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Live UHD Streaming of Sports is Gaining Momentum

April 10, 2018 | 75 views

In 2015, the NFL streamed an entire football game over the internet. As the first live sports event to be streamed to a worldwide audience, this was quite a feat. Over the last few years, over-the-top (OTT) technologies and services have evolved immensely to where streaming of live sports is now nearly on an equal competitive ground with traditional broadcasts.Here at Harmonic, we think the next step in elevating the streaming experience of live sports is UHD HDR. With sports content, video quality is critical. Viewers want to see that winning soccer goal or three-point basketball shot in crystal-clear clarity. It makes them feel like they are part of the game. By vastly improving the video quality of live streaming, service providers can open up new revenue streams and meet the growing demand for live sports content.

Spotlight

Georgia Public Broadcasting

Our mission is to create, produce and distribute high quality programs and services that educate, inform and entertain our audiences and enrich the quality of their lives.Georgia Public Broadcasting's nine public television stations deliver quality PBS and locally produced programming to every county in Georgia, and to significant portions of surrounding states. Georgia Public Broadcasting's education service is Georgia's electronically delivered classroom for all Georgia learners, and Georgia educators' source for top-quality multiple media educational products and services.

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BUSINESS

Discord: A Novel Medium for B2B Marketing

Article | July 11, 2022

Discord is a real-time chat platform where anyone with a community can interact. Users can talk to others in the community on special channels and get invites to join different servers. Many people prefer to reach out to online customers through social media, but messaging apps like Discord have 20% more monthly active users than traditional social media platforms. (Business Insider) Discord generates revenue through premium subscriptions and game distribution. It does not use advertisements. However, it can help marketers through its community that grows with video, voice, text communication and more. Let us look at how: Helps Build a Moderated Community You can set up a Discord server as a moderated social discussion platform. Create different channels based on your audience’s preference and allow them to bond. And as your community grows, so will the popularity of your business. Word-of-mouth marketing is still very effective. Connects Your Brand with Like-minded Audience You can also meet others who share your interests on various Discord servers. When you know what you're looking for, finding relevant servers is simple. Check with your team members, and your community, and join those groups. There, you'll meet other business owners and pursue collaboration opportunities. Allows Sharing Relevant Industry Content Share your website articles and other industry updates on Discord. You can take the advantage of your employees’ social media presence because they are linked to a single server. They'll spread the word about the articles through other Discord servers and their personal social media accounts. It will assist you in gaining authority among your target audience. Another way to market your company is to post branded memes, GIFs, and funny screenshots. Helps Offer Great Customer Service People expect prompt service, and because Discord delivers messages in real-time, you can address issues as they arise. You can easily send direct messages to members and have private conversations with them. Parting Words Although Discord is primarily a messaging app for individuals, it also has many advantages for B2B marketing. Discord is ideal for community management and true engagement.

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TECHNOLOGIES,BUSINESS

B2B Movie Placements: What to Expect?

Article | August 3, 2022

As films evolved into the popular medium that they are today, brands followed suit. They took advantage of a large network of new ways to market, from print media to radio to television. Product placement, a part of branded entertainment marketing, became more common from the 1980s. Today, every moviegoer is familiar – sometimes painfully – with paid product placements. And every marketer has heard commentary on both good and bad B2C product placements. But what about B2B movie placements? Ever heard of those? If you are a B2B enterprise looking to try it out, here are some major differences between B2C and B2B movie placements: Impress the producers Create an enticing pitch for the producers, which can influence them enough to bring them to the creative department. Sell your brand or product to them (indirectly) to help them understand how it will improve the realism of their scene or set. Make them realize how your product or service can help them. Placement isn’t always ‘placement’ Prospective B2B buyers aren’t going to squint their eyes to find your product while watching a movie. However, they might actually remember your brand if you host pre-opening events around the world for them and their families to watch a popular movie. If they enjoy the movie and establish an emotional connection with it, they will definitely think of you while making any kind of purchase decision. Things might not work out No matter how hard you try to show your brand in a good light in a certain scene or situation, sometimes things happen that you can't control or ignore. In such cases, you might have to get all the branding out instead of settling for negative publicity, which could be a viable option for a B2C brand. B2B Movie Placement: A Success Story FLIR, a client of Hollywood Branded, is the leading provider of thermal military camera equipment. It co-starred in one of Warner Brothers' biggest hits of 2018, Rampage. FLIR connected with the right member of the production team and ensured that the brand was pictured in a positive light. FLIR shared its technology with the filmmakers and got advertised to its business customers, mostly film-loving decision-makers, through the movie and the way it was shot. The film earned $427M at the worldwide box office.

