Smart set-top box solutions for IPTV/OTT and Hybrid DVB

Transcription

1 TVBEurope Supplements April 2015 Smart set-top box solutions for IPTV/OTT and Hybrid DVB In association with

2 30 TVBEurope Supplement In association with Setting the top standard for connected TV As IPTV moves from purely linear products to a complete TV experience, Oliver Soellner, VP of business development and sales at ABOX 42, outlines what is required from today s set-top boxes It s true: there is nothing as permanent as change. And right now nowhere is that more true than in the field of set-top box (STB) solutions for IPTV, OTT and hybrid DVB. The brave new (well, relatively new) world of connecting television to the internet is presenting a whole host of new opportunities and yes, challenges to those operating in that environment. The industry has witnessed transitions from a purely IP approach to the development of hybrid smart STBs. These bring together traditional DVB with IP-based services and apps. And such developments are essential in today s maturing market. To make their operations successful and costeffective, those companies already providing their customers with hybrid DVB projects must demand from manufacturers of STBs, and associated equipment, innovative upgrade solutions which capture the best of traditional linear TV and combine it with the exciting some might say, thrilling functionalities of network PVR, VoD, catch-up TV and third-party services. And the onus is surely on those equipment providers, because the emergence and expansion of OTT services is only set to continue, and those who fail to meet the challenge whether STB makers or service providers will surely fall by the wayside. Of course, one of the advantages for new entrants in the market is that they can build on all the development work of the last few years and use OTT to deliver services without actually incurring the expense of owning or building a network infrastructure. Such services can be deployed globally on an extremely cost-effective basis, enabling a whole host There is an urgent requirement for upgrades that incorporate the modern third generation solutions for those companies already operating in the IPTV environment. And that means equipment that supports all the major standards for both streaming and applications of local and specialist channels to be accessed by the worldwide audience. But whatever the scenario, smart STB platforms are essential for the advancement of today s versatile viewing experience, combining traditional TV services with all that the internet can readily provide. Generation gap So, what are the demands on STB manufacturers? To begin with, there is an urgent requirement for upgrades that incorporate the modern third generation solutions for those companies already operating in the IPTV environment. And that means equipment that supports all the major standards for both streaming and applications. The first generation IPTV was mainly used in DVB STBs with native DVB GUI and certain IPTV extensions. The second generation offered embedded middleware solutions with first interactive functions like network PVR, VoD and custom implementation of apps. Now, the third generation solution allows operators and

3 April TVBEurope 31 Supplement systems integrators to quickly build modern and advanced IPTV solutions. These latest generation platforms are designed around HTML5 and open standards, meaning operators are not restricted to a proprietary STB platform. Utilising an open approach allows the ready integration of functionality such as third-party VoD applications and cloud-based services and provides complete control over user interface and upgrades. Next, it has to be recognised that not all operators have the same requirements in order to fulfil the service to their customers. So, manufacturers must provide units that can readily be customised to meet unique demands. Put another way, today s STBs need to offer smart solutions. And alongside that, bearing in mind the amazing speed at which this section of the media industry is expanding, the ability to produce such solutions must be just as rapid. So, short production cycles are essential. Qs and As One of the keys to finding the right provider of such equipment is to ask some pertinent questions; and then demand proof that the responses can be fulfilled. For instance, it is worth asking for examples of how economical and short set-up times have already been achieved right across Europe utilising that supplier s kit. Or how about enquiring about an innovative IPTV set-top box platform, which is not only offering the latest technology on the hardware side, but also provides a complete solution to manage the STBs in the field? This second point is becoming increasingly more important for modern operators. Another question might be: What is your experience in adaptive streaming, HbbTV and the integration of multiple third-party TV apps that will help in the speedy development of services? And, of course, we must never forget the cloud. Does your potential supplier offer a unique collection of software as a service (SaaS) facilities for the installation, deployment and operation of the STB deployment in the field and to upgrade the functionality of those deployed services over time? Of course, those companies operating with existing networks do not need to switch to new technologies overnight. However, the time will come when changes will prove necessary in order to provide customers with an almost limitless choice for special interest niche channels. And those extra channels will provide added income for the operating company. Single application Modern hardware platforms are designed to meet today s requirements from a single application project up to complex project requirements of demanding IPTV, OTT and hybrid DVB services. A smart STB product line should offer the best price-performance and latest technology for even the most challenging IPTV, OTT, hybrid DVB and cloud TV services. In fact, the latest solutions in this everexpanding and innovative field allow operators, perhaps for the first time, to provide a full TV experience to television receivers over unmanaged internet lines. The onus is on equipment providers, because the emergence and expansion of OTT services is only set to continue, and those who fail to meet the challenge whether STB makers or service providers will surely fall by the wayside At the end of the day, the user of IPTV, OTT and hybrid DVB services must be in a position to enjoy the same TV experience that is available with traditional DVB-C or multicast IPTV. In reality, viewing must be a seamless experience, whatever the source of the programme. Whatever solution is employed, the OTT DVB solution must technically combine features required for television using OTT protocols and market-proven standard headend systems over public internet. Such solutions will allow operators to build and quickly roll out third generation HTML-based IPTV services. And that will provide consumers with what they expect make that, demand from their viewing experience.

