The Connected World This Year’S Consumer Electronics Show Ushered in a World Where Everything Is Connected

Home , Common Interface, Sigma Designs

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW The Connected World This year’s Consumer Electronics Show ushered in a world where everything is connected – at very high speeds.

A BBP Staff Report

he International Consumer Elec- tronics Show (CES), traditionally Home networking, online T the biggest technology fest of them all, bounced back to prerecession entertainment, smart homes and attendance levels in 2011. More than 140,000 attendees (including 30,000 more will be discussed at the international attendees from 80 coun- Broadband Properties Summit. tries) and 2,700 exhibitors traveled to Las Vegas in January to see or demonstrate more than 20,000 new products. The event generated so much buzz – in- egories will blur. A tablet is essentially their cellular networks (4G as well as cluding an astonishing 158,000 tweets – a large smart phone (or, conversely, a 3G), homes may become the preferred that the convention center’s technology smart phone is a small tablet). locations for users to use apps and down- load content to their mobile devices. provider, Smart City Networks, had to This magazine has not devoted much Sales of smart phones and tablets are up the bandwidth at the center from 1 coverage to mobile devices, not because slated to skyrocket in the next few years; Gbps to 4 Gbps. they aren’t important, but because they Yankee Group forecasts 168 million tab- For Broadband Properties readers, weren’t particularly relevant to property lets sold in 2014, and In-Stat forecasts we will zoom past the electric cars and networks. After all, they were for mobil- 850 million smart phones sold in 2015. These devices are now poised to become a drain on home wireline bandwidth. More and more mobile devices access the Internet TVs Get Smart via wireline connections. Soon, every home will Consumers want choice. Specifically, they want whatever isn’t on the menu have a smart phone or tablet – or a few of each. of programming choices presented by their video providers. Despite many un- certainties about connected TVs – can the guitar-training software to zero in ity – they were taken out of properties. they keep up with technology changes, on the trends that affect demand for Even used inside buildings, they de- will they support new apps, will Inter- broadband and video services in homes pended largely on the cellular network net content continue to be available and and businesses. for signals. affordable – consumers seem to like the All that has changed. The power, additional choices they offer. Wireless Is the New Wired ease of use and sheer attractiveness of The NPD Group, a market research Even though the first and leading tablet firm, surveyed owners of connected TVs today’s mobile devices tempt consumers computer, the iPad, was absent from the and found that nearly half accessed Net- to use them at home as much as on the show – Apple never attends CES – more flix, YouTube, Hulu and other Internet go – and to rely on them for far more than 80 other tablets were demonstrated services. Of that group, more than half there, as were many LTE smart phones. than voice calling. called themselves very satisfied with the Most new smart phones now have Inside the home (and outside, too – products. The NPD Group thinks even Wi-Fi connectivity, just as many new but that’s another story), mobile devices more consumers would be satisfied if tablets have cellular connectivity. As increasingly communicate via Wi-Fi or manufacturers integrated Wi-Fi into tablets and smart phones run the same femtocell connections to wireline broad- their televisions. apps over the same networks, the dis- band. And as wireless providers impose According to the NPD Group, tinction between these two device cat- ever more stringent caps on the use of connected TVs account for nearly 12

48 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

LG Electronics showcased Smart CES Sighting: Speakal Hybrid TV products featuring a simplified Phone/Computer home dashboard in addition to the “magic motion” remote control. Its It’s a phone. It’s a PC. It’s … a Speakal. The Smart TV has apps (of course) but also new Speakal BTS8 is an office phone sys- includes a full Web browser – no walled tem that doubles as a notebook com- garden for LG, apparently. puter. Users can manage and record VIZIO will integrate cloud-based phone calls, answer e-mails, video gaming services from OnLive directly chat, fax, text message, manage con- into its HDTVs, tablets, phones and Blu- tacts and calendar, play media and ray players. New games will be available surf the Web. Best of all, it uses only for instant play with the flick of a remote, about 10 percent of the power a PC does. with no console, discs or downloads re- quired; a gamer can transfer a game from percent of all flat-panel TVs sold today. Another research firm, Parks Associates, Smart TVs are getting smarter. Some have giant forecasts enormous growth in this market, with about 180 million connected Netflix buttons on their remote controls, while TVs sold in 2015. Buoyed by such findings, CE manu- others integrate gaming or full Web browsers. facturers showed many connected TVs with bells and whistles that promise to redefine, reinvent or re-create the tele- interfaces. Content options are finally one device to the next. Games will be vision experience. Remote controls for catching up to the hardware innovations, available at up to full 1080p HDTV in many will feature a prominent Netflix and growing libraries of on-demand 3D with 5.1 surround sound. button, some with the iconic red Netflix movies and TV ... are starting to unlock Platforms for Connected TVs logo. Motion-sensing remote controls the potential of connected TV devices as are also being touted as the solution to multifunction online entertainment and What makes a TV smart? Primarily, the TV information overload. For example, communications platforms.” software platform that integrates Inter- Hillcrest Labs showed the Freespace Scherf adds, “Today’s pay-TV pro- net-based services with traditional TV MotionEngine, a low-cost, embedded viders will embrace the delivery of man- services. Platform developers are still motion-control system, and LG Elec- aged video services to connected-TV de- trying to find the right balance between tronics showed a “magic motion” re- vices to differentiate, increase customer ease of use and content choice. Google mote control that lets users wave, click, satisfaction, lower capital expenditures TV, the platform that has received the drag and drop. by deploying fewer set-top boxes and most attention in recent months, failed Kurt Scherf, VP and principal ana- reach new bases of customers.” to appear at CES – Google decided it lyst at Parks Associates, was impressed Sony showed 22 new BRAVIA wasn’t ready for prime time – although by the new crop of televisions, saying, models that feature “seamless Internet a number of vendors showed products “The market has reached the fourth gen- connectivity” to more than 40 Internet- designed for Google TV, including eration of connected TVs, and all major based video and music services (the mSpot’s movie and music services. manufacturers are debuting new models walled garden is still with us, evidently, New or upgraded platforms seen at at CES with innovations in content ag- though there’s evidence to show that’s the show included Yahoo!’s widely used gregation, apps development and user what consumers want on TV). Connected TV, which has been en- Samsung is working with service hanced to allow interactive apps – click providers Time Warner Cable and to purchase, click to vote a character off Comcast to add TV applications that a show, click to find a dealer list for an connect directly to their services from advertised product. Yahoo! is collaborat- smart TVs and tablets, facilitating their ing on a pilot program with major con- TV Everywhere–type offerings. Sam- tent providers and advertisers. sung also announced that its connected- Cisco entered the market with Vid- TV app store has exceeded 2 million eoscape, a platform marketed to ser- downloads. The store, available in 120 vice providers. In addition to software countries, features nearly 400 apps, designed to run on in-home media about two-thirds of them free. gateways, TVs, set-top boxes and other

