Vestel to deliver TVs with Intertrust's ExpressPlay video protection

Thursday, September 13th, 2018
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Vestel and Intertrust Partner to Deliver TVs using Intertrust ExpressPlay XCA for Broadcast Video Protection and Management

  • Joint solution provides operators with a seamless bridge between OTT, broadcast, and mobile video services and will be showcased at IBC 2018 at Stand 5.A55

AMSTERDAM — IBC — Vestel and Intertrust today announced that Vestel will ship TVs and digital set-top boxes in 2019 with Intertrust’s ExpressPlay XCA™ for broadcast video management and protection. ExpressPlay XCA is Intertrust’s video conditional access system (CAS) based on the open standard Marlin DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology. ExpressPlay XCA brings massive cost reductions and market efficiencies to broadcasters and operators as well as device makers by using the Marlin DRM engine to implement conditional access for broadcast streams and Marlin DRM for broadband streams.

The announcement was applauded by leading DTH operators in Europe who have long sought to break free from the overhead of traditional CAS, which have failed to penetrate the TV market to date. Developed for custom set-top boxes, traditional CAS are costly and non-scalable. The Marlin DRM engine is designed for modern smart TVs and can support both CA and DRM business models.

“This move marks the first real step in the convergence of broadband and broadcast,” said Alberto Sigismondi, chief executive officer of Italy’s Tivù. “For years operators have dreamt of delivering secure broadcast content to TVs without an external module; ExpressPlay XCA makes this happen efficiently.”

“Delivering broadcast TV programs directly through the TV will transform the user experience, Plug & Play, for viewers who purchase our Smart TVs,” said Hakan Kutlu, Vice President of Marketing, Vestel. “ExpressPlay XCA is enabling this breakthrough, ensuring that important security requirements for high-value content are met. This means that we can focus on providing the best possible viewing experience for our customers and offering a real differentiator in the market.”

Intertrust co-founded the Marlin DRM open standard with Sony, Samsung, Philips, and Panasonic in 2005. Marlin DRM is used globally in over a billion devices and apps and is the only open standard for content management and protection. As the walls breakdown between Internet and broadcast services, operators seek common, cost effective content protection for both over the top and broadcast video. Marlin DRM is ideal for this and through its open nature, is devoid of proprietary agendas and hidden costs and provides operators with a seamless bridge between over the top, broadcast, and mobile video services.