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VIRTUALIZATION

Branded Entertainment in B2B: Why is it Important?

Article | June 21, 2021

Global B2B companies churn out content pieces such as infographics, case studies, assessments, and other forms of thought leadership content to create brand awareness. But is this content enough to engage the customers and the market? Not really. Marketers like you need to look into branded entertainment to get more customer engagement and brand loyalty. What is Branded Entertainment? Adweek loosely describes “branded entertainment” as any content that starts a positive conversation around a product, service, or set of values. This content builds a story around your product or services, showing it in a positive light and getting the audience to engage in your content as much as a film or a TV show. As opposed to other marketing endeavors, branded entertainment doesn’t focus on your products and their features but on entertaining the audience. Incorporating Branded Entertainment into Your Marketing Strategy Here are some ways to get it done without much hassle: Web Series Original programming, such as web series published on the brand’s social media channels, can help you raise awareness through stories that share your brand’s values instead of directly marketing your product or services. PR Stunts Create social media brand content that is entertaining and exciting enough for the audience to make it viral. Such PR brings positive media attention to your brand and creates mass awareness for your brand or product. Videos Volvo's entertaining video of Van Damme's split stunt on YouTube has 114.5 million views. The video didn't need a call-to-action because it wasn’t to convert leads. Instead, it was meant to showcase a piece of business-use truck technology and get engagement. Podcasting GE used podcasting for advertising twice, once with its show ‘The Message’ and again with its new series ‘LifeAfter.’ Neither show discusses GE's products. Instead, they were "GE-presented" and were received well. Summing It Up People are less likely to comment on or share brand posts directly, but they are more likely to tweet or share them on their Instagram stories. This way you can measure the impact of branded entertainment. B2B marketers should consider branded entertainment as a way to build trust and start conversations between their brands and their audience to get a long-term ROI.

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SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

Driving ROI of Your B2B Marketing with Entertainment

Article | July 7, 2022

B2B companies are harnessing entertainment to drive their marketing ROI. They are using strategies that meet the changing needs of B2B customers and take advantage of how technology is improving. Let us examine the top five entertainment marketing strategies that can get engagement for your B2B content: On-Demand Content Rules B2B corporate Salesforce recently announced a new streaming service—Salesforce+—that exclusively caters to businesses. If you want to try something like this, you don’t need to create a new streaming platform. Instead, you can use your social media accounts to share unique content that your target audience will find interesting. Presentation Shouldn’t Be a Priority Your B2B audience isn’t any different from the audience that consumes basic TikTok videos, reality TV shows, or YouTube clips that don’t have the best scripts. Any grippingly human content presented on popular channels of entertainment appeals to the viewer and can influence their buying decisions. Harness User-generated Content Harness user-generated content like videos, reviews, and testimonials. When your customer tells your brand’s story or how your brand helped them solve their problems, the content is engaging and authentic for your prospects and influences their purchase decisions. Additionally, such content receives high engagement and improves your brand’s reputation. Relevance Wins Hearts If the content you are producing is entertaining and engaging, addresses the pain points and demands of your target audience, and is timed perfectly to match the dynamic market needs, your prospects might relate to your brand better and avail your product or services. Create Immersive Experiences Through Events With the help of experience experts Boost Experiential, Google created an Event Series to target small businesses in the U.S. They led a nationwide initiative to offer educational seminars and coaching to small businesses. They held events in 50 states and introduced Google’s tools to thousands of business owners. As a result, they have got more than 50, 000 small businesses online. Entertainment Could Be a B2B Trend for 2022 Create valuable, memorable, entertaining, and engaging content addressing customer pain points. Make it available to your target audience through popular channels like streaming sites, social media, webinars, live events and more to get your marketing ROI.

Read More
BUSINESS

Branded Entertainment in B2B: Why is it Important?

