Cabot Communications becomes first DVB middleware provider to achieve Freeview Playback Group 1 and 2 compliance

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Cabot Communications, the specialist digital TV software supplier, announces that Aurora XT, Cabot’s DVB middleware suite, has achieved Freeview Playback Group 1 & 2 compliance. Cabot is the first software vendor to achieve this accreditation and the middleware is already validated on multiple platforms and chip sets

Offering a complete stack based on worldwide DVB standards, Aurora XT allows digital television manufacturers to deploy a single solution throughout Europe as well as emerging digital markets such as Australia, Russia, India and Singapore. The resulting products can also be easily adapted to market and cost criteria by simply adding or subtracting elements of Aurora’s functionality. Cabot’s Freeview Playback accreditation now creates an additional benefit for manufacturers; the ability to provide free-to-air viewers with the kind of viewing experience only previously available from subscription-based television services.

Aurora’s Group 2 validation provides Freeview-capable Digital Television Recorders (DTRs) with the capability to bookmark an entire series of episodes to

record automatically and can combine broadcasts which are interrupted by other events such as the news, so called ‘split-events’, into a single recorded programme. In addition to the ability to record two programmes simultaneously, Aurora XT also creates the ability to pause live television and the 8-day, one touch Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) can make adjustment to recording times by automatically tracking broadcast timings.

Bob Lamb, Managing Director of Cabot Communications, commented “Cabot Communications continuously strives to assist manufacturers in bringing the latest technological innovations to digital television viewers. The addition of Freeview Playback functionality enables viewers to achieve a rewarding viewing experience, with a minimum of key presses and complete confidence in the viewing device. 1.95 million Freeview devices were sold during the first quarter of 2007 and Cabot looks forward to supporting manufacturers in providing the next generation of digital television functionality to the burgeoning Freeview market.”

Cabot will be demonstrating Freeview Playback compliance and other exciting extensions to the Aurora Suite at IBC 2007, stand number 5.338.