Envisioning an ‘Awesome’ Future for Pay-TV

With online video viewing and Internet of Things strategies on the rise, which technology giants are best positioned to be at the hub of it all?  We believe that the answer may be the pay-TV operators that already are bringing entertainment and broadband services to the home.

In “Alticast Has a Vision For the Future of TV (And It’s Awesome),” CED Magazine discusses how our AltiView 3 user interface and other capabilities that are on the way can position an oft-overlooked device -- the pay-TV set-top box – at the center of the connected home.

Following up on our compelling demo at CES 2016, the CED piece discusses AltiView 3’s contextual ability to “create a web of interrelated viewing selections” based on previous viewing, preferred genres and even program musical soundtracks.  It also supports the emergence of 4K content for leading operators such as our customer, Videotron.

In addition, the piece explains how we’re working on Wi-Fi capabilities that can make STBs the “single gateway into the connected home,” enabling monitoring of smart appliance, sensor and other devices and creating what our U.S. president and CTO John Carlucci calls a “data storm” that can be monetized by pay-TV operators.

The technology on the horizon is transforming how consumers interact with the myriad of devices in their homes.  We look forward to working with our pay-TV operator partners to ensure that are at the center of that innovation.

The UHD Alliance Sets Industry-Wide Standards for 4K Content

The Ultra High Definition Alliance (UHDA), a group made up of nearly 30 industry heavyweights, has been working diligently to develop specifications for 4K products and services that will make UHD programming even more appealing to consumers.

Hanno Basse, the president of the UHD Alliance, says “The Alliance believes that the most compelling next-generation experience delivers 4K resolution, high dynamic range, wide color gamut, high frame rate, immersive audio and other features that create a dramatic new experience for consumers.”  

Knowing that companies like 20^th Century Fox, Netflix and DirecTV are working together to set standards for 4K content, consumers will feel confident in their decision to upgrade to UHD. Based on the fact that worldwide 4K TV sales beat expectations in 2015, and are expected to make up 61 percent of TV sales by 2020, consumers are already recognizing UHD as the “next-generation video standard.”

While UHDA is setting standards on everything from acronyms and feature descriptions to color gamut and audio, cable operators will need to set a standard for the way they deliver this premium content. Alticast offers many cost-effective solutions to ensure that UHD content is secure from piracy and unauthorized use, putting operators’—and consumers’—minds at ease during the transition.   

For more information on the 4K specifications, check out CED’s article here.