Coda
by Staff -- Multichannel News, 4/20/2009 2:00:00 AM
Breaking the Tru2Way Code
Englewood, Colo. — CableLabs’ forthcoming source-code reference implementation for Tru2way — its specification for advanced interactive TV services — will be based on a code base from OCAP Development LLC, a joint venture of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, the consortium confirmed last week.
The “canonical” version of the Tru2way stack, to be released later this year, is intended to accelerate the development and deployment of devices and applications based on the technology.
CableLabs’ reference implementation is based on a middleware “stack” developed by Vidiom Systems under contract with OCAP Development LLC, which was formed by Comcast and Time Warner Cable in 2004. The founders of Vidiom last fall purchased key assets from Vidiom and its parent company, set-top manufacturer Advanced Digital Broadcast, to form a new company, EnableTV.
CableLabs plans to publicly launch the reference implementation under both a free open-source license and a commercial license.
The consortium has been planning to issue a reference implementation for Tru2way — also known as the OpenCable Application Platform — for about two years.
Separately, CableLabs certified the first equipment for PacketCable 2.0, a set of specifications that enables real-time applications such as voice and multimedia over DOCSIS networks. The two devices — embedded digital voice adapters from Ubee Interactive and Thomson — were OK’d in CableLabs’ recently completed Certification Wave 65.
The PacketCable 2.0 core service architecture is based on common standards technologies such as the IP Multimedia System (IMS) and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
“This success marks a milestone for our industry’s efforts to offer consumers new services,” Comcast chief technology office Tony Werner said in a statement.
— Todd Spangler
Executive Change at SeaChange
Acton, Mass. — SeaChange International has hired Ed Dunbar, previously general manager of Comcast’s Atlanta region, in the newly created role of president and chief operating officer.
Dunbar reports to Bill Styslinger, founder, CEO and chairman of SeaChange.
Before Dunbar was tapped to run Comcast Cable’s Atlanta operations in 2007, he served for five years as a vice president in Comcast Spotlight, the operator’s national advertising division. At Spotlight, he contributed to the integration of the operations of acquired cable systems, created cable-advertising interconnects and headed up VOD and addressable-advertising initiatives.
“We’re delighted that Ed has joined SeaChange at such an important time in our history,” Styslinger said in a statement. “Ed’s extensive experience with the world’s largest VOD operator will serve SeaChange immensely as we look to harness the growth in VOD worldwide.”
Dunbar also has been corporate vice president for MediaOne and was general manager of Cable Advertising of Metro Atlanta.
— Todd Spangler
Midcontinent Chairman Bentson Dies at 87
Minneapolis — Midcontinent Communications board chairman N. Lawrence “Larry” Bentson died April 12 at age 87. The company said he had battled cancer.
Bentson, of St. Paul, Minn., began his broadcast career as a 12-year-old actor. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned to the Twin Cities and built WMIN-TV, Channel 11.
He became one of the founding partners of what ultimately became Midcontinent Media with Eddie Ruben and Joe L. Floyd.
The Ruben, Floyd, and Bentson partnership went on to build TV stations in South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin; buy and operate radio stations in the upper Midwest; build and acquire cable television systems in the Dakotas and Minnesota; and upgrade those systems to provide voice, video and data services.
WorldGate CEO Krisbergh Resigns
Trevose, Pa. — Video-phone manufacturer WorldGate Communications said CEO Harold Krisbergh has resigned.
His departure comes after telecommunications services provider ACN acquired a controlling interest in WorldGate last December, and said it would buy more than $50 million worth of WorldGate’s video phones over two years.
In addition, WorldGate general counsel Randall Gort has resigned his position.
ACN and WorldGate chairman Robert Stevanovski said that a new WorldGate management team should be announced in the next 30 days.
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