Amlogic and Skyworth partner for Netflix-ready RDK STB design

Amlogic and Skyworth have announced a partnership to develop Netflix ready UHD RDK set-top-boxes.

RDK, the companies said, has been a preferred solution for pay TV operators, but the ‘heavy engineering investment’ to integrate apps like Netflix makes the decision a more complex one. The open-source software platform standardises core functions used in broadband, video and IoT connected devices, amdm enables service providers to manage their devices; control their business models; and customize their apps, UIs and data analytics to improve the customer experience and drive business results.

Looking to solve this, STB manufacturer Skyworth Digital has partnered with fabless semiconductor company Amlogic to develop Netflix pre-certified set top box with RDK Video Accelerator.

Amlogic has a proven pedigree in Netflix integration, having worked closely with the streaming company in the Netflix Hailstorm scaling program to pre-integrate the Netflix app into Android TV STB products.

By developing a pre-certified STB reference solution, the companies said that operators will have a lower cost and faster time-to-market when looking to launch a future-proof TV platform.

Charlie Zheng, VP of strategic partnerships, sales and marketing, Skyworth Digital, said:  “The demand for RDK-based products is on the rise by pay-TV operators around the globe, but the heavy engineering investment on Netflix integration has been a problem for product evolution, and Skyworth is proud to collaborate with Netflix and Amlogic to provide operators a Netflix pre-certified product minimizing the engineering cost significantly.”

James Xie senior vice president of corporate business strategy at Amlogic added: “Many service providers are turning to RDK as their software platform of choice for the next-gen video and broadband products, and Amlogic will be there for them. We’re delighted to have partnered with Skyworth in the integration of Netflix App on the RDK Video Accelerator platform, speeding up time to market, simplifying integration, and delivering an exceptional user experience.”

The first reference unit is Skyworth’s RDK box. It is a UHD IP-set top, running on the Amlogic S905X4 chipset with 2GB DDR4 + 16GB eMMC, dual band 802.11ax Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth (BTLE) 5.0. The product with Netflix will be available for pay TV operators and technology partners from June 2021.