Set Top Box (STB, PVR, DVR, CECB, IRD, DTA, Gateway, …) News

HbbTV releases HbbTV Conformance Test Suite version 2019-2
Aug 28, 2019 – The HbbTV Association has announced that the HbbTV Testing Group has published a new version of the HbbTV Conformance Test Suite. The 2019-2 version includes new tests for the HbbTV 2.0.2 specification and Operator Applications.
News categories: HbbTV Association, Vincent Grivet, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

Videotron unveils Helix entertainment and home management platform
Aug 27, 2019 – Videotron has unveiled its Helix technology platform. With its voice remote, ultra-intelligent Wi-Fi, and, coming soon, its ability to integrate automation features, Helix will soon play a major role in Québec households.
News categories: Videotron, Quebecor, Jean-François Pruneau, Pierre Karl Péladeau, Canada, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart Home

MPEG-H Audio added to SBTVD's ISDB-Tb specifications
Aug 27, 2019 – The SBTVD Forum has selected MPEG-H Audio for inclusion as an additional audio system in the ISDB-Tb specification. This allows broadcasters to simulcast MPEG-H Audio alongside the existing AAC audio.
News categories: Fraunhofer IIS, EiTV, ATEME, Adrian Murtaza, Brazil, Digital TV, Latin America, SBTVD, Set Top Box, Smart TV

SFR STBs first in France to integrate Amazon Prime Video
Aug 27, 2019 – Altice Europe is to make Amazon Prime Video available to its SFR customers in France. SFR will be the first of Altice operations and the first operator in France to announce the Prime Video app within its LaBox SFR Fibre, SFR Box Plus and SFR Box 8 set-top boxes.
News categories: Altice, Prime Video, Alain Weill, Jay Marine, Apps, Digital TV, Dominican Republic, France, IPTV, Israel, Portugal, Set Top Box, Streaming

Beeline deploys Kaltura TV Platform in Kazakhstan
Aug 22, 2019 – Kaltura has announced that its Kaltura Cloud TV Platform is powering a newly-launched TV service for Beeline Kazakhstan. Beeline is using the Kaltura TV Platform to replace its legacy pay-TV service and to reach more devices and customers.
News categories: Kaltura, Beeline, Dr. Shay David, Sergey Leshchenko, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IBCShow, IPTV, Kazakhstan, Set Top Box, UX

SmartLabs migrates legacy boxes for StarNet TV in Moldova
Aug 21, 2019 – SmartLabs has announced that it will replace Moldovan operator StarNet's legacy platform with its SmartTUBE multiscreen solution, and provide the operator with UHD set-top boxes and apps for mobile devices and Smart TVs.
News categories: SmartLabs, StarNet, Mikhail Grachev, Alexandru Machedon, Digital TV, IBCShow, IPTV, Middleware, Moldova, Set Top Box

TELUS Home Assistant giving Optik TV customers hands-free voice control
Aug 15, 2019 – TELUS has launched TELUS Home Assistant, a Google Assistant-based platform that gives Optik TV customers the freedom to control their entertainment experience hands-free using voice commands, at no extra cost.
News categories: TELUS, Blair Miller, Canada, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, UX

U.S. STB energy agreement savings top $5 billion
Aug 13, 2019 – Consumers saved approximately $1.6 billion in energy costs in 2018 alone as a result of the voluntary set-top box energy conservation agreement among pay-TV providers, manufacturers, energy efficiency advocates and the CTA and NCTA.
News categories: Consumer Technology Association, NCTA, Natural Resources Defense Council, Doug Johnson, Neal Goldberg, Noah Horowitz, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, USA

Most smart speakers and video streamers are energy efficient
Aug 12, 2019 – Most of the more than 100 million smart speakers and video streaming devices installed in America’s homes are quite energy efficient, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has said in the first independent report on their electricity use.
News categories: NRDC, Noah Horowitz, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming, USA