Article | July 11, 2022

Discord is a real-time chat platform where anyone with a community can interact. Users can talk to others in the community on special channels and get invites to join different servers. Many people prefer to reach out to online customers through social media, but messaging apps like Discord have 20% more monthly active users than traditional social media platforms. (Business Insider) Discord generates revenue through premium subscriptions and game distribution. It does not use advertisements. However, it can help marketers through its community that grows with video, voice, text communication and more. Let us look at how: Helps Build a Moderated Community You can set up a Discord server as a moderated social discussion platform. Create different channels based on your audience’s preference and allow them to bond. And as your community grows, so will the popularity of your business. Word-of-mouth marketing is still very effective. Connects Your Brand with Like-minded Audience You can also meet others who share your interests on various Discord servers. When you know what you're looking for, finding relevant servers is simple. Check with your team members, and your community, and join those groups. There, you'll meet other business owners and pursue collaboration opportunities. Allows Sharing Relevant Industry Content Share your website articles and other industry updates on Discord. You can take the advantage of your employees’ social media presence because they are linked to a single server. They'll spread the word about the articles through other Discord servers and their personal social media accounts. It will assist you in gaining authority among your target audience. Another way to market your company is to post branded memes, GIFs, and funny screenshots. Helps Offer Great Customer Service People expect prompt service, and because Discord delivers messages in real-time, you can address issues as they arise. You can easily send direct messages to members and have private conversations with them. Parting Words Although Discord is primarily a messaging app for individuals, it also has many advantages for B2B marketing. Discord is ideal for community management and true engagement.

Read More
TECHNOLOGIES,BUSINESS

AR in B2B Sales: What to Expect

Article | August 3, 2022

As films evolved into the popular medium that they are today, brands followed suit. They took advantage of a large network of new ways to market, from print media to radio to television. Product placement, a part of branded entertainment marketing, became more common from the 1980s. Today, every moviegoer is familiar – sometimes painfully – with paid product placements. And every marketer has heard commentary on both good and bad B2C product placements. But what about B2B movie placements? Ever heard of those? If you are a B2B enterprise looking to try it out, here are some major differences between B2C and B2B movie placements: Impress the producers Create an enticing pitch for the producers, which can influence them enough to bring them to the creative department. Sell your brand or product to them (indirectly) to help them understand how it will improve the realism of their scene or set. Make them realize how your product or service can help them. Placement isn’t always ‘placement’ Prospective B2B buyers aren’t going to squint their eyes to find your product while watching a movie. However, they might actually remember your brand if you host pre-opening events around the world for them and their families to watch a popular movie. If they enjoy the movie and establish an emotional connection with it, they will definitely think of you while making any kind of purchase decision. Things might not work out No matter how hard you try to show your brand in a good light in a certain scene or situation, sometimes things happen that you can't control or ignore. In such cases, you might have to get all the branding out instead of settling for negative publicity, which could be a viable option for a B2C brand. B2B Movie Placement: A Success Story FLIR, a client of Hollywood Branded, is the leading provider of thermal military camera equipment. It co-starred in one of Warner Brothers' biggest hits of 2018, Rampage. FLIR connected with the right member of the production team and ensured that the brand was pictured in a positive light. FLIR shared its technology with the filmmakers and got advertised to its business customers, mostly film-loving decision-makers, through the movie and the way it was shot. The film earned $427M at the worldwide box office.

