itvt

–Company Showcases New Technologies at IBC

Korean MHP and OpenCable specialist, Alticast, contacted [itvt] last month to let us know that satellite TV operator, SkyLife (has around 2.3 million subscribers), has successfully completed its roll-out of next-generation HD set-top boxes, which are equipped with Alticast’s AltiCaptor middleware. The boxes are powering a new HDTV service, called simply SkyLife HD, which is billed as the first H.264-based HDTV service in South Korea. The operator claims that the new service–which offers content from, among others, Discovery HD, KBS Prime, MBC Drama, UTV, XTM, JGolf and Sport Channel–has attracted 60,000 new subscribers since its roll-out began in May. In addition to 15 linear HD channels, the service offers a range of interactive TV applications, including fortune-telling, weather, karaoke and games apps, as well as VOD. The new HD deployment builds on an existing relationship between Alticast and SkyLife, under which the former provides the satellite company with MHP middleware, ITV applications and an EPG. “The system functioned just as it was supposed to function, and it was extremely easy for us to build our new HD services on Alticast’s middleware.” SkyLife CTO, Sung Yong Woo, said in a prepared statement.

In other Alticast news:

• The company said last month that it has successfully passed all site acceptance tests for the implementation of MHP-based interactive TV with Taiwanese cable operator, kbro. The latter–which claims to have 1.2 million subscribers and to enjoy a 25% share of the Taiwanese cable TV market–has tapped Alticast to provide it with middleware, a headend system and an EPG; it has also tapped Prime and Hyundai Digital Technology for its digital broadcast receivers and Nagravision for its conditional access system. According to Alticast, kbro plans to launch a range of interactive services by the end of the year, including VOD and PVR. “We are very excited about this first successful commercial launch,” C.H. Jih, SVP and head of technology at kbro, said in a prepared statement. “I would like to thank Alticast for their dedication and unsparing effort to complete this project on schedule even under high pressure for time and for providing us with the stable and compelling platform. The system functioned just as it was supposed to function, and it was extremely easy for us to build our new HD services on Alticast’s middleware.” kbro is a member of the Cable Broadband Institute of Taiwan (CBIT), an organization whose membership includes cable and broadband providers, content suppliers, regulators and elected officials. Alticast says that it hopes that kbro’s successful launch of MHP-based ITV will “serve as an example to other CBIT members that have plans to develop or commercialize digital broadcasting and interactive TV services based on DVB-MHP and to accelerate the service launch of other major MSO’s that Alticast is currently under negation with.”
• The company showcased a number of new solutions at the IBC show in Amsterdam last week. They included:
  1. a GEM HD DVR solution based on the tru2way standard and the Broadcom 7405 chipset. In addition to typical DVR functionality, the solution offers picture-in-picture support, enabling the viewing of and navigation to other channels, while simultaneously watching or recording a separate channel.
  2. the latest version of its channel navigation solution, altiExcite. According to the company, the solution features an HD graphical user interface and supports VOD, push-VOD, near-VOD and IPTV. Alticast claims that it offers “unparalleled” channel navigation speeds and can run in all set-top box environments.
  3. a solution called altiTOK TV Plus, which it says enables video services in a non-QoS network environment, using DnP (Download and Play) and push-VOD technologies. Alticast claims that the solution dramatically improves download times for on-demand programs and interactive TV services. “Alticast is very excited about this year’s exhibition at IBC,” Alticast managing director, Anthony Smith-Chaigneau, said in a prepared statement. “In this fast-paced digital TV world, Alticast continues to present great technology and innovation for the industry and is clearly out to impress. During the past year, we have significantly improved and expanded both our technology solutions and strategic partnerships worldwide.”
• The company has also secured a middleware deal with EchoStar Europe–see article in this issue.