positioned to provide converged experiences that empower people to enjoy their favorite content where and when they want. Televation will be showcased at the 2011 Cable Show in Motorola’s booth #609 and in the Comcast booth #1201, June 14-16, in Chicago, IL.
