Open source STB middleware takes a bow at International CES

CES is turning into big show for Frog, the independent open source software solution for Pay TV operators provided by Wyplay. This solution was announced at IBC last September but is being officially launched in Las Vegas. It includes all the components needed to build operator customer premise equipment and the stated aim for the solution is “to free all actors in the TV ecosystem from being locked into proprietary solutions.”

Wyplay hopes to achieve this by making the full source code of the Frog set-top box middleware and backend add-ons accessible free of charge to a developer community that now numbers around 40 companies across the TV ecosystem. Frog provides a marketplace of third-party solutions that are complementary to, and pre-integrated with, Wyplay’s technology and these are readily accessible to all members of the Frog community, with technical assets and documentation accessible through the frogbywyplay.com private portal.

Here is a list of the Frog-related CES press announcements:

• AirTies Wireless Networks, the wireless networking and OTT-STB vendor, announced a solution for enabling wireless network access to STBs running the open source Frog by Wyplay software using AirTies wireless connector.
• Shenzhen COSHIP Electronics Co, a leading STB provider for Pay TV operators, is joining the Frog By Wyplay initiative.
• Semiconductor leader STMicroelectronics announced an extension of its collaboration to make the Frog by Wyplay open-source solution available on its Cannes and Monaco SoC families. The Cannes client-box SoC family (STiH312, STiH310, STiH305) enables cost-effective HEVC HD set-top-box decoders and the Monaco family (STiH407, STiH410, STiH412) provides a full-featured solution for server-type applications including home gateways, including transcoding for multi-screen experiences.
• Sigma’s HEVC decoding and ARM processors are also providing a high performance STB platform for Wyplay’s innovative Frog middleware, and specifically the Sigma SMP8700 SC Family.
• MStar Semiconductor officially unveiled the integration of the Frog By Wyplay solution onto its latest MSD7C89 set-top box chip. This chip is an HD processor powered by a Dual Cortex A9. It is dedicated to IP thin client and advanced STBs.
• The WIZTIVI Interactive Tablet Application solution has been made available in the Frog by Wyplay Marketplace. This delivers an improved tablet application running on iOS and Android to remotely manage a Frog middleware powered STB.
• L&T Technology Services, the engineering services arm of the Larsen & Toubro Group, has joined the Frog by Wyplay community and is offering end-to-end integration, development and user experience design services based on Wyplay’s technology. L&T Technology Services provides a one-stop-shop offering for operators when it comes to creating their digital TV solutions based on the Frog by Wyplay solution. The company covers the whole spectrum of activities from device hardware, middleware and conditional access systems integration, up to application development and user interface design.
• The QuadriFast Push VOD solution from Quadrille, targeting satellite operators, is now available to all members of the Frog community with reduced time to market through the Frog by Wyplay Marketplace. “The role of a Marketplace Partner like Quadrille in the Frog ecosystem is to provide complementary products and solutions, pre-integrated into the Frog by Wyplay middleware, so that operators can benefit from a range of “a la carte” features to meet their specific needs, says Wyplay. Quadrille CEO Xavier Battas comments: “The Frog By Wyplay Marketplace represents a unique and original business approach in an industry so far dominated by closed end-to-end solutions. We believe our industry has to transition to more open and collaborative models and are proud to be one of the first Frog by Wyplay Marketplace Partners.”

Post-CES 2014 debrief:

Videonet is hosting a webcast to look at the lessons learned about the future of TV from CES this year. It is live on Friday, January 17 at 2pm GMT/3pm CET and our expert analysts are: David Mercer, VP, Principal Analyst, Digital Consumer Practice, Strategy Analytics; Jon Watts, Director and Co-founder, MTM; and Jeff Binder, General Partner, Genovation Capital, LLC. It is chaired by John Moulding, Editor, Videonet.

The webcast is free and you can also listen to it on-demand after Friday. Register here (free)