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3D television programs have been offered on an occasional basis since the 1950s using anaglyphic technology and colored glasses. Now there is growing momentum, and unprecedented industry backing, focused on providing 3D programming and equipment to the home on a mainstream basis.
This award category is open to all enabling technologies and products that facilitate a 3D TV experience in the home. This includes semiconductor and software solutions, 3D-ready TVs and game consoles, set-top boxes, goggles, 3D encoders, etc. While many entries may center on passive polarized and alternate frame sequencing technologies, we also welcome entries looking at advanced technologies such as autostereoscopy and holography.
Set Top boxes are likely to remain one of the key elements enabling the consumer video experience for the foreseeable future. Having evolved from simple channel expanders to today’s advanced computer engines that facilitate controlled distribution and storage of TV content across all platforms. Recent innovations have included advanced DVRs that enabling multimedia content for storage and distribution throughout the home, remote access set top boxes, hybrid set-top boxes which optimise the use of bandwidth, highly optimized IPTV gateways, cost-reduced advanced feature boxes, etc.
Entries in this category are open to STB manufacturers as well as component and software providers offering innovative solutions for next generation set top boxes.
With the evolution of television to include the intent to provide the viewer with a vast array of content, some of which may be interactive, a good user interface becomes an increasingly important tool to navigate, control and interact with this content, and hence will be vital to the success of the TV 3.0 concept.
While advanced button-based remote controls may still continue to be the user interface of choice, we also welcome entries in this category that improve the user experience, including applications that use input motion sensing, haptic technology, content mega-tagging solutions, intuitive program guides and integrated home media network solutions.
Consumer electronics equipment continues to use significant power, even in standby mode. Various technologies are being developed and deployed to reduce power consumption in CE devices during operation and when on standby. In addition, the increasing requirement for multi-stream distribution and the rapidly increasing storage requirements for operators, means that energy requirements in the delivery of content are also on the rise.
Entries in this category will include any technology or solution that helps reduce the overall power usage in any part of the TV value chain, or other ways to reduce the carbon footprint of TV.
TV 3.0 is not entirely about providing bigger and better video experiences to the home, as it also includes the ability to view content on mobile devices. This creates an array of new challenges, as programmers, equipment providers and operators attempt to provide users with a compelling experience on a much smaller screen. Innovations in this area include TV-enabled ultra mobile devices, applications that enable content to be easily navigated, as well as innovative applications targeted specifically at mobile devices.
Entries are welcomed from companies with innovative products, content and solutions targeted at mobile TV, as well as those enabling mobile on-demand video experiences outside of traditional broadcast TV.
There are already a wide range of interactive TV applications and experiences being promoted by operators around the world. However, while some of these are truly advanced applications, others only include a one-way interaction from the viewer. Hence, for the purposes of these awards, we are defining this category to only include technologies and solutions that enable a two-way interactive experience using some form of back channel. This can be between the viewer and either the TV program itself or an interactive application using the TV as the portal to interact the content provider. This will include TV shows where the viewer can influence the content being shown, interactive advertising, intuitiveprogram guides, shopping, betting, gaming, etc.
Entries are welcome from interactive content providers, middleware solutions, and operators rolling out these advanced technologies.
One of the critical issues facing the TV paradigm of virtually all video content being available anytime, anywhere on the device of choice, is the protection of that content to ensure its producers and distributors continue to receive fair revenues. The industry is cognizant of what happened to the music and video industries, and is anxious not to lose control of its programming and content.
This award category is intended for innovative solutions that help to protect content both during initial delivery and when stored locally. Entries will be accepted from hardware and software providers of conditional access, digital rights management, and other content protection solutions.
The concept of TV 3.0 is to provide any content, at any time, to any place, to be received on the viewers chosen device. To facilitate this, solutions that enable the provision of truly on-demand content are essential. This on-demand experience can be facilitated in a number of ways, depending upon the method of distribution, and the device on which it is being viewed. For example, the content may be provided locally, broadcast or streamed with the user able to control the flow of that content using a traditional remote control or other form of user interface.
This category is open to hardware and software providers of both operator and client-side on-demand solutions.
The concept of immersive TV is to provide the viewer with the most lifelike experience to all senses. This may include 3D, full field of view, movement simulators, total audio immersion and even smell-o-vision. Typically this will be restricted to the home theatre environment, but certain immersive concepts lend themselves to the lving room TV and even to mobile devices.
Entries from all such solutions are welcomed, as are any other immersive products and solutions that will enrich the user’s advanced TV experience.
While a lot of attention is focused on the video aspect of TV 3.0, advanced audio solutions are a vital part of the concept. Innovation in audio extends from advanced encoding and decoding solutions, which enable the user to experience the audio as close as possible to the original recording, through to the latest home theater solutions that provide the ultimate audio experience in the consumer’s home.
Entries in this category will encompass software, IC solutions and hardware including broadcast distribution equipment, consumer audio receivers, amplifiers, speakers, etc.
The amount of video content, both commercially generated and user created, is growing at a much faster rate than ever before. The storage of this content presents enormous challenges, especially if that content is made ubiquitous and available to be viewed on-demand by a large number of consumers. Innovations in both the physical storage and the ability to access the content with minimal latency will be needed before the full potential of TV 3.0 can be realized.
Entries in this category will include hardware and software solutions that facilitate easily accessible, high volume reliable video storage at either the operator or client-side.
As the TV experience continues to evolve away from watching video from a single central location, the ability to network multimedia content throughout the home becomes increasingly important. Up until recently, only wired hardware solutions provided satisfactory bandwidth and QoS. More recently, powerline, MOCA and wireless technologies have evolved to better enable home AV networking without the requirement for new wires.
Entries in this category can include any enabling network technology as well as the associated innovative CE networking devices.
Semiconductors are one of the key driving forces that enable many advanced solutions that are now becoming possible as we move to TV 3.0. These semiconductor devices extend from SoC solutions for set-top boxes and TVs, through advanced tuner and audio ICs for CE devices, to solutions targeted at encoders and other equipment in the distribution side of the equation.
We invite all semiconductor providers offering innovative solutions that solve problems or create new opportunities for TV consumer electronics or video back office equipment to submit their entries.
Beyond the technology innovations, televisions impact the rooms they are in without even being powered on. This category will award the TV brand that has advanced the state of the art in TV design turning the TV into an elegant piece of art.
Entries in this category will include improvements in form factor, thickness, bezel design, cover glass, color, shape and more.
In addition to 3D technology there are numerous other advances which serve to propel the user experience to another level. These enhancements augment what can be seen and /or heard, and enrich the quality and versatility of the experience for the viewer.
Entries in this category will focus on innovations in contrast, motion performance, de-judder, audio, viewing area, 3D performance and more.
From the winners of the individual awards, the judges will choose the overall Innovator of the Year Award.