Read More
VIRTUALIZATION

Applications of Virtual Reality in Healthcare

Article | June 21, 2021

Global B2B companies churn out content pieces such as infographics, case studies, assessments, and other forms of thought leadership content to create brand awareness. But is this content enough to engage the customers and the market? Not really. Marketers like you need to look into branded entertainment to get more customer engagement and brand loyalty. What is Branded Entertainment? Adweek loosely describes “branded entertainment” as any content that starts a positive conversation around a product, service, or set of values. This content builds a story around your product or services, showing it in a positive light and getting the audience to engage in your content as much as a film or a TV show. As opposed to other marketing endeavors, branded entertainment doesn’t focus on your products and their features but on entertaining the audience. Incorporating Branded Entertainment into Your Marketing Strategy Here are some ways to get it done without much hassle: Web Series Original programming, such as web series published on the brand’s social media channels, can help you raise awareness through stories that share your brand’s values instead of directly marketing your product or services. PR Stunts Create social media brand content that is entertaining and exciting enough for the audience to make it viral. Such PR brings positive media attention to your brand and creates mass awareness for your brand or product. Videos Volvo's entertaining video of Van Damme's split stunt on YouTube has 114.5 million views. The video didn't need a call-to-action because it wasn’t to convert leads. Instead, it was meant to showcase a piece of business-use truck technology and get engagement. Podcasting GE used podcasting for advertising twice, once with its show ‘The Message’ and again with its new series ‘LifeAfter.’ Neither show discusses GE's products. Instead, they were "GE-presented" and were received well. Summing It Up People are less likely to comment on or share brand posts directly, but they are more likely to tweet or share them on their Instagram stories. This way you can measure the impact of branded entertainment. B2B marketers should consider branded entertainment as a way to build trust and start conversations between their brands and their audience to get a long-term ROI.

Read More
SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

Driving ROI of Your B2B Marketing with Entertainment

Article | July 7, 2022

B2B companies are harnessing entertainment to drive their marketing ROI. They are using strategies that meet the changing needs of B2B customers and take advantage of how technology is improving. Let us examine the top five entertainment marketing strategies that can get engagement for your B2B content: On-Demand Content Rules B2B corporate Salesforce recently announced a new streaming service—Salesforce+—that exclusively caters to businesses. If you want to try something like this, you don’t need to create a new streaming platform. Instead, you can use your social media accounts to share unique content that your target audience will find interesting. Presentation Shouldn’t Be a Priority Your B2B audience isn’t any different from the audience that consumes basic TikTok videos, reality TV shows, or YouTube clips that don’t have the best scripts. Any grippingly human content presented on popular channels of entertainment appeals to the viewer and can influence their buying decisions. Harness User-generated Content Harness user-generated content like videos, reviews, and testimonials. When your customer tells your brand’s story or how your brand helped them solve their problems, the content is engaging and authentic for your prospects and influences their purchase decisions. Additionally, such content receives high engagement and improves your brand’s reputation. Relevance Wins Hearts If the content you are producing is entertaining and engaging, addresses the pain points and demands of your target audience, and is timed perfectly to match the dynamic market needs, your prospects might relate to your brand better and avail your product or services. Create Immersive Experiences Through Events With the help of experience experts Boost Experiential, Google created an Event Series to target small businesses in the U.S. They led a nationwide initiative to offer educational seminars and coaching to small businesses. They held events in 50 states and introduced Google’s tools to thousands of business owners. As a result, they have got more than 50, 000 small businesses online. Entertainment Could Be a B2B Trend for 2022 Create valuable, memorable, entertaining, and engaging content addressing customer pain points. Make it available to your target audience through popular channels like streaming sites, social media, webinars, live events and more to get your marketing ROI.

Read More
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Spotlight

Georgia Public Broadcasting

Our mission is to create, produce and distribute high quality programs and services that educate, inform and entertain our audiences and enrich the quality of their lives.Georgia Public Broadcasting's nine public television stations deliver quality PBS and locally produced programming to every county in Georgia, and to significant portions of surrounding states. Georgia Public Broadcasting's education service is Georgia's electronically delivered classroom for all Georgia learners, and Georgia educators' source for top-quality multiple media educational products and services.

