Midco to deploy Evolution Digital Android TV set-top box

Tuesday, October 1st, 2019
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Evolution Digital Reaches Agreement with Midco to Deploy its Android TV Set-Top

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Evolution Digital today announces an eSTREAM 4K™, powered by Android TV™, win at Midcontinent Communications (Midco®). Midco will deploy its next-generation IPTV services in early 2020 on Evolution Digital’s managed all-IP streaming box, offering a new and fully-integrated streaming-based video solution on the Android TV Operator Tier. Midco serves more than 385,000 residential and business customers in more than 400 communities in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas and Wisconsin.

Evolution Digital’s eSTREAM 4K is designed to launch directly to Midco’s app-based TV service, while also providing customers with access to popular third-party apps through the Google Play Store.

The eSTREAM 4K offers a UI and back-office-agnostic platform, enabling Midco’s seamless integration between Evolution Digital’s all-IP streaming box and the TiVo® user experience. Midco will also take advantage of Evolution Digital’s Device Manager (eDM), a purpose-built software platform providing management, control, monitoring and analytics of devices, as well as the ability to deploy device-specific software, firmware and security updates to the operator’s chosen user experience.

“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with Midco as they embark on deploying its next-generation IPTV platform on Android TV,” said Marc Cohen, EVP of sales and marketing. “As Android TV is becoming pay-TV providers’ chosen ecosystem, Evolution Digital provides the necessary ongoing elements that come with building, certifying and maintaining Android TV in-production, while helping operators, like Midco, build a strong foundation for current and future innovation to outcompete in the market for many years to come.”

“After reviewing the many options available in the industry, we turned to our trusted partner, Evolution Digital, as our Android TV platform provider for their cutting-edge and world-class technology,” said Bill Chatwell, Midco’s Director of Video Systems. “As we begin to make a major migration to cloud-based video, we trust Evolution Digital’s expertise to help lead us in to the future of streaming, providing our customers an unparalleled TV service at scale.”

Other eSTREAM 4K highlights include:

  • Certified with latest Android TV operating software (Pie, 9.0)
  • Delivery of 4KHDR Ultra-HD content
  • Integrated Wi-Fi 2×2 802.11 b/g/n/ac
  • Remote control with voice command for enhanced navigation
  • Operator-branded leased-box business model
  • Bluetooth pairing capabilities (BLE 5.0)
  • Bandwidth-saving by utilizing HEVC/H.265 and VP9