Cable TV Conventions

WASHINGTON — Rural Media Group said it has gained more than 1 million homes for FamilyNet via the channel’s launch on the digital basic tier on Bright House Networks in the Tampa, Central Florida, Indianapolis and Detroit service areas.

RMG said the launch increases FamilyNet’s total carriage into more than 21 million homes, “with more launches imminent.”

Washington  -- A variety of technology vendors will be displaying new products, services and apps at their booths at The Cable Show. Here’s a sampling of what’s on tap this week for cable’s geek set:  

Cox Communications and Cisco Systems have wrapped up two Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) trials, marking some of the earliest known tests of a superdense architecture that will push cable toward an all-IP future.

Mark Palazzo, vice president and general manager of Cisco’s cable access business unit, detailed the trials Monday in this blog post.

Washington –  Comcast said its initial rollout of a Wi-Fi network here comprises almost 3,800 Wi-Fi hotspots that are accessible by its cable modem customers, as well as customers who get service from four other MSOs that are part of the “CableWiFi” roaming consortium.

As part of a summer customer acquisition campaign, Comcast is also offering non-Xfinity Internet customers the opportunity to access the service free through Thursday, July 4.

One World Sports will soon sport a new on-air look, replete with a fresh graphics package presented to viewers in the high-definition format.

The global sports proponent, which has linear carriage on Dish Network, Cablevision and Mediacom Communications, on August 1 will convert its signal to HD and reveal a new on-air look, accompanied by a fresh branding, graphics package and what it says will be a first-of-its kind global sports kicker.