ITV

Category: Hardware

  • Cobalt Digital set to present portfolio of problem solvers at Broadcast Asia 2023

    Cobalt Digital set to present portfolio of problem solvers at Broadcast Asia 2023

    Mumbai:  Cobalt Digital, Inc., is all set to present a portfolio of problem solvers at Broadcast Asia 2023 on Stand 6B1-05 – including a sneak peek at a new router. The designer and manufacturer of award-winning edge devices for live video production and master control, and a founding partner in the openGear initiative, is centering its exhibition around feature-rich, compact solutions that target the trends that are driving an industry in transition. The common threads that can be found throughout the Cobalt stand are high density, flexibility, space conservation, automation, multi-format support, reliable video content transport and operation in the cloud.

    “We are extremely committed to supporting our customers, and to growing our presence in Asia,” said Cobalt Digital marketing & worldwide sales SVP Suzana Brady. “We recently welcomed Anthony Tan to the team as director of sales engineering, APAC to ensure the specific requirements of local broadcasters are addressed and our support and solutions exceed their expectations. That’s why Broadcast Asia, the region’s largest broadcast technology stage, is such an important event. It provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate our dedication to Asia’s broadcasters, media, and entertainment industries.”

    At Broadcast Asia, Cobalt is presenting a combination of new and upgraded solutions, four of which received awards at the recent NAB 2023 show in Las Vegas.

    HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

    WAVE RTR-64×64 Router

    Broadcast Asia visitors will be the first to get a sneak peek at Cobalt’s WAVE RTR-64×64 Router featuring a 64×64 crosspoint with support for signals up to 12G-SDI, all packed into a 4U frame. This router offers high-density with unprecedented flexibility, ease-of-use, and integration. The frame includes an Ethernet port for IP-based controls such as Cobalt’s Reflex, PESA PNET and General Remote protocol SW-P-08. The unit also incorporates RS-422 & RS-232 9-pin serial communication ports. Web-based controls allow full setup, salvos, monitoring, and preset management. This compact design is specifically optimized for 12G SDI operation but handles lower SDI rates with ease, as well as ASI and MADI.

    Sapphire Converter Series

    Cobalt is also be presenting the following units from the Sapphire Converter Series:

    .    Sapphire BIDI-2H2S – dual channel bidirectional HDMI to SDI / SDI to HDMI converter that conserves space in existing openGear® installations.

    .    Sapphire 8JXS-8S – ST 2110 JPEG-XS to SDI bulk gateway in openGear form factor that allows up to 40 signal conversions in a standard openGear chassis.

    .    Sapphire BBG-2110-H/S & Sapphire BBG-2110-2H – mini converters intended to be mounted behind the monitor including single or dual 25Gb/s ports for redundancy.  

    The Sapphire 8JXS-8S, Sapphire BBG-2110-H/S & Sapphire BBG-2110-2H will be available for shipping in Summer 2023.

    9992 ENC/DEC Family Gets RIST Adaptive Encoding

    Cobalt’s software-defined family of 9992-ENC/DEC encoders/decoders offer the perfect solution for sports, news gathering, video contribution and affiliate distribution. The series now offers RIST Source Adaptation (VSF TR-06-4 Part 1), that defines a protocol for the stream receiver to provide feedback information to the source triggering an appropriate action. RIST Source Adaptation enables the 9992-ENC encoder to adapt its output data rate to match network conditions instantaneously based on feedback from the decoder and automatically restores as the network recovers.  

    SafeLink 8TS-VM – SafeLink Gateway in the Cloud

    Cobalt’s SafeLink Gateway, transporter of audio and video content over the internet with low latency, is now available as a cloud instance in addition to the openGear form factor. It is ideal for ground-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground transmission using RIST.  

    SafeLink Hardware Redundancy

    A 1+1 redundancy for the hardware based SafeLink Gateway is also now available. 

