Access teams up with DTVKit

Access and DTVKit have teamed up to offer open standards-based solutions to the connected entertainment industry.

According to the pair, the partnership with reduce development time by providing a pre-integrated Chromium browser and DVB components for HbbTV and HTML5 connected applications.

Access will demonstrate its solutions supporting HbbTV, HTML5 and Freeview Play’s 2017 iteration at IBC.

The company’s NetFront Browser family and Access Twine solutions support HTML5, HbbTV 1.5, HbbTV 2.0.1, BML, Hybridcast, Freeview Play 2017, YouTube on TV and uPnP, as well as device operating systems such as Linux, iOS and Android.

“Open standards are part of the Access DNA, and we are excited to be partnering with DTVKit to extend the options for our browser customers’ connected entertainment platforms,” said Neale Foster, managing director and COO at Access Europe.

“Working alongside the DTVkit community enables DVB functionality to be more quickly integrated into connected entertainment devices enabling operators to focus on the areas that differentiate their products, such as compelling HTML5 based UIs, whole home media redistribution and applications leveraging standards such as HbbTV.”

DTVKit is dedicated to changing the approach to developing and maintaining the key, non-differentiating software components necessary to implement a digital television receiver, enabling a shift away from proprietary royalty based models towards an open royalty free model. Currently DTVKit is being deployed by operators globally for DVB–S2 and DVB-C boxes, alongside DVB-T2 boxes in Germany and South Africa.

“Within the consumer TV and set-top box market, there is a large amount of unnecessary or duplicated effort around updating and maintaining individual DVB software components. By fostering collaboration among members, we enable operators and box makers to innovate at much lower cost and facilitate simpler certification. We are very happy to welcome Access as a member of DTVKit as the company has consistently proved that open standards projects can be turned into high quality solutions for successful operator deployments.” said Phil Evans, CEO at DTVKit,

“Our customers have been asking for the option of a commercially sourced Chromium based browser SDK for some time. They understand the value to their business of regular updates, product roadmaps, engineering support, and additional features for such a complex and integral component of the overall solution.”

On Sunday, September 17 at 15:30 – 16:15, Access will be taking part in a panel discussion at IBC entitled “Service design considerations for the multi-screen OTT world” in the Content Everywhere Hub (Hall 14.J10). Attendees to the panel discussion will be able to learn about the various elements to take into account when developing a multiscreen-friendly user experience based on open standards, according to Access.

Access will be exhibiting at IBC on Stand 14.D14