January/February 2011 | www.broadbandproperties.com | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | 49 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

streaming infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure. Octoshape’s cloud solution lets service providers The company said Cloudmass “rewrites deliver Internet content economically without the economics for traditional streaming infrastructure for which the capacity bringing down their networks. needs to be negotiated, planned and re- served in advance.” Connected Set-Top consumer devices, Videoscape includes Ajax-CE middleware used on its VI- Boxes and other devices a cloud-based content management suite ERA Cast/VIERA Connect Internet Because set-top boxes and stand-alone and subscriber management software for TV service, and ACCESS will extend “companion boxes” can be replaced or service providers. It also integrates Cis- the middleware to provide a platform upgraded less expensively than high-end co’s Umi home telepresence technology. for TV and set-top box manufacturers televisions, they may be more appropri- Cisco said Videoscape will allow and content providers. ate than televisions as locations for the service providers to guarantee quality Can service providers continue smarts in smart TV. of service; create new revenue streams to deliver Internet video and gaming Research firm Strategy Analytics based on application delivery, home economically without bringing down found that, in evaluating such devices telepresence and in-video e-commerce; their networks? Copenhagen-based today, consumers are most concerned and offer services outside their own net- Octoshape ApS has an answer: Cloud- with high-quality streaming capabili- works. (See TV Untethered: Is the Ser- mass, a cloud-based content delivery ties and with the amount of content and vice Area Obsolete? in the November- service that can auto-provision network number of services available. However, December 2010 issue of BBP.) resources based on audience demand. many of the devices shown at CES offer Panasonic is collaborating with AC- Cloudmass aggregates the resources new capabilities, and users’ criteria may change by next year. CESS on an open platform for Internet of cloud service providers to dynami- Stand-alone devices, now mostly TV services. Panasonic will provide the cally create an enormous, global cloud priced in the $100 to $200 range, are popular with consumers who don’t want to wait for service providers’ connected April 26 – 28, 2011 set-top boxes – and with service providers that want to add connectivity with- InterContinental out replacing their set-top boxes. Hotel – Dallas For example, Amino Communica- tions launched a companion box that Addison, Texas lets cable and satellite operators add The Leading Conference on Broadband Technologies and Services over-the-top functionality to established offerings. The new device, called the Broadband Properties Freedom Jump, connects to a primary Magazine set-top box via HDMI and complements it by offering access to Internet content Congratulates and services. A wireless option enables the newest sponsors and exhibitors joining the connectivity to content from other net- 2011 Broadband Properties Summit. worked devices in the home, and game Access Media 3 Mesh Networks Sonora Design controllers can be added via Bluetooth. Associates Amino CEO Andrew Burke said, Allied Telesis OHIvey Televes USA Ltd. “Initial feedback from operators has been Connexion Primex very positive. They want OTT function- Technologies Radiant Transparent Video ality to meet changing viewing habits – Systems COS Systems Communications and counter cord-cutting – but also a Ericsson RL Drake VideoPropulsion companion device that blends seamlessly G4S Technology Walker & Associates with their own user interface and branded customer experience. The Freedom Jump TAKE ACTION today and secure your participation! minimizes costly product change-outs, To Exhibit or Sponsor, contact: Irene Prescott at whilst at the same time offering a new [email protected], or call 505-867-2668. layer of content to customers.”

