Ocean Blue Demonstrates Turnkey HbbTV Solution at CCBN2010

BEIJING, March 23 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Digital TV software specialist Ocean Blue Software is demonstrating its full turnkey Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) - compatible software solution at China Content Broadcasting Network Expo (CCBN), the world's leading Digital TV (DTV) and broadband network industries event, from 23-25 March at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC) in Beijing, China.

The new solution, was developed in partnership with a leading web browser provider, and combines industry leading web browsing technology with Ocean Blue Software's (OBS) Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) middleware which incorporates the HbbTV extensions and can be integrated into a third party HbbTV browser.

Ken Helps, CEO at Ocean Blue Software said, "Our engineers have added the HbbTV extensions to Sunrise, Ocean Blue's proven DVB stack, and the DSM-CC. The resulting package will enable OEMs to deliver to TV-viewers a premium and feature-rich video and audio experience through their set top box or Internet connected TV by providing full support for next-generation broadcast (NGB) portals and services, such as ARD/ ZDF Mediathek, Tagesschau and ARTE."

Futuresource Consulting, a UK-based specialist research company, anticipates that by the end of 2010, the installed base of Internet connected TVs in Europe will have expanded to around 15 million devices, representing nearly 10% of the total number of flat panels in use. The consultancy says the next step for manufacturers is to add more compelling video services including paid for movie streaming. Broadband TV News agrees with the analysis, but added that the TV companies will have to go some way to match the offers available either through the iTunes store, or more importantly the pay-TV platforms with who they will be directly competing.*

Ocean Blue predicts that similar trends will emerge across the rapidly growing broadband broadcast markets in Asia, and in China in particular. China is the world's largest Internet, telecommunications and broadcast media market by number of users. More than 100 cities in China have already completed the transition from analog to digital TV laying the foundation for NGB.

This new HbbTV software product offers CE vendors and OEMs, many of which are based in Asia, to adopt an off-the-shelf solution developed to the HbbTV standard, therefore reducing time to market and reducing the risks associated with deploying unproven technology.

Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) was announced in August 2009 as a pan-European initiative to combine the delivery of broadcast and broadband content through connected TVs and set top boxes. The emergence of the 'Digital Home' and connected devices is rapidly gaining momentum in China and around the world.

Helps said, "OBS' participation at CCBN2010 in Beijing reflects our commitment to address the market requirements of China's DTV and set top box OEMs and to satisfy the consumer-led demand for superior video and audio experiences." He concluded, "With the China government's commitment to NGB and recent announcement of plans to converge the country's Internet, telecommunications and broadcast networks, we anticipate a boost for both local and global service providers, applications developers and hardware manufacturers."

Visit us at CCBN 2010 from 23-25 March at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC) in Beijing, China.

If you would like to book a demo or arrange a meeting please contact us.

Ocean Blue Software has written a white paper advocating the concept of combining the major software standards, for example DVB, Adobe Flash Lite and HTML, into one software stack and on a single chipset in order to address this emerging market driven by the likes of HbbTV and Canvas. The white paper is titled 'Octopus' and can be downloaded free of charge from Ocean Blue's website.

    * Source: Futuresource Consulting.

    About Ocean Blue Software

Ocean Blue Software is based in Bristol and Hong Kong and specialises in the development, distribution and support of world-class software solutions, which are incorporated into Digital TV consumer electronics products, present in the Digital Home.

Ocean Blue's software products stand out in terms of maturity, usability, operability and adherence to international digital broadcast standards, notably DVB and DTG. Ocean Blue is active in both DTG and DVB groups, assisting in the development of industry software standards. Ocean Blue's new software developments include support for High Definition TV broadcasts, Advanced Text-To-Speech Technology, CI Plus and Connected-TV solutions. For more information visit http://www.oceanbluesoftware.com

    Ocean Blue Software Contact:

     Laura Buck
     Marketing Manager
     Email: [email protected]
     Tel: +44-1179-722753
     http://www.oceanbluesoftware.com

SOURCE Ocean Blue Software