Comcast Tests Live TV On Tablets With 'AnyPlay' Box In Denver, Nashville
MSO Using Motorola Device That Transcodes Cable TV for Multiscreen Delivery
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 1/10/2012 2:42:16 PM
Away from the multiscreen hype at CES, Comcast announced that it is conducting a trial of its AnyPlay device developed by Motorola -- which transcodes live TV content for wireless delivery to tablets and other displays -- in Denver and Nashville, Tenn.
The AnyPlay device is currently available to Xfinity HD triple-play customers in areas of Denver and Nashville at no additional charge. "If you don't live in Nashville or Denver, don't worry, as we plan to add more markets in the coming months," Mark Hess, Comcast's senior vice president of video product development, wrote in a blog post Tuesday announcing the trial.
AnyPlay currently lets subscribers watch channels included in their linear channel subscription through the Xfinity TV app on Apple's iPad over in-home Wi-Fi, with support coming soon for the Motorola Xoom tablet. "So as long as your tablet is within range of the home wireless router, you can turn it into another television screen," Hess wrote.
Comcast and Motorola demonstrated the AnyPlay device (which Motorola calls "Televation") at the 2011 Cable Show last summer. Previously, AnyPlay was the name of a portable DVR developed with Panasonic, which the MSO never launched.
In addition to AnyPlay, the Xfinity TV app offers 8,000 hours of on-demand movies and TV shows available for no extra charge to Comcast video subscribers that can be watched both inside and outside of the home. Soon, Hess added, "we'll be bringing on demand content to even more devices, such as the Xbox 360 and Samsung connected TVs."
Motorola's Televation has a 1 GHz tuner and an Ethernet jack to plug directly into the home Wi-Fi router. To keep the programming secure while it is being streamed, and to preserve the digital rights associated with the program, the device uses Motorola's SecureMedia IPRM-HN technology, which has been approved by both CableLabs and the DTLA (Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator).
Other pay TV providers that offer live TV on tablets include Cablevision Systems, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks -- which stream the content over IP to subscribers' homes -- as well as DirecTV and Dish, through its Slingbox-enabled set-tops.
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