For other inquiries, call 877-588-1649, or visit www.bbpmag.com. Samsung also unveiled a companion box as well as a new Blu-ray player

50 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW that supports Google TV. A special Google TV remote control provides a CES Sighting: netTALK TV full QWERTY keypad and a built-in microphone for voice search. netTALK.COM, a competitive local exchange Microsoft’s new operating system carrier that specializes in selling low-cost for connected media devices was fea- telephone service, entered the low- tured in products shown by companies cost television market with the net- that included Haier, Reycom, Prime TALK TV. A sleek, Wi-Fi–enabled Time, Acer Gateway and Evolve Me- digital video device, the netTALK TV dia. Reycom presented a Windows- can be used to purchase à la carte TV based, hybrid set-top box supporting channels – both standard- and high- time-shifting and Internet access, while definition – from netTALK. The device is U.K.-based Evolve announced a new designed as a simple, plug-and-play solution with embedded software platform, PRIME, connectivity options that include HDMI Out, S Video Out, Composite Video, built on Windows Embedded Standard Ethernet and Wi-Fi. 7 technologies. PRIME powers a whole range of devices made by Evolve. Microsoft also enhanced its Kinect Panasonic’s VIERA Tablet, to be simultaneously without adversely affect- game controller to serve as a remote launched later this year, reflects a dual- ing performance. (With today’s proces- control for entertainment delivered screen approach similar to Technicol- sors, running multiple applications at through the Xbox 360 game console. or’s. Panasonic says this tablet-type ter- the same time can cause pixelation on This spring, Xbox LIVE Gold subscrib- minal with a small, touch-screen LCD the screen.) Finally, the processor has ers will be able to use Kinect for Netf- display will create “a whole new viewing full 3D capabilities – that is, it can run lix and Hulu Plus – pausing, rewinding style,” making it easy to use cloud-based full HD 3D content for each eye – and it and fast-forwarding movies with voice video services. The tablet will also work also supports earlier 3D formats. commands or gestures. as a subscreen for displaying images and Intel introduced new second-gener- Boxee, maker of the Boxee platform, information related to the images shown ation core processors designed to play said it will be able to provide new and on the connected television. Panasonic content in full high definition and wire- old CBS programs to its users starting envisions users watching online video lessly beam HD content to a TV. later this year. (CBS and other major on the tablet, using it as a TV remote More important, the processors’ se- for the big screen, viewing sports scenes curity features (not digital-rights man- TV content providers have balked at al- from secondary angles, chatting with agement, Intel says) may encourage lowing Google TV to use their program- friends while watching TV, and shop- earlier release of movies in full high- ming.) Users of the Boxee Box, which is ping online for items shown on the TV. definition format. Kevin Tsujihara, made by D-Link, will also soon have president of Warner Home Entertain- access to the VUDU movie service; still The Next Generation ment Group, explained, “Warner Bros. in development, but available at CES Chipsets for the future generation of sees the PC as one of the most broadly for “sneak peeks,” was a Boxee for iPad connected media devices were also on available and versatile platforms for de- app that will allow a user to either watch view at CES: livering premium digital entertainment, videos on an iPad or select videos on an Sigma Designs’ new media proces- and now that Intel has made it more se- iPad and stream them to the Boxee box sor, the SMP8910, includes postprocess- cure, we’re able to provide new releases to watch on TV. ing technology that has been used for and popular catalog titles in full HD to Technicolor launched the Media several years in high-end applications the PC through our WBShop storefront Navi cloud-based, multiscreen content such as Cisco TelePresence and digi- and from partners like CinemaNow platform for cable, telco, and satellite tal cinemas. This technology cleans up on the same day as DVD and Blu-ray providers. MediaNavi operates on tab- video images sufficiently to achieve high releases.” lets, set-top boxes and other devices, resolution even on giant screens. Sigma Chip-maker Broadcom announced presenting search-related data on the merged it into a standard media proces- nine new set-top box solutions for the smaller device and the programming sor, which, in the words of marketing di- next-generation 3DTV Internet-con- itself on the TV. Technicolor is part- rector Michael Weissman, will “deliver nected home. nering with British provider TalkTalk the first studio-grade set-top box ever to trial MediaNavi on tablets as a per- built” – one that will make any video Is 3D video a Bandwidth Hog? sonalized, enriched second-screen video image, at any resolution, look better. CES 2010 was supposed to have experience. The two companies are also The SMP8910 has enough process- ushered in the “Year of 3D Video.” working together on integrating Media ing power to handle both set-top box ap- The technology didn’t take off quite Navi into TalkTalk’s set-top-boxes. plications and over-the-top applications as fast as enthusiasts had hoped it

