New Technology TV

Time Warner Cable is offering the amateur filmmaker’s dream opportunity with their Time Warner Cable Short Film Contest. This contest is easy to enter, and is designed to help showcase and reward the talents and abilities an amateur filmmaker might have in this area.

This contest, held in collaboration with IFC, is looking for a two to five minute film that is rich in content, quality and creativity. Entries will be judged in these categories. Once a filmmaker has the film he or she wants to submit, the submission can be done online in a matter of minutes. All entries must be submitted online at www.youtube.com/timewarnercable.

All submissions are public. Between November 9th and November 16th, viewers are allowed to vote on these submissions. The most popular entries will be considered when the judges make their decisions. These judges are among the best in the filmmaking industry. The judges that will be judging the content of these submissions will be Evan Shapiro, Ti West, Joe Swanberg and Matt Singer. Evan Shapiro is the President of IFC and the Sundance Channel. Matt Singer is the host of the IFC News. Ti West is known for his directing work on “The House of the Devil” and Joe Swanberg is known for directing “Hannah Takes the Stairs”. These judges will narrow the acceptable number of submissions down to 25 finalists. From these 25, the judges will then pick the four winners of the contest.

These four winners are to be awarded a trip to Park City, Utah, the location of the 2011 Sundance Festival. With a friend, the four winners are to be awarded tickets to a film screening while at the Festival, as well as VIP invitations to an exclusive Sundance Channel party, where there will be top rated executives and stars. All of this is to come with $500.00 in spending money and a year’s subscription to Time Warner Digital Cable and Road Runner High Speed Online services.

The winners for the contest will be announced in December of 2010. Submissions are being accepted between September 15th through October 31. There is no purchase necessary for film submission.

Marissa Freeman, the Senior Vice President for Marketing Communications stated, “ Time Warner Cable connects people to the content they’re passionate about. Providing aspiring filmmakers with the opportunity to actually create the content- that takes it to a whole new level. We are really excited to see the entries.”

Evan Shapiro, the President of IFC and the Sundance Channel had this to say,” This is a great opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work and experience the inner working for the film industry at Sundance, a festival which annually helps discover and celebrate some of the greatest film and filmmakers of our time. We’re thrilled to be working with Time Warner Cable on such a worthy initiative.”
Time Warner Cable is the second largest cable TV provider in the nation, offering digital cable, the Road Runner High Speed Online service and digital voice services to over 14 million monthly subscribers.

Charter Cable recently introduced EPIX to their online lineup, making it easier for their customers to get quality viewing, from any location with internet access. This means that Charter Cable customers can take their service with them and utilize WiFi or a traditional internet connection, with a compatible portable device, and watch the available programming with little to no effort.

The online access that Charter Cable is providing comes at no extra monthly charge for current EPIX subscribers. Using the free online service does not change the monthly subscription for anyone using it in anyway. Current subscribers will still be able to enjoy their EPIX subscription on the regular programming package, or On Demand, under channel 1 and the Premium Channels menu.

"EPIX is a total viewing experience - traditional television, on demand, and online - that enables our customers' TV viewing to evolve through this exciting multiplatform technology, Television is an important part of our lives, and Charter continues to invest in new technologies and services that further enrich our customers' viewing experience." said Charter's Vice President of Product Management, Rich DiGeronimo.

The online process for gaining access to EPIX and other viewing selections is for the Charter Cable customer to simply sign into his or her account. After sign in, customers gain access to the variety of programming that Charter Cable has provided, like the new movie releases, plus the music and comedy selections. Viewers will be able to get direct access to movies like Tyler Perry’s ‘I Can Be Bad All By Myself’, Shutter Island, Precious and Star Trek, or even such classics as Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Godfather. Viewers will also see selections from well-known artists like The Black Eyed Peas, David Cross, Madonna and Lewis Black.

"Charter's early launch of the EPIX multiplatform service recognizes the importance of choice and control for customers whose viewing habits are multidimensional. Our goal is to help guide our customers through this dramatic evolution in TV viewing by providing high-quality programming on whatever platform or technology they choose." Stated Rich DiGeronimo.

For certain Charter Cable internet customers, this service will be available online, for no additional charge until December 1, 2010. With this new online viewing service, Charter Cable customers have several different ways to enjoy their programming selections.

EPIX services are a collaboration between Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate and Viacom. Through these studios, EPIX viewers have access to over 15,000 titles, including classics, comedy and music specials, original series and new Hollywood releases. EPIX is the only service, to date, that provides a full monthly lineup made of these titles.

Charter Cable currently provides monthly cable TV services, high-speed internet service and digital voice services to an estimated 5.5 million households in the United States.

For decades, cable TV services have expanded, with cable TV providers offering more services and products as the technology became available. In all the growth that has resulted, people were able to get more channels that offered their favorite programming.

The years and technology have brought specialized channels dedicated to specialized programming. Now, viewers have a wide variety to choose from, including channels that are made specifically to show programming on soap operas, classic movies, sports, children’s programming and more.

These specialized channels have provided viewers with a neat, tidy selection of programming, organized into a neat, tidy collection of channels.

However, in recent years, the face of cable TV service has changed. Channels are diversifying to keep up with the demand on newer, better programming. Constant access has been given through time-shifting technology, internet-enabled, compatible devices and online viewing portals- made available through cable TV providers, among others. Now, viewers can get their programming, when they want it, and with the right device- where they want it. In order to keep current viewers entertained and coming back for more, networks are shifting away from their traditional programming to include more off-topic shows.

The most well-known examples of this are music channels that offer reality shows or feature films, and travel channels that provide games shows. Networks hope to keep the loyal viewers they have, while increasing their viewer bases and attracting new advertisers.

