Companies Tout Their Tech Emmys

It’s definitely a sign of the times: the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced the winners for its Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards. This is the 58th year of the Emmy awards, but it’s also the first year that Mohammed went to the mountain: instead of holding the awards ceremony at a small Los Angeles venue, the Academy took its awards to the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas.

"These are truly dynamic and exciting times for the television industry, and tonight’s Emmy winners were rewarded for their significant impact in enhancing the consumer viewing experience," said National Television Academy President and CEO Peter Price. "Of this esteemed group, we are pleased to commend technology and engineering professionals who contribute to the development of television through the advancement of broadband and portable delivery platforms."

Technology and Engineering Emmys broadly fall into two areas: Science, Engineering & Technology for Broadcast Television, and Science, Engineering, and Technology for Broadband and Personal Television. The former category includes cable, satellite, and broadcast distribution, while the second category includes just about everything else like gaming, the Internet, mobile phones, and personal media players. Emmys are also awarded for three special areas for best use of personal media display technology, best use of technology in creating commercials, and best use in non-traditional media.

A total of sixteen awards were given this year, in addition to a Lifetime Achievement award to Eddy Hartenstein, former Vice Chairman of the DirecTV, for his role in building DirecTV from launch to a world class provider of digital television. Some notable award winners:

• Microsoft, earning awards for Streaming Media Architectures and Components and Pioneering Work in Near and Real-Time Fully Programmable Shading Via Modern Graphics Processors;

• Nvidia, for Pioneering Work in Near and Real-Time Fully Programmable Shading Via Modern Graphics Processors;

• Sling Media, earning an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Creation of Non-Traditional Programs or Platforms for its Slingbox;

• TiVo, for Outstanding Innovation and Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Best Use by Commercials in Creation and Use in Non Traditional Platforms and Technologies;

• Sony, earning Emmys in Outstanding Innovation and Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Best Use of Personal Media Display and Presentation Technology for its Xross Media Bar, and Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers for its Dual Shock Analog Controller for PlayStation;

Funny thing with Sony: the company initially issued a press release thanking the Academy and congratulating itself for winning an Emmy for the SIXAXIS tilt-enabled controller shipping with its PlayStation 3; however, it was the no-longer-shipping Dual Shock controller which actually took the award. Maybe if you lobby hard next year, Sony, you can recycle that release.