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devices. “LG sees tremendous growth How much bandwidth does 3D programming potential in the 3D mobile display market,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president require? Today, good 3D picture quality and CEO of LG Mobile Communica- tions. Making 3D glasses a thing of the takes a lot of bandwidth. In the future, that past, LG’s display uses an applied paral- may no longer be the case. lax barrier technology, which delivers a series of light-blocking slits attached to the front of the LCD panel. The slits, or barriers, ensure that each eye sees a would, but it hasn’t fizzled out, either; HD 3D and save considerable band- different image, creating an illusion of vendors returned in 2011 with plenty of width over current frame-compatible, depth and a convincing 3D effect. new 3D offerings, all marketed with this half-resolution solutions. We do this by LG drastically reduced cross talk year’s buzzword, “immersive.” providing a single, highly compressed with straighter, more upright barriers A year ago, vendors and analysts and correlated broadcast stream that can that are precisely aligned to the LCD were arguing about how much band- serve both the rapidly growing number panel. This means not only smoother, width 3D programming would require. of new 3D users in Full HD per view as brighter, cross-talk-free images but also For today, this seems to be the answer: well as the current base of 2D legacy us- a wider viewing angle than on previous Good 3D picture quality requires a lot ers. Our system provides higher quality parallax displays. of bandwidth. and compatibility at a lower cost.” Consumers purchasing Samsung Full HD 3D transmission – the TDVision’s encoding system takes 3DTVs this year will get a bonus: ex- best picture quality available today – advantage of the redundancies between clusive access to two of DreamWorks was demonstrated at CES on a Pana- the two stereoscopic views. The similari- Animation’s new 3D Blu-ray titles. The sonic Blu-ray 3D player connected to ties between the two views are removed, two companies are teaming up for R&D Verizon’s FiOS TV service. Engineers and only the differences are compressed. and for other, similar comarketing ini- from the two companies developed the This compressed difference, or delta, tiatives. The two companies are also network, software and user-interface is stored in the video stream along with working on a streaming 3D VoD service enhancements that made Full HD 3D one of the views as the 2D version so for DreamWorks Animation trailers and possible over the bandwidth-rich FiOS that the decoders can retrieve the 2D promotions. service. version and the delta to reconstruct the Subscription movie service VUDU Unlike some competing technolo- full 3D stereoscopic video. is now streaming 3D movies to new HD gies, Full HD 3D preserves the com- This opens the door for a single televisions and Blu-ray disc players made plete 1080p picture resolution. Other broadcast stream that can be seen by all by FUNAI (Magnavox, Sylvania), LG solutions degrade the 3D image, typi- existing cable, satellite and over-the-air Electronics, Mitsubishi, Philips, Sam- cally reducing resolution by half. In a users “in Full HD 3D where available.” sung, Toshiba and VIZIO, as well as to demonstration, FiOS engineers showed TDVision Systems has partnered with a selection of 3D content streaming to chipset manufacturers to implement the the PlayStation entertainment system a Panasonic Full HD Blu-ray 3D Disc 2D+Delta encoding methodology. and Boxee media software. player at bit rates of up to 18 Mbps. Veri- “The biggest obstacle for the 3D zon points out that it has the bandwidth New 3D Offerings market in the home in the past was the headroom to accommodate consumer Toshiba showed 3D LED TVs featur- lack of 3D content ... buyers just weren’t demand for such new technologies. ing several enhancements to picture interested in a feature they couldn’t However, in the future, 3D video quality. The product line includes both use,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst may not require so much bandwidth. active and passive 3D in a variety of for Enderle Group. “VUDU’s delivering Sigma Designs’ SMP8910 chipset, dis- screen sizes. 3D streaming content directly addresses cussed in the previous section, supports The televisions can convert 2D this challenge.” Full HD 3D at relatively low band- programming (even home videos) and SENSIO Technologies also ad- widths, based on its decoding and post- games to 3D, upgrade 3D sources that dressed the shortage of 3D content by processing algorithms. are not native full high definition and re-encoding a collection of independent TDVision Systems is also working mitigate cross-talk ghosting in active movies, documentaries and blockbust- on technologies that have the poten- 3D pictures. Toshiba also demonstrated ers in its Hi-Fi 3D format. The content tial to conserve bandwidth in deliver- glasses-free 3DTV, although it has not will be distributed through the popular ing Full HD 3D. Manuel R. Gutierrez yet announced any products using this VoD platform RoxioNow. Manufactur- Novelo, CEO of TDVision Systems, technology. ers of Internet-connected devices that explained, “With our 2D+Delta Service LG Electronics showcased a 4.3- incorporate the Hi-Fi 3D decoder will Compatible System, we provide Full inch, glasses-free 3D display for mobile be able to offer this 3D library.