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BUSINESS

Praxis Cements Partnership with Gaming Software Giant, SoftSwiss

Praxis | August 19, 2022

Praxis is pleased to announce its latest partnership with the software development gaming giant, SOFTSWISS. As an omni-channel gateway provider, Praxis Tech's extensive portfolio of PSPs and unrivaled cashier promises to ensure extensive global scaling opportunities for SOFTSWISS. Thus opening the door to multiple new markets through payments.As an innovative developer of iGaming products for online casinos, sports betting and beyond, SOFTSWISS has a plethora of dynamic clients requiring bespoke payment services on a grand scale. In an effort to streamline the user-journey while increasing approval rates and revenue generation, SoftSwiss partnered with Praxis Tech; the logical choice. After the initial onboarding procedure, taking a mere 3 hours, SOFTSWISS was able to roll out Praxis Tech's solution to its 300+ clients, thereby giving access to a network of 510+ PSPs and over 1000 APMs, all accessible through Praxis' entirely customizable cashier. "we make every effort to ensure we're a reliable partner in every way. We're able to cater to SOFTSWISS' need for a fast turnaround time - especially when it comes to enabling PSPs at short notice and during off-peak hours. We pride ourselves on our personal service and are very much looking forward to continuing expanding our cooperation with the SOFTSWISS team." -Praxis' CSO, Natalie Agopian Vadim Drozd, Chief PSP Officer at SOFTSWISS explained that "Praxis' 24/7 support team assisted us at every stage of the setup and was open to our requests and needs. The whole process was transparent and convenient. He went on to say that "The Praxis team goes above and beyond when it comes to technical support. They are truly experienced advisers in the field of payment processing and that is very valuable for SOFTSWISS.

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MEDIA AND BROADCASTING

MediaTek Launches Pentonic 700 Chipset for Premium 120Hz 4K Smart TVs

MediaTek | August 19, 2022

MediaTek announced the Pentonic 700, a smart TV system-on-chip (SoC) with a powerful AI processing engine for premium 120Hz 4K TVs. With AI-powered picture quality enhancements, support for Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail, integrated 4K120 MEMC and TCON, and gaming optimizations, the Pentonic 700 lets global TV brands elevate the all-around viewing experience for consumers. "MediaTek's Pentonic series brings more intelligence to smart TVs with a host of AI-powered picture quality enhancements, Smart TV brands can count on Pentonic 700 to deliver incredible experiences whether consumers are watching videos or sports, gaming, or using their TV as a control center for their other smart devices." -Alex Chen, General Manager of the TV Business Unit at MediaTek The Pentonic 700's integrated AI processing unit (APU) supports MediaTek's AI-Super Resolution, AI-Picture Quality (AI-PQ) Scene Recognition and AI-PQ Object Recognition technologies for advanced edge smoothing and detail reconstruction. Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail further improves picture quality by improving the contrast in bright and dark spots for crisp, sharp imagery. Smart TVs powered by the Pentonic 700 can display content from different sources on the TV screen with Picture-by-Picture (PBP) and Picture-in-Picture (PIP) support with PQ enhancement. At home, this technology allows users to stream different sporting events at the same time or video chat with friends and family while watching content together. In the office, these capabilities provide more video conferencing options and allow TVs to display different content streams at the same time. While Pentonic 700 is designed for 120Hz smart TVs, the chipset also supports variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 144Hz to give brands the ability to customize TVs for gaming applications so players can enjoy games without screen tearing and stuttering. Other optimizations for gameplay include HDMI 2.1 Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) to minimize display lag and Dolby Atmos' technology for immersive sound. The key specs of the MediaTek Pentonic 700 include: Resolution support up to 4K at 120Hz and capable of VRR up to 4K at 144Hz for gaming applications. Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail for improved detail with added texture and depth. HDR10+ Adaptive technology to offer optimal viewing experiences based on a room's lighting conditions. MediaTek's AI-PQ Scene Recognition 2.0 to automatically optimize picture quality settings. MediaTek's AI-PQ Object Recognition 2.5 to enhance the depth of view by applying different sharpness, contrast and color between the foreground and background. Built-in hardware video decoding engine supporting HEVC, AV1 and AVS3 standards, along with the latest VVC (H.266) standard, for broadcasters and streaming providers' latest requirements. MediaTek's AI-Super Resolution 2.0 for edge smoothing and detail reconstruction. Support for the latest voice assistant features and smart home device management. The highly integrated design is extremely power-efficient and reduces bill of materials (BOM) costs, while speeding up time to market. Brands can also add on MediaTek's Filogic Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 wireless connectivity solutions to bring 4K smart TVs ultra-fast, reliable connectivity with low latency for the best streaming and cloud gaming experiences. The Pentonic 700 is slated to power mainstream 4K smart TVs as part of MediaTek's broader Pentonic chipset family. With the introduction of this newest chipset, the Pentonic series offers brands a full range of options for premium, high-end and mass market TVs to meet different market needs. Smart TVs powered by Pentonic 700 are expected to be released in Q4 2022. About MediaTek Inc. MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables nearly 2 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD) and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. We work with the brands you love to make great technology accessible to everyone, and it drives everything we do. Visit www.mediatek.com for more information.

