M20 complements ABOX42's Smart STB platform product series of M12 & B12 at the high end as a fully compatible alternative depending on special applications and advanced requirements. The ABOX42 Smart SDK allows operators to ship both M12 and M20 in the same network based on the performance requirements - e.g. M12 for Zapper Box and M20 with PVR support.
Broadcom's family of IP STB platforms enables advanced IPTV and OTT entertainment services in a compact, cost-efficient and high performance package. Broadcom's BCM7241 SoC allows ABOX42's M20 Set-Top Boxes to provide operators with an effective path to expand advanced HDTV interactive services such as networked DVR and browser-based applications. The M20 Smart STB is designed for fast-moving OTT providers and cable operators who want to roll out interactive services and new business models based on the latest Internet technologies.
The new STB platform based on ABOX42's Smart STB SDK already supports over 120 OTT & IPTV applications like VOD-Services, Catch-Up TV Services, Online Video Recording, IPTV/OTT FreeTV as well as OTT PayTV services and many leading next generation TV middleware integrations from leading suppliers. M20 offers short project cycles, short production lead times and includes lifecycle management, ongoing software maintenance and service updates.
"As global consumer and operator demand for OTT and IPTV services continues to increase, Broadcom is pleased to work with ABOX42 on solutions that allow service providers to quickly deploy new services based on the latest technology," says Stuart Thomson, Broadcom Senior Director of Marketing, Broadband Communications Group. "The accelerated development of ABOX42's solution with Broadcom's BCM7241 is a significant achievement in the quick deployment of high performance IPTV and OTT set-top boxes worldwide."
"Based on our five years of experience in the consumer electronic market with Smart set-top boxes and running more than 120 TV applications on our Smart STBs, M20 is our next generation, cost effective high-performance platform for the OEM market", said Oliver Soellner, VP Business Development of ABOX42 GmbH. "The M20 platform is the ideal solution for all IPTV&OTT projects, which do want to have their own Smart STB product without any worry about technology and to avoid project complexity at all. Our platform is operator and end user proven and extremely easy to use."
The ABOX42 Smart STB platform M20 supports all major OTT, IPTV as well as Cloud TV concepts and runs all its advanced technologies "out of the box." The easy to use ABOX42 Smart SDK Web Development Environment with the latest Internet technologies speeds up development of IPTV applications up to 10 times compared to traditional STB platforms. M20 is configurable for latest hardware technology and software components like HTML4/5/CE-HTML browser, CSS3, QT-client, DLNA and an advanced OTT media player. In addition M20 supports latest Hollywood approved streaming technologies (e.g. Smooth Streaming, HLS, BitBand, MPEG DASH, DIVX Streaming) and market proven DRM and card less CAS solutions like Verimatrix, Marlin, DRM10, PlayReady, HLS-DRM and Secure Media.
ABOX42 is member of the SmartTV Alliance alongside LG, Toshiba, TP Vision and Panasonic. The M20 platform supports various 3rd party and TV-station applications written in HbbTV or according to the Smart TV Alliance SDK.
Besides the hardware platform and the advanced Smart SDK Development environment, ABOX42 offers additional services and tools to support development, deployment and operation of the STBs in the field.
The ABOX42 SaaS services allow the operator to securely manage the software lifecycle with upgrades and downgrades including staging mechanism for development, testing, pre-live and live to update new software version in a professional QA way for the field.
The ABOX42 Reporting SaaS supports the operator's ITIL process requirements by a "real-time" view of its installation in the field with update health and status information of each operated STB.
The ABOX42 Smart RCU and Mobile Toolkit offers operators, developers and middleware companies a unique way to build companion and multiscreen applications for IOS and Android devices.
Development and evaluation units of M20 platform are already available on request. Development partners profit from ABOX42's special Developer Program, which helps companies to easily move their OTT and middleware applications to the M20 platform or to quickly develop new applications based on latest Internet and web technologies.
The M20 has 512KB RAM, 4 GB Flash, 2 USB ports, S/P DIF audio, HDMI 1.4a, analogue and component video outputs. The M20 provides secure hardware and software supporting advanced DRM and card less CAS systems. WIFI is available as internal or external solution.
ABOX42 exhibits in hall 14, booth 14.361 on IBC as well as on the Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam Oct 22nd till 24th.