  • Witbe to highlight 4K-compatible Android TV testing technology at BroadcastAsia 2023

    Witbe to highlight 4K-compatible Android TV testing technology at BroadcastAsia 2023

    Mumbai: At BroadcastAsia 2023, part of the Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) event, Witbe will showcase its powerful automated testing and proactive monitoring technology. Highlighted in Booth 6G1-03 will be the Witbox lineup, Witbe’s family of powerful and easily deployed testing devices capable of testing 4K video services on OTT devices and Android TV OS, along with the powerful abilities of a recently opened local Witbe Cloud network. On the show floor in Singapore, Witbe will demonstrate how these products and technologies help video service providers measure the true quality of experience (QoE) that their customers receive.

    “BroadcastAsia is always one of our favourite shows for meeting new people and sharing our automated testing and monitoring technology,” said Witbe president & co-founder Marie-Véronique Lacaze. “After the successful opening of Witbe’s own Singapore office earlier this year, I know our local team is excited for a shorter commute to BroadcastAsia and a great opportunity to meet new video service partners in the region.”

    In the spotlight at BroadcastAsia 2023 will be Witbe’s automated testing and monitoring technology, capable of testing 4K video services on the same real, physical devices that customers use. Set-top boxes (STB) and OTT devices can be tested, including ones running on Android TV OS, as well as smart TVs and mobile devices. Witbe has a specific use case designed for STB and OTT device manufacturers that are working on Google’s Android TV OS, helping them measure true QoE, monitor performance across OS updates, and verify that their content is being properly indexed in the search and voice control functions of Android TV. With over 150 companies worldwide using Android TV as their operating system of choice, specialised testing and monitoring is essential to delivering consistent performance and staying ahead of the competition.

    Witbe’s automated testing technology is also popular with QA teams, delivering the endurance, stress, and performance testing that cannot be achieved manually. Several recent updates to the Witbe Software Suite have been focused on improving ease of use for QA teams, including new AI algorithms that allow test scenarios to be scripted up to 10 times faster than previously possible. The new “Smart Navigate” algorithm makes navigating STBs and app menus as easy as dragging and dropping one block, while the updated “Smart Search” algorithm simplifies text input. At BroadcastAsia 2023, Witbe will showcase the accessibility, interconnectivity, and technical power its testing and monitoring technology delivers for video service providers.

    Witbe Highlights at BroadcastAsia 2023 Will Include:

    New Witbe Cloud APAC Data Center
    While Witbe has had a presence in APAC since 2006, BroadcastAsia 2023 marks the first show in the region since Witbe opened its new permanent Asia headquarters in Singapore. In addition, the company has opened a Witbe Cloud network point of presence in APAC to deliver cloud services at the highest possible quality and to work more closely with video service providers in the region.

    Updates to the REC
    Witbe’s Remote Eye Controller (REC), which provides remote access to real testing devices, is regularly updated with new features to expand its technical capabilities and ease of use. Recent updates came with several major enhancements, including a “request control” feature that allows team members to easily swap access to remote testing devices and a “smart search” tab that allows team members to take control of testing devices by simply searching for the city they are in. In addition, the update increased the Witbe Software Suite’s interconnectivity by further integrating the web-based Remote Eye Controller application into Smartgate, the company’s application for service outage alerts.

    New Additions to the Witbox Testing Device Lineup
    Witbe’s Witbox family of devices packs the company’s automated testing and monitoring technology into a compact, accessible package that is simple to set up. Last year, Witbe completed the Witbox lineup with the scalable Witbox+, the most powerful testing device on the market, and the specialized WitboxNet, designed for web testing. They will both be on display at BroadcastAsia 2023, alongside the flagship WitboxOne, demonstrating the full line of reliable and accessible video testing devices.

     

  • LTN achieves one million live feed milestone

    LTN achieves one million live feed milestone

    Mumbai: LTN, the industry leader in transformative media technology and video transport solutions, announces it has delivered one million live video feeds via the LTN Network, the company’s proprietary multicast-enabled global IP network that delivers less than 200ms latency and 99.999 per cent reliability. 

    Ushering in the future of global media transport with reliable, scalable, and intelligent distribution for high-value content, LTN’s industry-leading, multicast-enabled IP network provides a cost-efficient, flexible alternative to traditional distribution mechanisms that drives scale and monetisation for content owners worldwide.

