"RDK: The Worldwide Route to TV Everywhere?" (Advanced TV)

Alticast's own Tiaan Schutte, President, EMEA, recently had the opportunity to sit down with Nick Snow of Advanced TV and three other executives to discuss the merits and future of RDK.

To watch the multi-part discussion, click here.

Worldwide 4K TV Sales Beat Expectations in 2015

With 4K UHD TVs becoming far more popular than previously forecasted, cable operators are suddenly finding themselves with a growing installed base of “4K-ready” subscribers who are eager to see what the hype is about. According to this article from Broadband Technology Report, “Worldwide 4K TV shipments are expected to grow by 147 percent in 2015, despite an overall two percent fall in TV sales.”

Because 4K TVs are infiltrating the market at a pace faster than anyone could have predicted, it’s crucial that cable operators find the best way to securely deliver this ultra-premium UHD content. While this adds a layer of complexity, Alticast is all too familiar with the ins and outs of end-to-end security, and offers several solutions to the problem.

Industry experts anticipate 4K TV sales to reach 30 million in 2015, promising a bright future for the cable industry and its potential subscribers.

Alticast Demonstrates Cloud Services and Security Solutions at IBC 2015

Alticast, a global partner for the delivery of media entertainment, will demonstrate how video service providers can deliver new cloud-based services and ensure the security of Ultra HD (UHD) content at IBC 2015.  The demonstrations will take place in the Alticast booth (1.F36), September 11-15, at the RAI Exhibition and Conference Centre in Amsterdam.

Key demonstrations at IBC 2015 will include:

·       The AltiPlex™ Cloud Services Platform (CSP), which allows service providers to virtually deliver, operate and manage multiscreen services. In addition, AltiPlex CSP provides:

      Cloud UI, a server-client user interface (UI) rendering engine, enabling the migration of the UI from the STB to the cloud, while delivering an improved user experience (UX) to legacy and new STBs. This innovative solution can deliver multiple UIs to different devices in a household, for example a UI tailored for the children and one for the family. 

Cloud DVR, a cloud-based recording, storage and multiscreen content delivery system. Providing time-shift viewing and live catch up services, this solution allows subscribers to watch anytime, anywhere. It supports multiple business and storage models allowing operators to build the system that meets their needs.

·       The new AltiProtect™ security solution as deployed by CJ Hellovision in Korea to protect its UHD content will be on display, highlighting the full line of AltiProtect CAS/DRM/DTCP-IP solutions. AltiProtect can be remotely installed onto legacy and new STBs as well as other devices with the AltiProtect Download and Exchange Framework.

·       An end-to-end solution comprised of AltiView™ UI, AltiPlatform™ STB software, AltiPlex, CSP and AltiProtect as deployed by a leading Vietnamese Pay TV operator to deliver live and on-demand services to STBs and mobile devices. This integrated solution has been deployed by the operator at several of its subsidiaries and was chosen for its completeness and because of Alticast’s experience in deploying turn-key solutions worldwide.

·       The Alticast Application Framework supports multiple hardware platforms, UIs and user agents to give operators the flexibility to deploy any combination of Android and RDK software on their STBs, allowing for both native and HTML5 applications. This exceptional flexibility enables operators to quickly and easily adapt to changing market needs.

Media and other parties interested in meeting with Alticast executives at IBC 2015 should contact alticast@mobilitypr.com to schedule a time.

Visit Alticast at IBC

How the Technology and Design Process Is Improving TV Accessibility

As 2016 approaches, many elements of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act, as described in this FCC guide, are closer to being delivered. This includes providing access to 25 million additional viewers in the US, according to CableFax. 

Our president and CTO, John Carlucci, created a presentation on TV Accessibility that helps bring industry stakeholders up to speed on the design process for TV Accessibility. The presentation also introduces some future technologies that could improve social inclusion. John delivered this presentation during the CableLab's Summer Conference in Keystone, CO on August 3. 

The full presentation can be found on the Alticast website.