Scientific-Atlanta has interest to expand its focus beyond its core cable customer base to target the emerging market for IPTV. Just in June alone, I spotted three press releases of some importance. Here they are:

SA signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of advanced encoders that will be compatible with the Microsoft� TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform. As a result of the agreement, broadband network operators will be able to use Microsoft and Scientific Atlanta products to offer live and on-demand television programming at lower data rates than today's current delivery systems while maintaining broadcast-quality video.

Vital for SA, they launched a line of IPTV set-top boxes, which will include standard-definition (SD), high-definition (HD), SD/HD digital video recorder (DVR), and three-stream gateway products. According to the company, the new boxes will allow operators to use a variety of advanced codecs, will feature an open architecture, and will support a range of conditional access and digital rights management systems. They will also enable operators to deliver IP over existing coax cable. These boxes are still under development.

Also, the company revealed that it has signed a distribution agreement with Sprint North Supply (the deployment, distribution and logistics division of US telco, Sprint) that will see the latter offering its set-top boxes, its "fiber-to-the-x" optical video transport products (Prisma II FTTH transmitters, FTTH optical amplifiers, optical switching and passive devices), and its video headend products (satellite receivers, modulators and decoder modules) to the telco video market.

Other recent mentions about Scientific Atlanta on this blog: