5:05 PM -- Jinni Media Ltd. , a startup that has developed a system that helps viewers make video selections based on their individual moods and tastes, came away as the winner of the CableLabs "Innovation Showcase" at this week's Winter Conference in Denver.

Jinni beat out 10 other entries, including some tied to interactive video apps, IP video, and multi-room DVRs, based largely on a final question weighed by cable engineers on which idea they deem most likely to succeed.

Jinni, which recently tucked away some A Round funding, hopes its technology gains entry in next-gen set-top guides and on TV Everywhere Web portals that allow customers to watch video on their PCs and smartphones. Jinni also thinks its tech can do a better job helping customers pinpoint personalized video-on-demand (VoD) selections rather than making them try to plow through a library that could contain tens of thousands of titles. (See Jinni Locks In Its A Round .)

Jinni CEO Mike Pohl said he expects the company to get traction with MSOs on the Web first, but he does envision a migration to the set-top via an Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) app. Pohl said Jinni's still in talks about deployments with MSOs here and abroad, but he expects to have some deals to announce this year.

CableLabs runs these showcases during its twice-yearly conferences. Here's our coverage of a few recent, past winners:

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Cable Digital News