Oregan Networks unveils Onyx browser application for connected TVs

Enabling search and playback of personal and commercial media from multiple sources

LONDON, UK — Oregan Networks, an embedded software and solutions company, has announced availability of Oregan Media Browser 4.0 for connected DTVs, branded as Onyx, which also comes in a Set Top Box edition for network operators. A product of extensive consumer research, market leading software engineering techniques and collaboration with leading integrated DTV silicon vendors, Onyx delivers to consumers simplified accessibility to multiple sources of trusted Internet and personal content on TVs through a single resident TV application that requires minimal set up and can be easily “called up” in the form of a widget and dismissed without leaving regular broadcast channels or switching TV inputs.

Onyx can work in conjunction with the existing DVB, ATSC, tru2way and other types of programming, facilitating immediate access to a variety of related or relevant web video services and digitally stored content, whilst the TV is tuned into one of the available broadcast channels.

As an ease of use enhancement, Onyx features a unified media search feature, allowing users to discover content via contextual linking to broadcast, recorded, personal and web sources, from the following types of media:

• Home network devices, designed to Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) guidelines,
• TV programming guides,
• Internet video on demand services.

Onyx functionalities are accessible through a single user interface that integrates seamlessly with the traditional TV viewing experience, whilst offering extended media browsing and search options via elegant graphical icons, with an intuitive navigational flow throughout. Onyx can be controlled via a traditional remote control or with a motion sensing remote control for high-end DTV products.

Onyx is slated for retail availability during the next holiday season.

Under the hood

Onyx is powered by the Oregan Media Browser 4.0 middleware. It encapsulates the combination of Oregan’s CEA-2014 compliant XHTML engine and open widgets, closely coupled with streaming media technology that controls audio and video playback sessions launched by the browser from web, broadcast or home network sources.

To accommodate the specifics of the cost sensitive DTV market, Oregan Media Browser 4.0 maintains a small code footprint, whilst meeting demanding feature and performance requirements, which allows this application to run on lower-powered DTV chipsets based on ARM or MIPS CPU architectures.

The W3C standards based foundation of Oregan Media Browser enables developers to create new web widgets and applications using readily available tools and processes.