4 32 TVBEurope Case Study In association with Telecom Liechtenstein s IPTV network upgrade was enhanced to offer a complete multiscreen solution Next generation IPTV Telecom Liechtenstein s IPTV refresh provides a recent case study of the work being done by ABOX42 in upgrading first generation IPTV systems to third generation interactive solutions Telecom Liechtenstein, member of the Telekom Austria Group, wanted a complete upgrade of its existing first generation IPTV system in order to provide a platform for a new, complete multiscreen experience. To facilitate this, the first generation IPTV network had to be seamlessly upgraded to a third generation IPTV proposition with advanced first screen features (provided by a modern STB platform) in combination with a full multiscreen offering for mobile devices. By choosing ABOX42 s Smart STB platform in combination with Zattoo s managed B2B Multiscreen TV solution, Telecom Liechtenstein could manage a smooth transition to an advanced TV solution that allows them to outperform all traditional TV offerings provided by cable operators or ISPs. ABOX42 features Latest generation set-top box hardware (ABOX42 M20-series) for advanced operator requirements and with advanced performance Modern HTML5 GUI (supported by the ABOX42 Developer IDE/SDK/Toolkit) Support of HbTV Applications from German and Swiss broadcasters Support of third-party VoD services for SVoD and TVoD solutions Support multiple DRM Systems for telco grade security and Hollywood approved content security End-to-end lifecycle management and software as a service of the set-top box for secure updates and upgrades in the field The user interface, middleware and headend are provided by Zattoo as a fully managed service Zattoo s key features Rich multimedia EPG Network PVR Network time shift/pause TV Restart TV Seven-day catch-up TV Unified UI for first and second screen Mobile applications including full PVR management Branded UI for all screens

5 ABOX42 s advanced Set-Top-Box Solutions for IPTV/OTT & Hybrid GERMAN QUALITY & ENGINEERING VISIT US OTT, IPTV and Hybrid Smart Set-Top-Box Product Lines ABOX42 Smart STB s are latest technology based, operator proven and offer best in class price-performance OPX SaaS and Cloud TV Services Full Management of the Set-Top-Box deployment in the field including health status information TV Connect, London Booth # April 2015 ABOX42 s Industry Breakfast Crowne Plaza Hotel 29. April :30-10:00 OPX TV Services Modern and comprehensive OPX TV client and OPX Cloud TV services for IPTV, OTT and Hybrid operator projects. Smart SDK & Developer Program Advanced ABOX42 Smart SDK speeds up customers development of IPTV Apps and IPTV & OTT projects TV Connect Asia, Singapore May 2015 CommunicAsia, Singapore June 2015 ABOX42.com ANGACOM, Cologne June 2015

6 34 TVBEurope Supplement In association with Chief executive perspective Matthias Greve, CEO and founder of ABOX42, concludes our supplement by refl ecting on the advances made in set-top box (STB) and IPTV solutions, and how his company s business has adapted to changing market demands What was the catalyst behind the company s birth? We have been providing B2C products in this industry for many years, during which time many international operators have approached us looking for more advanced smart STB platforms, directly because of our activities in the B2C segment. More and more of these operators were demanding modern and consumer oriented products with more advanced features. At the same time we recognised initiatives like HbbTV (bringing new services to TV) gaining ground in mature markets, so we decided to form ABOX42 as a manufacturer of latest generation smart STBs for the global operator and telco market. Has the company s strategy changed since that initial founding stage? From a technical perspective our vision is still unchanged. We wanted to move the projectdriven business of STBs, where every operator project brings with it specific requirements for a new smart platform approach, to one where ABOX42 develops a unique hardware platform which can be shared by many operator projects with minimal adjustments. You can compare our approach with the transformation from embedded feature phones to modern smartphone platforms, where the software is making the difference, all based on a powerful, scalable and mature hardware platform. We started with an IP-only approach, focussing on IPTV and OTT projects. Lately, we have also been offering a full range of hybrid smart STBs that can combine traditional DVB with IP-based services and apps. On the product side, we started with an advanced SDK that allows operators and application developers to create applications and integrate mature TV applications. Since the end of last year, we have also been providing a comprehensive solution with our OPX TV services, the full TV user interface, and our OPX middleware and backend services. Our Smart STB platform can now be used as a development environment for a modern TV service or as a total solution to quickly deliver new TV services with essential TV features. What are the specific and most complex technical challenges you have faced in developing next generation IPTV solutions? When we started ABOX42, we built up the ecosystem with key stakeholders such as chip set vendors, middleware providers and factories,

7 April Matthias Greve, CEO and founder, ABOX42 TVBEurope 35 Supplement and we are still a high volume, project-driven business. Over time, we have redesigned the entire supply chain and manufacturing process to be able to handle continuous supply requests and demand from operations in new businesses. With regard to engineering, we design hardware as well as the entire software platform in-house, with the aim of having the most modular and agile software platform, which can easily be adapted to operators requirements. What type of advances are we seeing with the latest generation of IPTV and STB solutions, and how different and developed are they from their first generation iterations? The first generation of IPTV products worked like a traditional DVB receiver with IP input. The user interface was hard coded and the services very limited. The second generation of IPTV solutions brought new features, but were still built as embedded middleware solutions, meaning that any changes for operator projects were hard to do, very costly and time consuming. Our new third generation platform is completely built around HTML5 and open standards. Our customers are not tied into a proprietary STB platform. With this open approach, our operator customers can integrate third-party VoD applications, cloud-based services and other new functionality into their platform very quickly. The operator has full control over the user interface and upgrades of their services. Where do you think the broadcast market is in its understanding of the true meaning of IPTV and OTT solutions? Many operators and broadcasters have a good understanding of the advantages of OTT and IPTV. Nowadays, everything is possible in a technical sense as the market continues to prove, so the operator is now more able to concentrate on shaping its business model around its services. Do you think that OTT is seen by some to be a greater advantage to new entrants to market? Naturally, it offers great opportunities for new entrants, but equally, it opens up new avenues of exploration for broadcasters. Where do you see the true business benefits of OTT and IPTV for both incumbent operators and new entrants? For new entrants in the market, the advantage of OTT is the ability to deliver TV services without owning or building a network infrastructure and with very little fixed costs. New services can be deployed cost-effectively on a global scale an example of which is Ethnic TV where local TV channels can be broadcast worldwide to people For existing operators, the key advantage in using OTT/IPTV technologies is that they can now react to market needs and launch new features and services more quickly over time who want to access domestic content from wherever they are. For existing, well-established operators, the key advantage in using OTT/IPTV technologies and modern solutions is that they can now react to market needs and launch new features and services more quickly over time. Within traditional DVB networks, the rollout of new services took years. With OTT/IPTV delivery and a modern smart STB platform, it is much more cost-effective; since internet technologies are built for easy and costeffective scalability and can be used even in lower bandwidth networks, thanks to highly efficient streaming formats (eg HEVC) and adaptive bitrate technologies (eg HLS or MS Smooth Streaming). Where do you see the next innovations in the IPTV/OTT/cloud TV space? For ABOX42, the next innovation will be integrating DVB into OTT/IPTV. Operators with existing networks do not have to switch entirely to new technologies, but can gradually extend their service offerings. For example, a cable operator can use the hybrid DVB platform to offer new services via IP. The linear television is still distributed via DVB-C. Network PVR, network time shift, restart TV and catch-up are provided via the IP connection. Even now it is possible to freely mix DVB and IP live TV channels in the same channel list, without any difference in terms of user experience. Operators can have an unlimited number of special interest channels, which do not occupy bandwidth on the DVB-C network, but only use bandwidth when accessed by the user. These new services mean new income streams for operators and a unique service offering in competitive markets. Also for DVB-T/T2 markets, hybrid DVB is a great way to extend services. DVB-T is used for free-toair channels and pay-tv can be handled via the internet. We see more and more projects that make use of a best of both worlds strategy. How markedly do you think the TV industry as we know it today will change in the next five to ten years? Consumers in the future will demand much more control of where and especially when they watch their preferred content. So, I believe that time shift, network PVR and full catch-up TV for all channels will be mandatory for viewers in a couple of years. What is also pretty clear is that once TV habits change and people start to explore new ways of consuming content, there is no way back. Users come to expect these new features and the freedom of watching preferred content at any time. How fast these new technologies are launched is a TV rights issue as the technical solutions are already in place today. What should media entities be factoring in to their business models and strategies to ensure they remain competitive and relevant in a future digital, mass-ip-enabled marketplace? Since the user wants to decide when, where and what they consume, TV operators need to be more flexible with time shift, network recording and catchup TV. When the user gets such a diversity of access to TV content (e.g. Netflix), the operators have to deliver a competitive solution, where the user can decide according to his or her preferences. Coming back to the company s progress, and your role within that, what elements of ABOX42 s development to date satisfies you the most as founder and CEO, given the increasing rate of change in the industry, and the competition you face? We are very happy that our decision to build a flexible software foundation for our Smart STBs and our modular cloud TV/SaaS platform was exactly the right decision at the right moment in time. Our customers need flexible solutions and a solid hardware platform that can be deployed quickly. We get more and more enquiries from operators who consider current suppliers too inflexible to handle projects in the new fast moving consumer environment.

8 INVITATION ABOX42 s INDUSTRY BREAKFAST 29 APRIL :30-10:00 CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL - next to ExCeL London / TV Connect hosted by during the INVITATION Visit ABOX42 s Industry Breakfast during TV Connect 2015 in London. ABOX42 Partners: Hosted by ABOX42, key stakeholders of our industry will share their experience and future view on modern first screen Set-Top-Box platforms, new multiscreen TV solutions and the challenges of a fast changing TV landscape. REGISTER TODAY industrybreakfast@abox42.com ABOX42.com hosted at ABOX42 s Industry Breakfast 29 April :30-10:00 Crowne Plaza London - Docklands Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London, E16 1AL