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Harmonic’s encoder completes testing for Microsoft’s IPTV platform
MUMBAI: Harmonic has announced that its new DiviCom Ion AVC standard definition (SD) encoder has successfully completed encoder conformance testing for the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) and multimedia software platform. The test was administered by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Mediaroom Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab) programme, which is intended to enable the ongoing interoperability and compliance of encoders used in deployments of Microsoft Mediaroom. A Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem partner, Harmonic powers the video headends for a majority of Microsoft’s IPTV customers. Harmonic delivers over 5,000 broadcast video channels around the world to more than four million IPTV subscribers, and counts more than 100 telco operators as its customers. Able to deliver four simultaneous MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) SD channels in both high- and low-resolution formats, the IP-based Ion AVC encoder offers service providers a dense, cost-effective and high-quality platform for constant bit-rate (CBR) video delivery. Designed for service providers that need to meet the increasing demand for high-quality digital video services while minimising capital and operating expenditures, the new Ion AVC is ideal for applications such as “long-tail” programme delivery in a unicast environment, a key competitive differentiator for service providers. Microsoft TV director of global partner ecosystems Joe Seidel says, “The Microsoft Mediaroom Interoperability and Qualification Lab for digital video encoders was established to enable our service provider customers to roll out IPTV services in a more seamless and efficient manner. “We are pleased to be working with Harmonic in this new IQ Lab programme, and we are confident that our common IPTV customers around the world will be equipped with a powerful video delivery solution that enables them to offer an outstanding and competitive connected TV service. Harmonic director of telco solutions Thierry Fautier says, “Harmonic helps telcos to maximise reach and video quality at ultra-low bit-rates with our best-in-class compression solutions, and further enhances cost efficiency with the Ion AVC encoder. “Microsoft is successfully addressing the IPTV service provider industry with Microsoft Mediaroom, and the Ion AVC will continue to enable Microsoft and Harmonic to offer service providers innovative connected TV and entertainment services that help differentiate them in the marketplace.” The Ion AVC encoder was vigorously tested in both NTSC and PAL formats for feature set completeness, compression performance and service uptime in video and audio encoding, picture-in-picture, closed captioning and other categories. Other Harmonic products which have successfully completed the Mediaroom compliance testing include the DiviCom Electra 7000 HD MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) encoder and the Electra 5400 SD H.264 encoder. Deployed or being trialled by more than 20 service providers worldwide on four continents and in 18 countries, Microsoft Mediaroom enables unique TV features and experiences, such as simultaneous recording of multiple HD and SD TV channels, personal media sharing, whole-home and remote digital video recording (DVR), and multiple picture-in-picture scenarios. The platform, which is delivering video entertainment experiences to more than 1 million set-top boxes worldwide, also integrates with the Xbox 360 gaming device, bringing together next-generation television and gaming offerings into an integrated entertainment experience. Microsoft Mediaroom allows third parties to create exciting new TV applications and services that enrich the TV viewing experience through the multimedia application environment in the platform. Harmonic’s portfolio of solutions for telco IPTV service providers encompasses compression and stream processing at the headend, video servers and on-demand software, and targetted ad insertion.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