    On 8 May 2023, LTN managed its one-millionth live feed for a live soccer game between Arsenal de Sarandí and Gimnasia La Plata in Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Fútbol. Since its inception in 2007, LTN has delivered live feeds via the LTN Network for primary transmission, testing, and monitoring for a diverse range of high-value programming including live news coverage, entertainment, political live events, esports, and premium live sports events such as the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, NFL Draft 2020, and American Idol. 

    “Our one millionth booking on the LTN Network marks a cataclysmic shift in the status quo of live media delivery as world-leading organisations recognise the potential of IP-based distribution,” said LTN chief science officer and co-founder Dr. Yair Amir. “In an increasingly complex and fragmented market with new business models emerging and new ways of working constantly evolving, multicast enabled, intelligent IP video transport provides the best foundation to underpin the future for any media business. We’re incredibly proud of this milestone and look forward to continuing to innovate with our network to drive business results for our customers.”

    Every live feed delivered via the LTN Network includes built-in insights, rich data, and business intelligence to give customers greater visibility and control over their content compared with traditional satellite or fiber-based models. Via the LTN Network portal, customers can seamlessly access data around viewing metrics, ISP connectivity, signal continuity, packet loss, latency, and last-mile health. LTN’s advanced tools and always-on expert TOC support deliver proactive troubleshooting and empower customers to gain a deeper understanding and drive efficiencies throughout every stage of the content value chain.

    World-leading organisations such as MSG Networks, TelevisaUnivision, Deutsche Welle, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and Fox Sports have harnessed the LTN Network to deliver high-value sports, news, and other entertainment content to global viewers across traditional broadcast, over-the-top (OTT), free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST), and other digital platforms.

  • Telestream unveils top-notch solutions at Broadcast Asia Show 2023

    Telestream unveils top-notch solutions at Broadcast Asia Show 2023

    Mumbai: At the Broadcast Asia Show 2023 (Singapore, 7-9 June), Telestream will present its cutting-edge technologies and a new suite of hybrid product innovations to APAC audiences for the first time.

    Trusted by many of the world’s leading content owners, broadcasters, and video service providers, Telestream’s on-prem and cloud innovations are designed to streamline workflows, enable true creativity, and provide real business impact. Dedicated areas on Telestream’s Broadcast Asia booth will showcase its latest content distribution and monetisation advancements, including the 2023 ‘TVTechnology Best of Show’ award-winning products, Content Manager and PRISM MPP. 

    Telestream VP APAC Ellen Shen said, “We are delighted to debut our 2023-award-winning products and services to APAC audiences at this year’s show. Broadcast Asia is the perfect platform to demonstrate how we provide our customers with the necessary flexibility and agility to automate, optimise, and scale operations today and in the future. Regardless of how video content is created, distributed, or viewed, Telestream knows how to bring the best video quality to any audience.”

    Visitors to the booth will see Telestream’s latest product advancements in areas such as storage, monitoring, multichannel video capturing and processing, automated quality control, and monitoring in the cloud. Featured demos will include:

    Telestream Content Manager

    The new Telestream Content Manager provides a single point of access for content across an organisation’s entire storage ecosystem. Built on DIVA core technology, it is tightly integrated with Telestream’s workflow orchestration tools and supports all major MAM, PAM, and automation systems. Content Manager’s auto-discovery feature enables the indexing of files directly from cloud storage without the egress costs associated with copying to another location. This approach lowers costs while enabling efficient management of legacy content and incoming files.

    PRISM MPP

    The Telestream PRISM family now includes three new models, extending the line of software-defined monitoring instruments to address post-production users requiring high-end production video formats like 12-bit RGB for 4K/UHD applications in both SDI and IP. Purpose-built for post-production, they’re exceptionally quiet, support a wide range of formats, and offer loop-through for reference monitors and analog audio out for edit suite configurations.

    Software-only version of lightspeed live capture

    Expanding professional-grade live capture capabilities to more workflows, Telestream now offers its industry-leading lightspeed live capture multichannel video capture and processing solution as software-only. With this flexibility, users can run the software anywhere they choose — from a Telestream server to their own servers to the cloud. Additionally, its deep integration with Telestream Vantage provides unparalleled depth in capture and media processing.

    QC in the cloud

    A highlight at the Telestream booth will be Qualify for Encoding.com, the industry’s first fully-cloud-native automated quality control (QC) service, introduced in late 2022. Qualify gives broadcasters, content creators, and distributors access to a comprehensive QC solution with the ability to expand or contract their QC deployment depending on their needs, similar to how they utilise cloud encoding, simplifying capacity planning and providing greater elasticity in the supply chain. It is built on the same Telestream media framework as Vantage and brings the features of Telestream’s on-prem Vidchecker and Aurora QC offerings to the cloud.

    Cloud-native video quality monitoring architecture

    At Broadcast Asia, Telestream will demonstrate how an innovative, cloud-native, fully scalable architecture can work seamlessly across different video delivery chains in complex streaming workflows, with demos of cloud-native VOD monitoring, live contribution and distribution quality monitoring, and single management interface across linear delivery and OTT streaming. Leveraging Telestream iQ probing technology and ARGUS centralised video quality monitoring, this solution offers true consolidated management and analytics throughout the video delivery chain, featuring a microservices architecture optimised for cloud-centric service operations.

  • Streambox-US Video technology pioneer to enter India

    Streambox-US Video technology pioneer to enter India

    New Delhi : Streambox, the industry leading pioneer in delivering unique IP based video streaming solutions over low bandwidth connections, has announced the opening of a new sales office in Mumbai to address the vibrant post-production markets in India and southeast Asia.

    “We are truly excited to launch in India, one of the largest and most active markets in the post-production and television broadcast industries," said Streambox CEO and co-founder Bob Hildeman. "Streambox products are a perfect fit for India’s rapid growth in media production and associated activities, such as film, post production and broadcast.” 

    Streambox offers end-to-end solutions for remote collaboration across a wide range of workflows, including editorial reviews, colour grading reviews and audio. According to the company, the collaborators can view and hear a live, colour-accurate audio/video stream in their edit suites, at home on cloud-based workstations, or even using an iPad or iPhone. 

    The company has appointed Sanjeev Kr Sinha as the country sales manager for India and southeast Asia. Sinha brings more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing in the broadcast, cable TV, OTT post-production, and education industries, said the company on Wednesday.

    "We are thrilled to have Sanjeev join our team and taking a leading role in our business expansion in southeast Asia" said Hildeman.

    Sinha added, “I am very excited to work for a global pioneer like Streambox. I see huge potential for Streambox products in the post-production and video market in India and southeast Asia, which is the hub of post-production, broadcasters and film production activity in this region.”

    Streambox has developed optimised technology that can pack functionality like HDR and 12 bit 4:4:4 RGB processing into pixels, and intelligent utilisation of available network paths to achieve higher rates of transport and playback based on its proprietary leading edge ACTL – Advanced Compression Technology Level 3/5 codec and state of the art Low Delay Multi-Path Protocol.

  • Disney+ Hotstar signs CLEAR Production Cloud to manage its Originals content

    Disney+ Hotstar signs CLEAR Production Cloud to manage its Originals content

    Mumbai: Video streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar has signed a multi-year deal for CLEAR Production Cloud, from Prime Focus Technologies, to enable secure and collaborative production workflows for its Originals content.                   

    “Covid2019 has reinforced the importance of cloud-based workflows for the media and entertainment industry in production. Virtualised collaboration is a heightened requirement now more than ever for our Originals. We evaluated multiple products in the market-place and found CLEAR to be more promising to cater to our production supply chain needs. We will now be using CLEAR to handle our supply chain for all of our Originals,” said Disney+ Hotstar head of technology Akash Saxena.

    CLEAR gives users the flexibility to log-in from anywhere, anytime to upload, review, approve, edit, and share content. It allows for user-friendly features like mobile (iOS and Android) and Apple TV support, virtual playlist editor, elastic search engine, customisable projects homepage, and next-gen HTML5 Player, that will change the way the production teams work and collaborate at Disney+ Hotstar.

    “We are extremely delighted to be supporting Disney+ Hotstar on yet another transformation initiative,” said Prime Focus Technologies founder and global CEO Ramki Sankaranarayanan. “We’ve been managing production workflows in Hollywood for over 10 years and are excited to have a major studio in India sign up for CLEAR to help manage their production workflows — from pre-production prep files, schedules, scripts to production dailies and post-production cuts all on one software.”

  • Broadpeak performs world’s first demonstration of Streaming Video Alliance open caching APIs

    Broadpeak performs world’s first demonstration of Streaming Video Alliance open caching APIs

    New Delhi: CDN and video streaming solutions firm Broadpeak has successfully performed the world's first live demonstration of Streaming Video Alliance Open Caching APIs.

    Streaming Video Alliance Open Caching is a new approach to streaming that extends the reach of telecom operators, attracting more content providers to use their local caching infrastructure. It is basically a set of open APIs that standardises the interface between the hosted local cache infrastructure of an internet service provider (ISP), the party operating it, and the content providers. By moving the hosted video caches as close as possible to end users' terminals, it reduces traffic across a telecom operator's core network and improves streaming quality of experience.

    "The alliance exists to solve critical technical challenges facing online video delivery, with the ultimate aim of improving consumer adoption," said Streaming Video Alliance executive director Jason Thibeault. "With this, Broadpeak is taking a huge step toward optimising the relationship between content providers and network operators. We're excited about the positive impact it will have on the quality of experience for end users."

    "Without a clear, common, and simple API definition, it was difficult to drive further developments and conduct interoperable tests for Streaming Video Alliance Open Caching," said Broadpeak, principal engineer & head of exploration Guillaume Bichot. "We're proud of our team for taking the lead on specifying this API, relying on the set of Alliance specifications, and converging the various options into a simple API that enables faster developments and interoperability.”

    The demo took place during the Streaming Video Alliance's first 2021 quarterly meeting and was powered by a complete setup that included the video content source and Broadpeak's umbrellaCDN CDN selector on the client side, and Broadpeak's BkM100 for CDN management and BkS400 local cache server on the ISP side.

    Photo Caption: Broadpeak successfully performs world's first live demonstration of Streaming Video Alliance Open Caching APIs.

  • Israeli firm brings advanced ‘emotion detection’ technology to Gulf region

    Israeli firm brings advanced ‘emotion detection’ technology to Gulf region

    New Delhi: The human resource (HR) departments of government organisations across the Gulf region will soon be able to test an advanced voice analytics service, which can detect the emotional state of a person from their voice. The new technology developed by an Israel based tech firm Nemesysco will be provided by Dubai based Spire Solutions which has signed a partnership agreement with the tech firm on Monday.

    Spire Solutions, a value added distributor in the Middle East and Africa, initially plans to promote the Layered Voice Analysis (LVA) technology developed by Nemesysco in the United Arab Emirates. The technology is designed to determine the emotional state of a person by detecting and measuring uncontrolled psycho-physiological changes to a person's voice during open conversations. It is considered to be indifferent to language or the content of speech and can detect and measure a range of emotions, including excitement, enthusiasm, assertiveness, aggression, stress, frustration, fatigue and more, according to the company.

    Spire Solutions will offer the voice analytics service to the HR departments of enterprises and government organisations to allow them to assess the personalities of candidates, including evaluating levels of honesty, and identify potential risks based on measurements of genuine emotional responses to questions during interviews and pre-employment testing.

    According to the company's claim, such personality and risk assessment can allow HR teams to optimise their candidate selection processes by enabling them to utilise  "highly accurate data" with higher levels of predictability than was previously available. This service can also be used to conduct personality and risk assessments of existing employees and even external contractors and suppliers, it stated.

    Spire Solutions has already begun large-scale proof-of-concept trials of its voice analytics service for a number of government organisations and enterprises in the region. "We are honored to partner with Nemesysco and introduce its market leading Layered Voice Analysis solutions in the MEA region," said Spire Solutions founder and president Sanjeev Walia. “We see a growing demand for remote recruitment and remote working, which are increasing organisational risks. Using Nemesysco's advanced voice analysis and emotion detection, we will help customers to recruit the right talent via pre-employment integrity and personality evaluation.”