52 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

SENSIO also unveiled the S2D Switch, which enables a 3D video stream to be displayed in 2D (left or right eye). When there are more viewers than there are 3D glasses, the S2D Switch allows the entire group to enjoy watching 3D content in HD 2D. Home Networking: the Search for a Universal Standard Some of the hardest-fought and most confusing standards wars center on home networking. Even though home networks aren’t part of access networks, they are critical to delivering the services provided over access networks; service providers can’t sell advanced services to subscribers unless they can deliver the services to subscribers’ devices. The huge disparity in conditions and types of home wiring, along with the ex- pense of installing home networks, has led to a proliferation of home networking standards and methods. Chano Gomez, director of business Wireless Streaming Service providers have several goals development for home networking at Consumers have been setting up infor home networking beyond ensuring Lantiq North America, said that G.hn, home wireless networks ever since lap- they can deliver their services: avoid- somewhat surprisingly, has attracted in- top computers became popular. How- ing installing new wiring, minimizing terest from smaller providers for use in ever, early wireless technologies had (or even eliminating) service installa- in-building networks. limited capabilities, and the primary use tion time, minimizing ongoing support In a fiber-connected MDU where for in-home wireless networks was shar- costs, minimizing the number of tech- today an optical aggregation switch, a ing broadband modems. nologies supported and avoiding reli- VRAD or a similar device distributes Today, faster and more robust wire- ance on a single vendor. Although the signals to individual units over copper, less technologies, the proliferation of relative importance of these goals can a provider might install a G.hn gateway wireless devices and the growing interest vary, the ideal home networking tech- instead – exactly the same device used in sharing content among devices have nology is one that supports every kind in a living unit. Because of competition transformed the in-home wireless land- of physical medium, delivers flawless among G.hn vendors and economies of scape. To the extent that wireless can service at infinitely high speeds, is sim- scale due to adoption by large telcos, a handle multimedia content streaming in ple to install and is supported by many G.hn gateway is likely to cost far less than the home, it is the lowest-cost solution silicon vendors. these alternative devices while providing in many cases. To date, the closest approximation bandwidth of up to 1 Gbps to each unit. A sampling of how wireless is being to this holy grail is G.hn, a standard The Institute of Electrical and Elec- used to transfer content inside the home adopted last year by the International tronics Engineers (IEEE) recently began includes the following: Telecommunication Union (ITU), a work on an alternative approach – IEEE Chip-maker Ralink showcased peer- U.N. agency. Major telcos around the P1905.1, Convergent Digital Home world, including AT&T in the United to-peer wireless connectivity and video States, plan to use G.hn technology. Network for Heterogeneous Technolo- streaming technologies, including Wi- The first G.hn home networking chips, gies. The IEEE’s approach is less ambi- Di (which can push content from PCs which support networking over copper, tious than the ITU’s; P1905.1 won’t to TVs), PC-centric 1x1 802.11n Wi-Fi coax and powerline at very high speeds, provide integration at the physical level. combined with Bluetooth 3.0+HS on a were shown at CES by Sigma Designs Rather, operating at a higher network single chip, and 3x3 MIMO solutions and Lantiq; at least six other vendors layer, it will provide a common software with OptiLink technology for transmit- are working on G.hn chips. G.hn-based interface to multiple home networking ting high-definition video throughout devices could be available as early as the technologies. It promises to simplify the home. second quarter of 2011, although they configuration and security for home Cavium Networks showed its will probably take longer to be officially networking, but it will not provide PureVu video processors, which enable certified as compliant. G.hn’s other advantages. wireless transmission of full HD video

January/February 2011 | www.broadbandproperties.com | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | 53 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

Service Providers Adopt Remote-Management technology for Home Networks As service providers become responsible for more de- Devices can be configured to check for updates, or HDM vices in customers’ homes – residential gateways, set- can push updates to managed devices. top boxes, VoIP adapters, femtocell access points and For troubleshooting, help desk technicians no longer others – they need to manage and troubleshoot home ask users to log onto malfunctioning devices and report networks without sending technicians out into the field. their settings; technicians can see the settings them- The Broadband Forum TR-069 protocol is now widely selves and correct them remotely. Help desk training is used for remote configuration and management, and reduced because all devices are addressed through a several vendors have built tool kits based on that proto- common interface. col to help service providers. Active management really shines in the most dif- One of those vendors, Alcatel-Lucent subsidiary ficult situations. Geller cited instances in which service Motive, ended 2010 with more than 50 million devices under management by its Home Device Manager (HDM), providers discovered glitches in the firmware of installed up from just 10 million two years earlier. Eighty-five ser- CPE devices. To avoid security risks, they might have dis- vice providers worldwide have deployed HDM; one of patched a technician to every subscriber or asked sub- them reported savings of $10 million through reduced scribers to install the firmware patch themselves. With customer support calls and technician costs. HDM, they downloaded the security patch automati- Simplifying remote device management doesn’t cally – and quickly. just save support costs; it also allows service providers Though TR-069 was originally developed for tele- to deploy new services faster and increases customers’ phone companies (cable companies use DOCSIS for con- uptake of services by increasing their confidence about figuration), Geller said cable companies were also begin- them. ning to demonstrate interest in it. “As cable companies In the last few years, according to Ben Geller, senior get to all-IP networks, they’re seeing a greater need to director of product marketing at Motive, most large bring devices under active management,” he said. service providers have stopped purchasing customer- Geller also said new uses for remote management premises equipment (CPE) that does not interoperate were appearing on the horizon. One is configuration with a device management product. He said, “We’ve of devices owned by consumers – for example, setting gotten to the stage where it’s part of the bill of materials up connected TVs to access Netflix. A second new use is for CPE. When we get into new areas such as femtocells, managing applications on connected consumer devices the manufacturers recognize that device management is table stakes. They want to walk in the door before throughout their life cycles – for example, downloading meeting with the service providers and say that their and troubleshooting new versions of platform software. devices are manageable.” Geller said, “We’re talking to our customers about home When a technician connects a managed device such management, energy management, home monitoring as a residential gateway to power and data networks, and security, partnerships with electronic health, trans- the device self-installs and connects to HDM, which porting vital health statistics. … We definitely see the configures it. “The user doesn’t do anything,” Geller ex- [service provider–owned] CPE as a logical place to run plained. “It’s zero-touch. The user is ready to go online.” applications from.” from gaming consoles, Blu-ray play- box that can wirelessly bridge home gate- all-in-one digital home platform. This ers and other CE devices to HDTV ways and access points to gaming con- will enable wireless multimedia appli- displays in real time. These processors soles, set-top boxes, media streamers and cations such as HD pay-IPTV content can also transmit data and video from digital TVs, enabling wireless, whole- streaming, OTT video distribution, PCs to external displays, monitors and home HD entertainment networking. VoIP, multiplayer gaming and Internet projectors. Celeno’s OptimizAIR technol- surfing by using 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz Blackfire Researchwill use Cavium ogy achieves consistent throughput frequencies concurrently. processors to deliver its SuperStreamHD throughout the house and through mul- technology, which lets computers and tiple walls for the simultaneous stream- BridgeCo announced that its Juke- smart phones deliver music to the stereo ing of up to eight flicker-free 1080p HD Blox streaming music platform would via Wi-Fi. resolution video streams. now be available on a Wi-Fi media mod- ZyXEL is using Celeno’s Wi-Fi tech- Technicolor will also use Celeno ule, which will lower its bill-of-material nology to power a new media streaming Wi-Fi technology for its MediaEncore costs by 25 percent and reduce its size by