Cable TV providers have kept up with this demand for newer, better programming by providing larger channel selections and more On Demand programs. They have also offer DVR and HD-DVRs that can record digital and HD formatting, so that viewers watch their programming in the formatting it aired in originally.

Due to platform technologies that enable viewers to watch their programming online, more and more cable TV providers are also making programming available through the world wide web. This can give a family, or individual, a wide range of programming from the easy chair, at the public library or on the city bus.

While technology and programming are changing, the constant is the cable TV provider. This provider currently serves over 30 million monthly customers, due to their channel selections and digital features, as well as their broadband internet and digital voice services. These services, when provided through one company, can come in a monthly service package that makes it easy to get them at a reduced, or bundled rate.

Families rely on these providers to deliver the services they need for a complete home entertainment and communications package. By offering three services through one provider, these companies also make it a convenient process to get the services a family needs, while offering one bill with online bill-pay options, if desired. When a family chooses a cable TV provider, they get a family service with an established provider that can offer services that will grow with the available technology. A family can pay one bill for three services and enjoy the benefits of professional services that upgrade with no additional effort on the part of the family using them.

Comcast Cable is the leading provider in the nation for cable TV services, as well as digital broadband and voice services.

They recently announced their Constant Guard Bot Detection and Notification initiative. This initiative is to help protect their customers protect their personal computers from the harm that viruses like the “bot” virus can cause. The bot virus has gained more attention as the use of the virus has caused billions of damage in identity theft and other forms of fraud. The bot virus can download to a computer and use the computer to host phishing sites, send spam or even infect other computers, all without consent or knowledge by the owner.

Javelin Strategy and Research, a company that researches global financial trends, found that over 11 million consumers fell victim to identity theft or other forms of fraud in the United States last year. This crime led to an estimated amount of $54 billion.

The Constant Guard Bot Detection and Notification system is set up to notify the Comcast Cable customers if these malicious viruses are found on the customer’s computer. Once detected, the customer is notified through browser or email, with instructions on how to remove the virus immediately. This is service is offer free to XFINITY Internet customers and is currently being spread to nationwide to help all of the Comcast Cable customers that are interested.

“Internet users need to be aware of online threats-bots being among the most serious-and Comcast’s Constant Guard Bot Detection and Notification service is designed to help protect and educate our customers about this growing danger. With October being National Cyber Security Awareness month, it’s an ideal time to generate awareness about Internet security and start rolling this program out nationally.” said Cathy Avgiris, the Senior Vice President and General Manager for Communications and Data Services at Comcast Cable.

The October 2010 National Cyber Security Awareness month is in its 7th consecutive year, offering information and education on cyber crimes and their prevention.

“ I encourage proactive efforts by Internet Service Providers to help educate and protect consumers from Internet crimes like malicious bots. It is important for business and government to work together to keep Internet users safe.” said the National Association of Attorneys General President and North Carolina Attorney General, Roy Cooper.

“Cyber criminals cost our state tens of millions of dollars every year both in financial theft from our citizens as well as the cost of funding law enforcement resources to fight them. Bots are a real and emerging threat to American consumers and this is a welcome initiative for customers in our state and across the country.” said Rob McKenna, the Attorney General for Washington State and President-elect for the NAAG.

Comcast Cable is currently providing high-speed broadband internet service to over to 16 million households nationwide. They provide their customers with the XFINITY technology that provides cross-platform services and surfing and downloading speeds that surpass 100+ Mbps. In all, they have over 23 million customers for digital cable TV, digital broadband and digital Internet services.

Dish Network recently announced the launching of their DISHOnline.com service. This service has been provided by the innovators at Dish Network to go even further in product and service enhancement.

What this means for the average Dish Network customer is that while surfing for information on that favorite show, DISHOnline.com can be accessed, pulling up programs, special features, clips and other content information from the web, as well as from Dish Network programming. This provides the customer with a way to watch that favorite show through the Dish Network service online, while the customer is reading the latest news on the show or the cast, all online and all through one portal.

Not only can DISHOnline.com provide better surfing and streaming services, but it gets even better with the service it provides for movie rentals, watching programming stored on the DVR, and the direct connection it makes between the content the customer is searching and all the related topics. A search for a favorite TV show will not only bring up that show, but also information on the lead characters, with other shows and movies they have starred in. DISHOnline.com is the “one-stop shop” for TV fans that want to get all the latest news and related material on their programs, favorite stars or just general information.

“DISHOnline.com integrates DISH Network’s expansive TV programming lineup with the vast amount of online video content, adding another dimension to our ‘pay once, take your TV everywhere’ product platform.” said the Senior Vice President for Programming for Dish Network, Dave Shull, “ DISH Network is committed to offering an unrivaled experience that satisfies our customers’ need to consume video in a variety of new and exciting ways.”

Since this is the first service of its kind, the DISHOnline.com service qualifies Dish Network, once again, as being a leader in the Pay TV industry. Dish Network has helped shape the Pay TV industry with ground-breaking technology and innovative services for almost twenty years. They were the first company to offer many products, including the first analog-to-digital DVR, the first HD-DVR, and they were the first company to provide HD 1080p formatting. Dish Network was also the first company to provide Interactive TV, with games, online shopping and bill pay options and stock information.

There have been several awards given to Dish Network for the quality of their DVRs. One of their latest models include a hard drive that can record and store up to 1000 hours of programming, more than any other DVR at that time.

Dish Network now provides service for more than 14 million households in the United States. Their services include digital On Demand and Pay Per View viewing, as well as other benefits, like Parental Controls and a wide selection of DVRs and HD-DVRs. They were also the first company to provide a Slingbox/DVR combination. They currently have a channel selection of almost 300 channels with many HD channels included. Dish Network also offers an expansive International programming selection, with programming in over 28 different languages from over 170 countries.