VUDU Lines Up Content Deals

Satellite TV In PC: Santa Clara - California-based VUDU says it has lined up content deals with seven Hollywood studios in order to offer subscribers access to more than 5,000 titles directly on their television sets, without requiring a PC or a cable or satellite TV subscription. The company says deals have been closed with Disney, Lionsgate, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment."We've created the product everyone wants, the product many have tried to build, and, until now, the product no one has succeeded in delivering," said Tony Miranz, the founder of VUDU. "We've brought together the best team in Silicon Valley to give movie lovers the ability to watch thousands of movies instantly, without leaving their homes."VUDU's studio partners will provide new releases, along with select titles from their libraries.

Vista to boost PC-TV tuner market, says In-Stat

Satellite TV In PC: PC-TV tuners will experience fast growth and the introduction of Windows Vista will likely give the market a boost, according to the research firm In-Stat. Initiatives made by Microsoft along with several other factors are stimulating the growth of PC-TV tuners. "Microsoft has done a yeoman's job by encouraging PC-TV tuner vendors to centralize their drivers through the Windows Update program", the research firm added. The firm also anticipates that PC-TV tuning will be an important service enabled by Vista."The most common PC-TV tuner will enable digital terrestrial television reception and be integrated in with the PC as part of a Microsoft Vista bundle," says Chris Kissel, In-Stat analyst. "However, hybrid USB TV tuners, PC-TV tuners for free-to-air satellite TV services, and pay-TV capable tuners will have significant market shares."Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

DISH Network(TM) Launches Cinemax HD

Satellite TV In PC: EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service today announced the launch of Cinemax HD.
The new channel brings DISH Network s total national HD channel lineup to 32 channels - the most in the pay-TV industry today.
DISH Network subscribers to Cinemax HD will be able to view the upcoming summer lineup of movies including the "See It Saturday" titles: X-Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns, Lady in the Water, Miami Vice and The Departed.
With 98% of its primetime programming schedule in true HD each year, Cinemax HD also features Cinemax Reel Life, the award-winning original documentary series that showcases some of the best and most thought-provoking documentaries of our time.
"Cinemax HD is a premier channel for movies and original programming, now broadcasting in the stunning clarity and vivid surround sound of high definition," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network.

Akimbo expands VOD service to PCs

Satellite TV In PC: While competitors rush to move their Internet-delivered TV and movies from the PC to the TV, Internet video-on-demand service Akimbo is going the opposite direction. On April 16, the company will launch a PC version for Windows XP and Windows Vista of Akimbo's TV and movie video-on-demand service, which is now offered primarily through Akimbo RCA set-top boxes that connect directly to the TV. Akimbo also is offered through AT&T's HomeZone satellite and Internet service and was offered on a limited basis through Media Center PCs."There is a benefit to being in both places," said Jim Funk, VP of marketing. "There's a lot of PCs compared to other types of devices."