54 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

50 percent. BridgeCo says virtually every major home audio brand is “looking With the new Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, to bring these improvements and price points to the market in 2011.” a user can make a Skype high-definition Altec Lansing introduced a Blue- tooth wireless speaker, the inMotion Air, video call from almost any HDTV. which will allow consumers to stream music wirelessly from their iPhones, iPads, or other Bluetooth A2DP–com- consumers don’t have to manage all the entertainment on tablets, handheld de- patible media devices in full hi-fi sound cabling and communication and storage vices, TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray quality. The inMotion Air comes with a devices. players connected via Wi-Fi. remote that controls the main functions Entropic Communications and Videoconferencing of iTunes, Windows Media Player and Actiontec Electronics are partner- many other popular music players and ing to develop new broadband routers Last year, Skype made headlines with delivers up to seven hours of playing based on Entropic’s Multimedia over its introduction of high-definition, time across a range of up to 100 meters. Coax (MoCA) 2.0 solution. The two large-screen video calls – a feature that DisplayLink launched an appli- companies previously delivered MoCA is now supported on some Panasonic cation for Windows PC users to wire- 1.0/1.1–enabled broadband routers, and Samsung televisions. At CES 2011, lessly connect an iPad to a PC and use which distribute broadband data over Panasonic said it would also support the iPad screen as a secondary display. home networks and enable multiroom Skype voice and video calling on its new Leveraging the idle screen of the iPad DVR/VoD service. MoCA 2.0-enabled VIERA Cast–enabled Blu-ray Disc while computing lets PC users avoid broadband routers will deliver faster tiers players. Callers can even leave video having to constantly switch views. of Internet access speeds, support more messages on the Blu-ray players. Add- Samsung introduced the Mobile simultaneous HD and 3D video streams ing Skype to these Blu-ray players will Print app, its first application for print- and deploy new network architectures. increase the market for the video calling ing from Android and iOS mobile de- Cavium showed ECONA dual-core service by allowing consumers to make vices to Samsung wireless printers. The ARM11 processors for fiber-to-the-home Skype calls on nearly any HDTV. app detects and connects to nearby broadband gateways. ECONA proces- Skype also launched group video Samsung wireless printers via Wi-Fi or sors support content inspection applica- calling for both consumers and enter- a network link. Ken Colby, director of tions and dual-band, high-performance prises as part of its new premium pack- printer marketing at Samsung Electron- 802.11n radios and can provide qual- age. The feature, which connects groups ics Enterprise Business Division, said ity of service for voice, video, data and of up to 10 people, is available as a day the app answered “a very real need for mobility. pass or a monthly subscription. The today’s smart-phone-centric lifestyle.” Ubicom announced the general benefits for businesses are evident, but availability of its StreamEngine auto- Skype cited interesting consumer uses as Residential Gateways matic quality of service (QoS) tech- well: A Spanish family was reunited after Service providers rely on residential nology, which has been enhanced for six years apart, and the Global Learning gateways – the links between home net- streaming video and other media. Exchange brought together classrooms works and access networks – to support Streaming video, audio and online gam- from Singapore and Bakersfield, Calif. home networks. New residential gate- ing have special requirements for latency Vidyo demonstrated its high-defini- ways shown at CES have more intelli- and real-time bandwidth. Though most tion, multipoint videoconferencing so- gence built in than ever before. Internet traffic is bursty, streaming lution, VidyoConferencing, which con- Alcatel-Lucent won a CES 2011 media requires consistent bandwidth. nects consumer devices, such as laptops, Innovations Design and Engineering StreamEngine prioritizes streaming tablets and smart phones, with enterprise Award for products that combine a resi- video, audio, VoIP and gaming traf- room systems. Vidyo has marketed the dential gateway, application module and fic and deprioritizes applications, such service for two years as a telecommut- activation/auto configuration/manage- as BitTorrent, that tend to consume all ing tool “that extends work productiv- ment device. These products make the available bandwidth. ity tools into the home.” However, Ofer rollout of connected-home services such StreamEngine adapts to available Shapiro, cofounder and CEO of Vidyo, as home media sharing, smart metering bandwidth, the devices in the home said VidyoConferencing was evolving and home automation easier, more flex- network and the types of traffic going into a consumer service: “Today, Vidyo’s ible and more cost-effective. Operators through the network – all without user users are also connecting their PCs and no longer have to ship, deploy and man- input or configuration. This intelligent Macs to TVs in their living rooms and age multiple devices for every subscriber network and traffic management also kitchens to gather the family and inter- (a costly and error-prone process), and works on Wi-Fi networks for wireless act with multiple friends and relatives

