Four Receiver Manufacturers adopt S&T RedKey MHEG-5 solution for new markets

LONDON, UK — Strategy & Technology Client Systems Ltd (S&T Client Systems), specialists in interactive TV playout systems and MHEG middleware, has announced that four leading Asia-based receiver manufacturers have licensed its RedKey MHEG-5 receiver engine.

Sichuan Changhong Network Technologies, Homecast, Pixel Magic Systems and Value Platforms have all licensed S&T’s technology. This announcement follows on from further adoption of the MHEG-5 standard including Hong Kong’s leading broadcaster TVB and MSO Digicable in India. With New Zealand already up and running, trials in several other countries and several operators in India selecting MHEG-5, it is anticipated that other broadcasters across the region will also select the public standard middleware.

“We have been supplying digital TV receivers – set-top boxes and now iDTVs too – since 1997 and our technology is being used across the world. MHEG-5 has many outstanding advantages and we believe that there will be increasing global requirement for MHEG-5 product. The fact that S&T has opened an office and technical support in Hong Kong was very important in our decision,” explains Huaqiong Yang, Patent Engineer, Sichuan Changhong Network Technologies.

Territory-specific profiles of the MHEG-5 standard, based on the UK Profile 1.06, are being progressively released to support different character sets and receiver requirements.

“Homecast is one of the leading set-top box manufacturers based in Korea. We have received requests from some operators recently to include MHEG-5 and Freeview in NZ recently selected our technology. It also recommended S&T to us,” says Young Kyung Song, MD, Homecast.

Nelson Choi, MD, Pixel Magic Systems, adds, “With TVB in Hong Kong selecting MHEG-5 there is a clear market opportunity. It is a proven technology and S&T is a wellknown company is this sector with a good reputation.”

RedKey is the marketing leading MHEG-5 engine and was the first to fully support UK Profile 1.06. With over 23 million receivers sold in the UK, Freeview has been an undoubted success.

Paul Daly, General Manger, S&T Client Systems, says, “With new markets now opening up our exemplary reputation based on technical expertise and reliable delivery means that we are in a prime position to satisfy the needs of receiver manufactures and broadcasters alike. We are pleased that these four manufactures have recognised that and we look forwards to working with them.”