Brightcove Revamps

Brightcove Overhauls Web-Video System

Brightcove this week is launching a third major revision of its Internet video publishing platform, which the company said provides a range of enhanced features including faster video player loading and customizable templates.
“We’ve reconstituted every component of the Brightcove platform over the last year,” CEO and founder Jeremy Allaire said.
The three-year-old company counts 60 television networks as customers, including Showtime Networks, Lifetime Networks, Cablevision Systems’ Rainbow Media and Comcast’s FearNet.com horror-themed on-demand video site. Brightcove’s platform serves 135 million unique visitors per month.

Redbox sues Universal over alleged restrictions
Redbox, the largest U.S. movie-rental kiosk operator, has sued Universal Studios Home Entertainment, alleging that the General Electric unit violated anti-trust laws by insisting on a revenue-sharing agreement with Redbox that, among other things, enforces rental-date and resale restrictions.

Flip To Go HD in Time for the Holidays
Flip Video will release an HD pocket cam to its product line before the end of the year, according to a spokesperson for the digital camcorder company. Previously, it had mentioned an HD pocket cam was in development, but now there’s a firm release window to back that up. Flip has only offered scant details on the new product, however, so while we hope that the Flip HD will record video in 720p resolution, we’re not entirely that’s the case.

Comcast's New 22Mbps Speed Tier - New tier will cost $62.95 in DOCSIS 3.0 upgraded
Last week an insider told me that in addition to the $150, 50Mbps/5Mbps tier Comcast is deploying in DOCSIS 3.0 upgraded regions, the cable company is planning on unveiling a slower, 22Mbps/5Mbps tier as well. While Comcast will never officially comment on unreleased products, posts to our Comcast forums seem to confirm the upcoming tier, and suggest it will be priced at $62.95 a month

Pioneer to offer download-and-burn drives
Pioneer Electronics (USA) today became the second electronics company making DVD drives that allow consumers to burn movie downloads to disc for playback on any DVD player.
Pioneer will begin shipping its first drive, the internal DVR-2920Q DVD/CD writer, this month with a suggested retail price of $69.99, followed by the external DVR-X162Q in November with a SRP of $114.99.
Both include Sonic Solution’s Qflix DVD Download and Burn technology, co-developed by Pioneer to burn movies using CSS copy protection, the same copy protection used on commercial DVDs. Companies have been unable until recently to offer DVD burning with CSS protection because it had to be approved by DVD governing board the DVD Copy Control Assn.


DECA Partners With Popular YouTube Team Smosh
Digital entertainment firm DECA inked a deal with YouTube comedy team Smosh to become the exclusive business and production partner behind the pair of young comedians.
Under the agreement, DECA will provide financing, ad sales, marketing, distribution and other business operations for Smosh. The goal of the partnership is to find major brands to sponsor Smosh’s videos that reach a young, teen-centric online audience.


Disney, Microsoft pair on digital content
The Mouse House continues to court the digital generation.In the first big Mipcom news, announced as the TV trade fair opened its doors Monday morning, Disney-ABC-ESPN Television revealed it had inked with Microsoft to deliver content from the Mouse House's Stage 9 Digital Media to MSN Video viewers across Europe.
Disney-ABC-ESPN has also closed content agreements with Polish terrestrial broadcaster TVP, and inked with Canada's CityTV network for an ad-funded VOD delivery of "Ugly Betty."
The deal for Stage 9, Disney's new-media content studio, covers its two pioneering made-for-Internet comedy series, "Squeegees" and "Voicemail." "Squeegees" will be available on MSN in the U.K. from today; availability in France, Germany, Spain and Sweden follows shortly, along with "Voicemail."
The deal typifies Disney's advanced digital strategy.


Silverlight 2 Released; Few Takers
Microsoft announced today that the final release of Silverlight 2 will be made available Tuesday Oct 14. The company gloats about 25% penetration, but take a look at Microsoft’s promoted partners and try to find one that Microsoft didn’t pay to try it out. It’s worth asking the question - is this too little too late?
In a Customer Evidence and Quote sheet put together by Microsoft PR, they lead with NBC’s universally underwhelming Silverlight powered olympics player - not bad, but what’s next? MLB, Microsoft’s largest initial partner which praised its rich capabilities is notably missing from the testimonials list, having trimmed back Silverlight use on much of their site after initially jumping in.


McCain Fights for Right to Remix on YouTube
Internet issues have taken a back seat in the presidential campaign. But this week, even as John McCain unveiled his new economic plan, he also introduced a new position on copyright law.
Trevor Potter, the general counsel for the McCain-Palin campaign, sent a letter on Monday to Chad Hurley, the chief executive of YouTube, complaining that the video service, now owned by Google, has inappropriately removed McCain commercials from its site.


Adobe Adds Dynamic Streaming and More to Flash Player
Adobe on Wednesday will launch Flash Player 10, the latest in its ubiquitous 13-year-old line of multimedia plug-ins. For online video watchers, one big improvement is dynamic streaming, which will automatically shift bitrates as media is being streamed, depending on changing bandwidth. Content owners will need to use an upcoming release of Adobe Media Server to implement this feature.