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MEDIA AND BROADCASTING,BUSINESS

Harmonic Expands Cloud Video Streaming and Simplifies Broadcast Workflows at IBC2022

Harmonic, Inc. | August 18, 2022

Harmonic, Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) announced that it will bring the company's latest cloud-native and on-prem innovations for video streaming and broadcast delivery to IBC2022. At the show, Harmonic will highlight how its advanced solutions are addressing the critical needs of the media and entertainment industry by enabling flawless live sports streaming, targeted advertising at scale, best-in-class VOD and linear streaming, and next-gen broadcast service delivery. "Harmonic is excited to be back at IBC2022 and share the latest innovations for accelerating streaming services and simplifying broadcast workflows,We look forward to showcasing new enhancements to our on-prem appliances, along with expanded SaaS cloud offerings." -Shahar Bar, senior vice president, video products and corporate development at Harmonic. At IBC2022, Harmonic will showcase: The market-leading VOS®360 SaaS platform for a range of applications: Live sports streaming: Stream secure watermarked live sports events with targeted ads reliably and at scale in UHD HDR. VOD and linear streaming: Deliver outstanding VOD and linear streaming experiences with scalable targeted advertising. Free ad-supported TV (FAST): Enable the creation of UHD HDR FAST channels. Broadcast: Deploy complex broadcast workflows with full support for playout, branding, statistical multiplexing and affiliate distribution in the cloud. New applications for XOS Advanced Media Processor and Spectrum™ X Advanced Media Server: Targeted advertising for broadcasters: Unlock new revenue streams with DVB-TA support. Edge media processing: Take media processing and distribution to the next level with the new generation of software-based edge devices. Distribution of DVB-T/T2 signals: Optimize DTT distribution with a new DVB-SIS (single illumination system) offering. Extended video-over-IP capabilities: Expand video-over-IP possibilities with NDI for production and playout workflows. Innovative Demonstrations with Partners Throughout the IBC2022 show floor, Harmonic will also highlight key collaborations with industry leaders that further strengthen its video streaming and broadcast offerings: Microsoft Azure (stand 1.D25) and AWS (stand 5.C80) cloud support on the VOS360 SaaS platform. New watermarking-as-a-service capabilities for live sports events and premium live content integrated on the VOS360 SaaS platform with anti-piracy solutions from Viaccess-Orca (stand 1.A51) and NAGRA (stand 1.C81). Streamlined targeted advertising for live broadcasting, VOD and FAST through integration between the VOS360 SaaS platform and solutions from Viaccess-Orca (stand 1.A51) and Equativ (stand 5.F62). FAST UHD HDR channel delivery on LG Channels platform. Hybrid on-premises and in-the-cloud channel origination with Harmonic's VOS360 SaaS platform and Spectrum™ X media servers controlled by Aveco's ASTRA MCR (stand 2.B18) and SGT VEDA automation (stand 2.C58). Must-See Conference Session Harmonic will bring its thought leadership to the IBC Conference 2022 with "Exploring the Benefits of Dynamic Resolution Encoding and Support in DVB Standards." Xavier Ducloux, Harmonic's senior marketing innovation manager, will join industry experts during the technical paper session on "Advances in Video Coding" Sept. 10 at 12:15 pm. About Harmonic Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized cable access and video delivery solutions, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality video streaming and broadcast services to consumers globally. The company revolutionized cable access networking via the industry's first virtualized cable access solution, enabling cable operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit internet service to consumers' homes and mobile devices. Whether simplifying OTT video delivery via innovative cloud and software platforms or powering the delivery of gigabit internet cable services, Harmonic is changing the way media companies and service providers monetize live and on-demand content on every screen. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

