Middleware and Operating System (OS) News

NAGRA video platform powers Claro Box TV in Colombia
Aug 4, 2021 – Claro Colombia has selected the NAGRA OpenTV Video Platform to power its Claro Box TV. The Android TV-based STB enables Claro Colombia’s clients to enjoy advanced services including VOD, start-over, catch-up TV, cloud DVR and remote control voice assist.
News categories: NAGRA, Claro Colombia, Xavier Fustagueras, Walter Borda, Android TV, Cable TV, Colombia, Digital TV, Set Top Box, UX

SERAPHIC upgrades TV browser with HbbTV 2.0.3 support
Aug 3, 2021 – SERAPHIC has announced that an upgrade to its Sraf HbbTV solution supporting HbbTV 2.0.3 will be released soon. The solution is compatible with the HbbTV Association test suite on both Linux and Android.
News categories: SERAPHIC, Xinwen Xue, Digital TV, Europe, HbbTV, Worldwide

Sky Brasil's SKY Connect 4K Android TV DVR powered by Wyplay
Jul 23, 2021 – Wyplay has announced that it is powering SKY Connect, the 4K Android TV DVR, recently launched by SKY Brasil, building on the work done for the launch of Linux STBs for SKY Brasil and DIRECTV Latin America in 2016.
News categories: Wyplay, SKY Brasil, Jacques Bourgninaud, Android TV, Brazil, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box

Global Smart TV household ownership to exceed 50% by 2026
Jul 21, 2021 – According to Strategy Analytics, more than 665 million homes worldwide had a Smart TV at the end of 2020. This equates to 34% of global households, a figure that is set to rise to 51% by 2026 when ownership will reach 1.1 billion homes.
News categories: Strategy Analytics, Edouard Bouffenie, David Watkins, Digital TV, Market Research, Middleware, OTT, Smart TV, Worldwide

HbbTV releases Targeted Advertising specification for TV sets in STB markets
Jul 21, 2021 – The HbbTV Association has published its second phase solution for targeted advertising. This enables substitution of broadcast with targeted ads when the broadcast signal is received by an STB and passed to an TV.
News categories: HbbTV Association, Vincent Grive, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

Altice USA introduces Optimum and Suddenlink 4K streaming device
Jul 21, 2021 – Altice USA has unveiled Optimum Stream and Suddenlink Stream, a 4K streaming device powered by Android TV. The box, available to its broadband-only customers, is free with 1-Gig plans. Otherwise it costs $5 per month.
News categories: Altice USA, Hakim Boubazine, Android TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, USA

DTVKit welcomes RDK Management as latest member
Jul 16, 2021 – DTVKit’s DVB Core is now officially pre-integrated with the RDK. This means that the Raspberry Pi reference platform will build to include DTVKit support direct from the RDK repositories.
News categories: DTVKit, RDK Management, Phil Evans, Jason Briggs, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Worldwide

SKY Brasil deploys Technicolor Android TV STBs with Google Assistant far-field voice
Jul 15, 2021 – Technicolor and SKY Brasil have announced the deployment of SKY Connect, a set-top box (STB) that integrates Google Assistant far-field voice technology for entertainment content navigation on the TV.
News categories: Technicolor, SKY Brasil, Brian Jentz, Andre Ribeiro, Android TV, Brazil, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home

Alexa coming to third-party Smart TVs powered by LG webOS
Jul 14, 2021 – LG has announced that Amazon Alexa is coming to third-party TVs powered by its webOS platform. The feature will be activated OTA starting in Q3 in North America, followed by other regions including Europe and Asia.
News categories: LG Electronics, Jung Sung-hyun, Asia, Digital TV, Europe, Middleware, North America, Smart Home, Smart TV