DirecTV Pipes Live TV to iPadsDirecTV Pipes Live TV to iPads

DirecTV has released an iPad app upgrade that lets subs with HD-DVRs stream a subset of the satellite TV giant's lineup -- 38 channels -- to the tablet over Wi-Fi, reports Multichannel News. DirecTV's app follows similar apps from Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) and Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC), with Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) expected to offer live TV capabilities to its iPad app as well. (See Comcast Keeps Eye on the iPad Prize.)

Virgin Media Inc. (Nasdaq: VMED) is making some nice progress with its recently launched IP-connected TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO) product, as it added 127,200 TiVo subs in the third quarter, giving it a total of 222,000 as of Oct. 26.

UPC Broadband has tapped Verivue Inc. 's OneVantage Content Delivery Solution to help fuel a plan to deliver video streaming services starting in Hungary, with a "possible expansion across Europe" on deck. UPC marks the second significant cable win for Verivue, which is also being deployed by Shaw Communications Inc. of Canada. (See Shaw Confirms Verivue Deal.)

Arris Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ARRS) posted third-quarter revenues of $274 million, missing Wall Street's anticipated $279 million and in-line earnings of 21 cents per share. It forecasts fourth-quarter earnings of 18 cents to 22 cents on sales of $270 million to $290 million. The company also said the E6000, its next-gen cable modem termination system/edge router (considered to be Arris's Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) entry), has entered a lab trial with a customer, believed to be Comcast, notes Morgan Keegan & Company Inc. analyst Simon Leopold.

BigBand Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: BBND) has unleashed an IP-based advertising platform that uses "virtual zoning" to target ads to set-tops, tablets and other connected devices based on traditional ad zones, as well as customer demographics and zip+4 codes. BigBand, which is in the process of being acquired by Arris, has added the virtual zoning application to its Media Services Platform (MSP), which counts AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) as a customer. (See AT&T Deal Boosts BigBand.)

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable