S&T adds HbbTV from ACCESS to RedKey™ 2

S&T has signed a licensing agreement with ACCESS Systems Europe Holdings B.V., a subsidiary of ACCESS CO., LTD., a global provider of advanced software technologies to the mobile, beyond-PC and digital TV markets. The agreement enables S&T to offer a complete HbbTV solution suitable for integration with any digital TV receiver. According to the agreement, S&T has secured the rights to re-distribute ACCESS’ NetFront™ Browser and associated HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband) extensions.

The HbbTV consortium has recently received standardization for version 1.1.1 of its specification as ETSI TS 102 796. The Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA), the French TV regulator, has also expressed its support for HbbTV with the introduction of interactive services and applications based on the HbbTV specification in France expected in 2011.

S&T will offer an integrated HbbTV solution, complete with a Digital Storage Media Command and Control (DSM-CC) client and HbbTV signalling, direct to manufacturers of digital TV receivers.

Many leading European broadcasters including Canal+, TF1, ARD, RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 are committed to offering HbbTV powered hybrid applications and services.

By combining the technologies with its existing software interfaces, S&T will offer existing RedKey MHEG licensees a simple and efficient route to HbbTV and will offer new licensees the opportunity to address both HbbTV and MHEG markets in a single design. An optional CI+ browser is also available as an add-on in all versions if required.

ACCESS develops software solutions that enable broadcasters, operators and consumer electronics manufacturers to provide consumers with seamless media access, ensuring that the broadcast world can connect with the consumer electronic universe to successfully launch new business models and consumer services. ACCESS’ NetFront Browser is the most advanced, versatile and powerful full Internet browser for mobile and beyond-PC devices. Specifically designed and optimised to deliver high performance in resource-constrained environments, it has been deployed by major operators, handset manufacturers and consumer electronics manufacturers around the world.

“HbbTV is fast gaining ground in markets such as Germany and France, and interest from other countries will no doubt grow further now that ETSI has given its approval. This makes now the right time to offer the technology to international markets,” said Paul Daly, General Manager – Client Systems, Strategy & Technology Ltd. “Our HbbTV solution will be a combination of market leading technologies from both ACCESS and S&T, offering manufacturers an interactive TV plugin that will support not only HbbTV but also HD MHEG, Interaction Channel and CI+ browser functionality and will build on our mature and well documented RedKey 2 interface.”

NetFront™ is a registered trademark or trademark of ACCESS CO., LTD. in the United States, Japan and/or other countries.