NDS and ACCESS Systems Europe to Bring Pay-TV and FTA Channels to Connected TVs

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
NDS Group logo

  • The integration of NDS’ InfiniteTV™ hybrid content platform with ACCESS’ NetFront™ Browser brings pay TV and free-to-air TV to connected TVs without the need for a set-top box
  • NetFront Browser will be pre-installed on a number of manufacturers’ connected TV
  • Connected TV manufacturers can now enhance the value of their product by adding broadband over-the-top TV support
  • Consumers get access to linear TV, catch-up TV and on-demand content on their connected TVs
  • Consumers also get access to their home network video, photos and music via ACCESS’ NetFront™ Living Connect and video content management technologies
  • TV Operators will be able to launch services to consumers without any additional hardware

LONDON, UK — IBC Hall 1, Stand A71 — NDS Group, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, today announced that it has teamed up with ACCESS Systems Europe Holdings B.V., a subsidiary of ACCESS CO. LTD and a global provider of advanced software technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets, to bring Pay-TV and free-to-air (FTA) channels to connected TVs without the need for a set-top box (STB). The two companies will integrate the NDS InfiniteTV™ hybrid content platform with ACCESS’ NetFront™ Browser, to provide pay-TV and FTA broadcasters with a compelling solution for connected-TV users.

InfiniteTV allows consumers to view traditional linear channels, catch-up TV, and on-demand content through a single, intuitive user interface. Consumers do not need to install any software or any additional hardware.

More than one million connected TVs in Japan already run ACCESS’ NetFront Browser. NetFront Browser will be pre-installed on connected TVs from a number of manufacturers; these are expected to be available in Europe and the US in 2010.

Through InfiniteTV, connected TV viewers will have access to an electronic programme guide (EPG) and a default set of web channels and widgets supplied by their service provider. Using both broadcast channels and the Internet, InfiniteTV adds rich metadata to broadcast programmes and integrates with advanced search and recommendations engines to provide a personalised service. It also offers the option to extend the connected TV’s capabilities with time and place shifting through networked DVR and identity management services.

InfiniteTV is a standards-based initiative which supports all popular Internet video formats, DRMs and connected TV chipsets to maintain a secure and high quality service. It is an open platform, enabling any service provider to integrate it into their system while authenticating third-party applications to maintain system integrity. It also allows any content provider to make content easily available for different service providers.

An end-to-end solution, Infinite TV includes a software development kit and certification tools for widget providers; a channel builder for content providers to syndicate content; InfiniteTV Headend for service providers; and the InfiniteTV client.

NetFront Browser is the most advanced, versatile and powerful full Internet browser for beyond-PC devices. Specifically designed and optimised to deliver high performance in resource-constrained environments, NetFront Browser supports almost any OS and CPU, offers low power consumption, easy customisation and a broad range of plug-ins. ACCESS video aggregation and media management technologies further enable consumers to access aggregated video content. With ACCESS’ NetFront Living Connect, consumers can also benefit from the multimedia content (home video, music, pictures) residing on their home multimedia networks. NetFront Living Connect is a DLNA-certified comprehensive software solution, enabling implementation and control of home networks integrating multimedia appliances such as digital TVs, digital cameras, HDD recorders and more.

NetFront™ products, including NetFront Browser as an embedded Internet browser, have shipped in more than 760 million devices (as of April 2009) throughout the world, including mobile phones, digital TVs, STBs, mobile handhelds, game consoles and automobile navigation systems.

“Internet-enabled TVs have already gained market acceptance in Japan and are expected to take off in Europe and the US next year,” said Yoni Hashkes, senior vice president of advanced products and markets at NDS. “InfiniteTV has been designed from the ground up to deliver an intuitive interface that makes it easy for connected TV consumers to find and watch both broadcast and Internet content.”

“This partnership with NDS allows operators to provide premium and free-to-air TV content to Internet-enabled TVs for the first time,” said Yusuke Kanda, CEO, ACCESS Systems Europe. “This solution gives broadcasters, operators and consumer electronics manufacturers a powerful solution for win-win collaboration between content providers, advertisers and device manufacturers.”

NDS already supports ACCESS’ NetFront Browser on its MediaHighway™ STB software platform, and NetFront Browser has become the browser of choice for NDS’ cable customers.

The InfiniteTV suite of technologies enables pay TV and free-to-air broadcasters to reach consumers using emerging platforms and business models. Other solutions in the InfiniteTV suite focus on delivering premium content over the open Internet, funded by advertising.