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BUSINESS

Praxis Cements Partnership with Gaming Software Giant, SoftSwiss

Praxis | August 19, 2022

Praxis is pleased to announce its latest partnership with the software development gaming giant, SOFTSWISS. As an omni-channel gateway provider, Praxis Tech's extensive portfolio of PSPs and unrivaled cashier promises to ensure extensive global scaling opportunities for SOFTSWISS. Thus opening the door to multiple new markets through payments.As an innovative developer of iGaming products for online casinos, sports betting and beyond, SOFTSWISS has a plethora of dynamic clients requiring bespoke payment services on a grand scale. In an effort to streamline the user-journey while increasing approval rates and revenue generation, SoftSwiss partnered with Praxis Tech; the logical choice. After the initial onboarding procedure, taking a mere 3 hours, SOFTSWISS was able to roll out Praxis Tech's solution to its 300+ clients, thereby giving access to a network of 510+ PSPs and over 1000 APMs, all accessible through Praxis' entirely customizable cashier. "we make every effort to ensure we're a reliable partner in every way. We're able to cater to SOFTSWISS' need for a fast turnaround time - especially when it comes to enabling PSPs at short notice and during off-peak hours. We pride ourselves on our personal service and are very much looking forward to continuing expanding our cooperation with the SOFTSWISS team." -Praxis' CSO, Natalie Agopian Vadim Drozd, Chief PSP Officer at SOFTSWISS explained that "Praxis' 24/7 support team assisted us at every stage of the setup and was open to our requests and needs. The whole process was transparent and convenient. He went on to say that "The Praxis team goes above and beyond when it comes to technical support. They are truly experienced advisers in the field of payment processing and that is very valuable for SOFTSWISS.

Read More

MEDIA AND BROADCASTING

MediaTek Launches Pentonic 700 Chipset for Premium 120Hz 4K Smart TVs

MediaTek | August 19, 2022

MediaTek announced the Pentonic 700, a smart TV system-on-chip (SoC) with a powerful AI processing engine for premium 120Hz 4K TVs. With AI-powered picture quality enhancements, support for Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail, integrated 4K120 MEMC and TCON, and gaming optimizations, the Pentonic 700 lets global TV brands elevate the all-around viewing experience for consumers. "MediaTek's Pentonic series brings more intelligence to smart TVs with a host of AI-powered picture quality enhancements, Smart TV brands can count on Pentonic 700 to deliver incredible experiences whether consumers are watching videos or sports, gaming, or using their TV as a control center for their other smart devices." -Alex Chen, General Manager of the TV Business Unit at MediaTek The Pentonic 700's integrated AI processing unit (APU) supports MediaTek's AI-Super Resolution, AI-Picture Quality (AI-PQ) Scene Recognition and AI-PQ Object Recognition technologies for advanced edge smoothing and detail reconstruction. Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail further improves picture quality by improving the contrast in bright and dark spots for crisp, sharp imagery. Smart TVs powered by the Pentonic 700 can display content from different sources on the TV screen with Picture-by-Picture (PBP) and Picture-in-Picture (PIP) support with PQ enhancement. At home, this technology allows users to stream different sporting events at the same time or video chat with friends and family while watching content together. In the office, these capabilities provide more video conferencing options and allow TVs to display different content streams at the same time. While Pentonic 700 is designed for 120Hz smart TVs, the chipset also supports variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 144Hz to give brands the ability to customize TVs for gaming applications so players can enjoy games without screen tearing and stuttering. Other optimizations for gameplay include HDMI 2.1 Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) to minimize display lag and Dolby Atmos' technology for immersive sound. The key specs of the MediaTek Pentonic 700 include: Resolution support up to 4K at 120Hz and capable of VRR up to 4K at 144Hz for gaming applications. Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail for improved detail with added texture and depth. HDR10+ Adaptive technology to offer optimal viewing experiences based on a room's lighting conditions. MediaTek's AI-PQ Scene Recognition 2.0 to automatically optimize picture quality settings. MediaTek's AI-PQ Object Recognition 2.5 to enhance the depth of view by applying different sharpness, contrast and color between the foreground and background. Built-in hardware video decoding engine supporting HEVC, AV1 and AVS3 standards, along with the latest VVC (H.266) standard, for broadcasters and streaming providers' latest requirements. MediaTek's AI-Super Resolution 2.0 for edge smoothing and detail reconstruction. Support for the latest voice assistant features and smart home device management. The highly integrated design is extremely power-efficient and reduces bill of materials (BOM) costs, while speeding up time to market. Brands can also add on MediaTek's Filogic Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 wireless connectivity solutions to bring 4K smart TVs ultra-fast, reliable connectivity with low latency for the best streaming and cloud gaming experiences. The Pentonic 700 is slated to power mainstream 4K smart TVs as part of MediaTek's broader Pentonic chipset family. With the introduction of this newest chipset, the Pentonic series offers brands a full range of options for premium, high-end and mass market TVs to meet different market needs. Smart TVs powered by Pentonic 700 are expected to be released in Q4 2022. About MediaTek Inc. MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables nearly 2 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD) and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. We work with the brands you love to make great technology accessible to everyone, and it drives everything we do. Visit www.mediatek.com for more information.

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Harmonic Expands Cloud Video Streaming and Simplifies Broadcast Workflows at IBC2022

Harmonic, Inc. | August 18, 2022

Harmonic, Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) announced that it will bring the company's latest cloud-native and on-prem innovations for video streaming and broadcast delivery to IBC2022. At the show, Harmonic will highlight how its advanced solutions are addressing the critical needs of the media and entertainment industry by enabling flawless live sports streaming, targeted advertising at scale, best-in-class VOD and linear streaming, and next-gen broadcast service delivery. "Harmonic is excited to be back at IBC2022 and share the latest innovations for accelerating streaming services and simplifying broadcast workflows,We look forward to showcasing new enhancements to our on-prem appliances, along with expanded SaaS cloud offerings." -Shahar Bar, senior vice president, video products and corporate development at Harmonic. At IBC2022, Harmonic will showcase: The market-leading VOS®360 SaaS platform for a range of applications: Live sports streaming: Stream secure watermarked live sports events with targeted ads reliably and at scale in UHD HDR. VOD and linear streaming: Deliver outstanding VOD and linear streaming experiences with scalable targeted advertising. Free ad-supported TV (FAST): Enable the creation of UHD HDR FAST channels. Broadcast: Deploy complex broadcast workflows with full support for playout, branding, statistical multiplexing and affiliate distribution in the cloud. New applications for XOS Advanced Media Processor and Spectrum™ X Advanced Media Server: Targeted advertising for broadcasters: Unlock new revenue streams with DVB-TA support. Edge media processing: Take media processing and distribution to the next level with the new generation of software-based edge devices. Distribution of DVB-T/T2 signals: Optimize DTT distribution with a new DVB-SIS (single illumination system) offering. Extended video-over-IP capabilities: Expand video-over-IP possibilities with NDI for production and playout workflows. Innovative Demonstrations with Partners Throughout the IBC2022 show floor, Harmonic will also highlight key collaborations with industry leaders that further strengthen its video streaming and broadcast offerings: Microsoft Azure (stand 1.D25) and AWS (stand 5.C80) cloud support on the VOS360 SaaS platform. New watermarking-as-a-service capabilities for live sports events and premium live content integrated on the VOS360 SaaS platform with anti-piracy solutions from Viaccess-Orca (stand 1.A51) and NAGRA (stand 1.C81). Streamlined targeted advertising for live broadcasting, VOD and FAST through integration between the VOS360 SaaS platform and solutions from Viaccess-Orca (stand 1.A51) and Equativ (stand 5.F62). FAST UHD HDR channel delivery on LG Channels platform. Hybrid on-premises and in-the-cloud channel origination with Harmonic's VOS360 SaaS platform and Spectrum™ X media servers controlled by Aveco's ASTRA MCR (stand 2.B18) and SGT VEDA automation (stand 2.C58). Must-See Conference Session Harmonic will bring its thought leadership to the IBC Conference 2022 with "Exploring the Benefits of Dynamic Resolution Encoding and Support in DVB Standards." Xavier Ducloux, Harmonic's senior marketing innovation manager, will join industry experts during the technical paper session on "Advances in Video Coding" Sept. 10 at 12:15 pm. About Harmonic Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized cable access and video delivery solutions, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality video streaming and broadcast services to consumers globally. The company revolutionized cable access networking via the industry's first virtualized cable access solution, enabling cable operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit internet service to consumers' homes and mobile devices. Whether simplifying OTT video delivery via innovative cloud and software platforms or powering the delivery of gigabit internet cable services, Harmonic is changing the way media companies and service providers monetize live and on-demand content on every screen. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

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