Cabot Communications and NXP Semiconductors announce joint collaboration on 'Connected Home' interoperability technology

Sunday, September 9th, 2007
NXP logo

Cabot Communications, the specialist digital TV software supplier, today announces that it is working in partnership with NXP Semiconductors in a technical collaboration exploring the integration of advanced ‘Connected Home’ interoperability software into Aurora, Cabot’s DVB middleware suite.

Menno Kleingeld, Marketing Director, NXP Semiconductors commented “Exploring this extension to Cabot’s Aurora middleware stack matches up to NXP’s vision of the Connected Home, enabling us to offer a set-top box solution which is not only flexible for use in standalone and multi-room DTRs, but also proves cost-effective for CE manufacturers and service providers seeking to integrate such functionality. In addition, we are confident that Cabot’s emphasis on DLNA compliance will give us an edge in the market as the first company to integrate the Aurora middleware suite into our multi-room STB 220.”

This development to Cabot software represents an exciting move towards a wired or wireless interoperable network of multimedia devices, as envisioned by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Multimedia devices which have been certified as ‘DLNA compliant’ provide assurance to the consumer that it will share media content with any other DLNA compliant device, regardless of the manufacturer. For example a DLNA compliant STB can play MP3s from a DLNA compliant PC regardless of who manufactures them.

Bob Lamb, Managing Director of Cabot Communications, commented “Cabot is delighted to be working in partnership with NXP as part of Cabot’s continuous research and development programme. The technology we are developing will enable end-users to access all their media content within the home from one convenient place, via a multi-room DTR set-up. This new extension to Aurora software will allow media content on any of the networked devices in the home to be accessed from a compliant IDTV, STB or DTR and played back on the TV screen. This is especially useful for viewing downloaded content from the internet such as video files which would be no longer restricted to be viewed on smaller PC screens.” The technology is based upon Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network protocols which allow media devices to connect seamlessly and automatically. The integration of UPnP functionality into Aurora will enable compliant digital entertainment devices to work together on home networks allowing seamless streaming and playing of media content such as movies, music, games and photos between the devices. Cabot will be demonstrating Connected Home functionality using a multi-room DTR setup and other exciting extensions to the Aurora suite at IBC 2007, stand number 5.338. Further information on DLNA can be found here: http://www.dlna.org/en/consumer/home