ISSUES AND TOPICS

Here's a quick preview of some of the issues and topics that will be presented at STB 2009.  Please check the agenda regularly for updates.  Speakers submit more detailed titles and abstracts for the session.  Those are posted as they come in.

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TV Ecosystem 3.0 - The New Realities of Connected Entertainment Services
Operators, hardware manufacturers and content owners are faces with complex business and technology issues.  Understand the new realities and how to survive in the new TV Ecosystem.

STB Platform Technologies
Examine the hot new technologies which promise to bring new capabilities to the Set Top Box. 

The New Multi-Screen Reality
Is three screen reach an imperative?  What are the critical technologies necessary for operators to make three-screen entertainment possible and profitable?

The ARPU Maximizer Box
All service and technology decisions are examined under the ARPU magnifying glass.  Understand which technologies and services are enabling operators to maximize ARPU.

Whole Home Entertainment Networks
The debate continues to rage on.  Wireless? Powerline? Coax? Phoneline? Let’s decide already.  Set Top Box 2009 will get beyond the hype and hyperbole and give you the straight talk so you can move beyond evaluation to implementation.

Innovative Set Top Box Applications
Can STB manufacturers and Service Providers learn something from the Apple iTunes App Store?  What are the emerging killer apps being developed for the TV

The Next Gen EPG:  Linking TV, Digital Media, Broadband and Mobile
The STB is increasingly being called upon to comprehend multiple media input sources, content types, networks and platforms.  At the heart of the media experience is the EPG.  Personalization, Search, Discovery and Navigation are critical issues that the EPG must master.

Personalizing the TV Experience
Personalization of the TV experience comes in many flavors and sizes.  What are the options for personalization and what is the winning combination for hardware manufacturers, service providers and advertisers?  What technology components need to be in place to make it all work?

Reinventing Lifestyles: The TV as a Lifestyle Portal
Most consumers today suggest that the cell phone makes the biggest impact on their lifestyle.  Just a few years ago, the answer was TiVO!  What do STB manufacturers need to do to recapture that title?  How can they partner with the rest of the entertainment ecosystem to reclaim the throne?

Interactive TV Technologies
Interactivity has different meanings to operators, CE manufacturers, advertisers, content owner and most importantly; the consumer.  Examine the different approaches to Interactivity and the business and technology factors that are influencing interactivity.

The Future of Content Discovery
As the diversity of content types, sources and options become a reality, consumers need new methods in order to search, browse and discover content across multiple devices.  This session will explore the technology requirements from a hardware and software perspective that will enable compelling user experiences in a world of almost infinite content choices.

Creating New User Experiences
These sessions will discuss the challenges of working across multiple platforms, currently deployed  CPE and diverse content delivery pipes to create compelling user experiences.  A particular focus will be placed on tru2way and EBIF.

Bringing Internet Video to the TV
Everyone wants it, but what’s the right way to do it?  There are numerous technology and business implications to integrating Internet Video over the top of operator-driven entertainment services.  Examine the challenges, opportunities, pitfalls and best-practices for delivering Internet Video in the home.

The Evolution of IP Video:  What the Future Holds
The is virtually unanimous agreement that the future of video is all IP…everywhere.  What are the real ramifications of all IP all the time?  This session will give critical insights into the future of IP-centric video services.

The Quality Quest: Overcoming the Quality Issues Operators Are Dealing With
Consumers demand the highest quality no matter what the price point.  Quality can seriously hamper the ability of operators to grow their business and attract new customers.  The flip side is that great quality gets noticed.  This session will examine hardware and technology issues that will help operators to optimize the quality of the product delivered to the consumer.

The Device Formerly Known as the Set Top Box
OK…so this is a funny topic for a conference called Set Top Box 2009.  However, the reality is that many CE companies are looking to integrate STB features into the TV.  Some operators are virtualizing the STB and DVR functionality into the network.  Will the STB become obsolete?   This session will debate the future of the STB and what the world would look like without this mainstay of the entertainment industry.