January/February 2011 | www.broadbandproperties.com | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | 55 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

actual revenues,” said Ben Piper, direc- CES Sighting: tor in the Strategy Analytics digital consumer practice. “‘Wow’ factor is one Virtual Personal Stylist thing; willingness to pay is a completely The ng Connect Program – a multi-industry consortium working on different matter.” next-generation network applications – showcased Virtual Personal Styl- “Even with a slowly improving econ- ist, which it called a new concept in shopping. Customers can use Vidyo’s omy, subscribers are wary of increas- HD videoconferencing technology to consult in-store personal shoppers ing their monthly spend to the telco and then use TelePresence Tech’s 3D visualization technology to dress up or cable company,” said David Mercer, their avatars in a full-size, networked “mirror” and see how they will look vice president of the Strategy Analytics in selected clothes or makeup. Other technology participants included Vi- digital consumer practice. “We think sionMAX, [TC]2 and Samsung. Through the auspices of fashion magazine the pricing approach to smart-home ap- ELLE, L’Oreal USA and Bloomingdale’s contributed cosmetics, skin care plications needs to focus much more on products and AQUA apparel for the demonstration. demonstrable return on investment to the end user.” Telehealth Telehealth, one of the most widely an- ticipated smart-home applications, was well represented at CES. The Continua Health Alliance demonstrated applications from a number of its member companies, including • A Bluetooth blood pressure cuff and weight scale from A&D • A Bluetooth pulse oximeter from Nonin Medical • A Cypak USB converter cable designed to connect legacy devices to the Continua ecosystem • HealthLink PC managers from companies such as Intel and Lam- prey Networks that turn PCs into home health gateways • Andago’s complete monitoring solution, which collects patient data from a Continua device, sends it to around the world in an HD, highly reli- Smart-Home Applications a Linux mobile phone via Bluetooth able personal telepresence experience. … The coming year will be critical for the and forwards it through the mobile network for analysis by Open Health Vidyo’s solution on mobile devices is cur- development of smart-home applica- Assistant, Andago’s care manage- rently being piloted by a telecom carrier tions in the United States, according to ment platform in Europe, and we believe these services analyst firm Strategy Analytics. • ZyXEL’s Smart Home Gateway will be broadly available to consumers Though fewer than 200,000 Ameri- (SHG), a battery-powered, wire- around the world in 2011.” can households subscribed to smart- less 3G/802.11n platform for health Vidyo’s solution, which is software- home services in 2010, Strategy Ana- monitoring and assisted-living so- based, eliminates the need for a central lytics – drawing on nationwide survey lutions. (An SHG-powered blood multipoint control unit. It adapts easily research and proprietary demand mod- glucose monitoring solution was dis- to nearly any hardware platform, oper- eling – forecasts 3 million U.S. subscrib- played.) ating system or network. The company ers by the end of 2011. • Texas Instruments solutions for said this combination of performance, Strategy Analytics found both high telehealth and telehealth aggregation flexibility and price has led telecom carri- consumer interest in smart-home ap- managers. ers and other partners to deliver new ser- plications and significant barriers to In addition, the largest telehealth vice offerings that weren’t previously pos- their widespread adoption. “For service company, IDEAL LIFE, introduced its sible. The technology is licensed by HP, providers, the most daunting task will Health Tablet, which automatically syncs Hitachi, Teliris, ShoreTel and others. be converting customer excitement into data between health care provider infor-

56 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW mation systems and the health records dow locks, motion sensors, an advanced storage device that provides secure infor- of the patients who use its remote health pan-and-tilt camera and a fixed indoor mation about total household electricity monitoring devices. The tablet also incor- and outdoor camera. use and estimated costs. Nucleus, which porates a secure video communications “What we’ll be testing in these homes is about the size of a phone charger, re- link that lets users connect from home is just the beginning,” said Eric Bruno, lays information from utility smart me- with health coaches and providers. The vice president of product management ters to consumers’ PCs or smart phones. IDEAL LIFE Health Tablet will work on for Verizon. “We’re giving customers a “Currently, consumers have little any cellular network. remote control for their homes that they more than a monthly utility bill to deter- can use to cut CO emissions and their mine what they’re using and spending,” Energy and Home Monitoring 2 energy bills and give them anytime, any- said Dave McCalpin, general manager, Verizon showcased its new home moni- where access and control of their homes. Home Energy Management, GE Appli- toring and control service, which is ex- pected to be available in the first half The concept of the connected home has ances & Lighting. of 2011. Subscribers to this service will been discussed for many years, and now He added, “GE’s Nucleus energy be able to lock their doors remotely; see Verizon’s high-IQ networks are mak- manager with Brillion technology was what’s going on at home via networked ing that concept a reality by converting developed to provide near real-time in- cameras; and set, adjust and control customers’ homes into bandwidth-rich formation for more control over house- lights, smart thermostats and appli- ecosystems that enable a wide variety of hold energy costs and consumption. It ances, all by using a smart phone or customizable options.” serves as the command center for energy- computer or through FiOS TV. Sigma Designs partners 4Home and and cost-conscious homeowners to make Verizon is conducting a pilot pro- Mios demonstrated the ability to run smarter, more informed decisions.” gram for the new service in New Jersey. home control and energy management Texas electric utility Reliant Energy Each home selected for the program will applications from a TV screen, using demonstrated its e-Sense smart energy be outfitted with an energy reader, smart Sigma’s Z-Wave technology. solutions, a suite of new and existing appliance switches and thermostats, a GE introduced its Nucleus energy tools that 175,000 customers now use smart power strip, smart door and win- manager, a communications and data for detailed information about how

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January/February 2011 | www.broadbandproperties.com | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | 57 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

rectly with service teams. Some laundry The connected home isn’t just about consumer appliances and refrigerators will also monitor their own energy use. Consum- electronics gadgets. Every appliance and service ers will be able to control their Kenmore appliances via iPads and smart phones should be easily accessed and managed through and receive alerts when their appliances any touch point in the house. reach certain states – say, when an oven finishes preheating or self-cleaning. LG Electronics’ smart appliances have a number of interesting capabilities: they use electricity at home, for timely through the Control4 system directly to insights about their power use and cost, Sub-Zero and Wolf. • Smart Grid uses a smart meter and to change how they buy and use With the Control4 platform, home- to ensure that appliances use the power. E-Sense is available today to owners will be able to set ice-making minimum amount of energy at the the more than 2.4 million Texans with and other energy-intensive functions to least expensive rates possible, giving smart meters. lower levels at different times of day, be consumers options to balance rates The newest e-Sense product is On- notified when oven preheating is com- against waiting time. line Account Management, which lets plete, view the current oven temperature, • Smart Diagnosis helps customer ser- customers view their usage history by receive alerts when the timer is almost vice representatives troubleshoot me- hour, week and year and compare cur- finished and access meat temperature chanical issues. For minor problems, rent to previous usage. It also projects from the internal meat thermometer. an appliance alerts its owner on the billing amounts for customers and lets Wine storage unit owners will be display panel or, for future models, customers set monthly budgets and re- able to monitor door status and even re- on the owner’s smart phone or tablet ceive weekly alerts. ceive e-mail or text message alerts when PC. E-Sense also includes a time-of-use doors open or close. • Smart Access lets owners monitor plan to help customers shift their usage A number of other appliance manu- and control home appliances from to lower-priced, off-peak times. Later facturers have announced devices with a smart phone or tablet. Consumers this year, Reliant will begin offering the similar functions. For example, GE will soon be able to order HOM- Home Energy Monitor, a portable, wire- introduced a line of appliances that re- BOT robotic vacuum cleaners to less in-home display that will give cus- act to utility price signals from a smart tidy their homes or even feed their tomers real-time information about their meter and delay or reduce usage until pets while they’re out. electricity use and cost. lower-cost, off-peak periods. • Smart Adapt lets consumers upgrade Swann Security debuted its Home GE said that because home appli- appliances via Wi-Fi connections. Wireless Alarm System, an all-in-one kit ances, including heating and cooling, • The Food Management Solution that incorporates motion sensors, door- helps consumers inventory what’s in way sensors, a siren and several controls. account for about 75 percent of total home energy consumption, they are the fridge – even when they’re out “Installation is a breeze,” according to shopping. Swann. The system can be activated and attractive targets for improved energy deactivated remotely, and it gives home- management. HCL Technologies unveiled a plat- owners 30 seconds to get out of the Samsung’s new Wi-Fi–enabled re- form-agnostic home automation gateway house before the alarm goes off. frigerators have LCD screens for easy that allows users to control home appli- access to recipes, weather, calendars, ances from mobile devices. The platform, Controlling Home Appliances family messages, news headlines, photos Aegis, enables interconnectivity between “The connected home isn’t just about and everything else households used to multiple devices linked via Wi-Fi, Zig- consumer electronics gadgets – every ap- use refrigerator magnets for. Bee, DLNA and HomePlug networks, pliance and service should be easily ac- Kenmore’s Connect service will let and HCL said it promises to significantly cessed and managed through any touch washers and dryers communicate di- reduce the price of such systems. BBP point in the house,” said Will West, CEO of Control4. His company announced partnerships with Sub-Zero and Wolf Appli- Home appliances, including heating and cooling, ance to design refrigerators, ovens and account for about 75 percent of total home energy wine storage units that integrate with the Control4 platform. Users of these appli- consumption – which makes them attractive ances will be able to manage and monitor their energy usage and send energy de- targets for improved energy management. ferral requests or general service requests

58 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | January/February 2011