    It also plans to target law enforcement agencies, call centers and financial service providers. At a later stage, Spire Solutions is planning to expand the geographic reach for Nemesysco's solutions to include additional countries across the Middle East and selected countries in Africa.

    "We are tremendously pleased with how quickly synergies developed between the teams of both companies and have strong expectations for achieving mutual success with Spire," stated Nemesysco CEO Amir Liberman. "We see our cooperation with Spire as not only meaningful from the business perspective, but also as a testament for the benefits of peace and cooperation between our two countries that only a short time ago was not even imaginable."

  • Sports video operators & rights owners can unlock $28 billion in new revenue by combating piracy

    Sports video operators & rights owners can unlock $28 billion in new revenue by combating piracy

    New Delhi: Amid the growing threat posed by streaming pirates, a new research conducted by Synamedia has found that service providers and rights holders of sports events can unlock up to $28.3 billion in new revenue each year by putting some anti-piracy measures into place.

    The UK-based video software provider company undertook the survey in ten markets – Brazil, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the US in March 2020 in partnership with data and analytics firm Ampere Analysis. Over 6,000 sports fans aged 18-64 years who were part of the survey were pre-filtered and chosen based on their experience of watching sports on TV.

    The online quantitative study used a new model to evaluate how different illegal viewers respond to anti-piracy measures. According to the report, 74 per cent of sports fans are willing to switch from illegal streams if a legitimate alternative is available and if the illegal streams become unreliable. Majority of these fans are younger and are often families with young children. They are avid sports viewers with many watching 10 or more different sports using connected devices.

    At least 40 per cent of the converter cohort say they would subscribe to OTT streaming sports services, including single-sport services run by rights owners, with the balance opting for traditional pay-TV services, particularly those that offer exclusive sports rights. In fact, 57 per cent of the converter cohort already pay for legitimate services and 52 per cent pay for pirate services, as per the study.

    However, converting pirate customers to legitimate ones require service providers to address the triggers that encourage consumers to seek out illegal services in the first place, said the study. Some of these measures could be a flexible access without complex installations or long contracts, ease of use, and availability on every device in any location, coupled with a price point that is often much lower than a traditional pay-TV service with premium sports tiers included.

    “After years of growth, a recent downturn in rights fees has been exacerbated by the pandemic, hitting sports rights hard. But just as the value of rights is being eroded, there is now the prospect of creating new revenues by converting illegal viewers into paid subscribers,” said Synamedia senior vice president of security Yael Fainaro. 

    While previous attempts to value the revenue leakage from sports streaming piracy took a crude approach, Fainaro said the software provider company now has the detail to develop targeted approaches and the tools to deliver quantifiable results, ensuring every investment hits the jackpot.

    The report – Pricing piracy: the value of action, uses a detailed model that takes into account all the complexities and nuances of sports piracy viewing. It identifies the demographics and characteristics of those illegal users who are most likely to convert to legal services, including their reaction when illegal viewing is disrupted.

    As service providers address the triggers that lead consumers to seek out illegal services, the report can help them in transforming piracy from a cost centre into a revenue opportunity with measurable RoI. The findings can also enable service providers to target interventions – such as disrupting streams and incentives – at those viewers most likely to switch to legitimate services: the ‘converter cohort’, said the company, which has an experience of over three decades in video security.

  • Domestic STB manufactures felt the pinch of Covid since January: Amit Kharbanda

    Domestic STB manufactures felt the pinch of Covid since January: Amit Kharbanda

    KOLKATA: The Covid2019 pandemic has hurt most businesses in India since the beginning of March. But the set top box (STB) manufacturers felt the pinch of crisis even before that, from January itself, MyBox Technologies managing director Amit Kharbanda said. Although the company ended up having six months of zero sales, it continued R&D in the interim for new products.

    Kharbanda explained that there are a decent amount of components that come from China, even for normal electronics products. As China went into shutdown from January, MyBox faced a shortage in components for manufacturing. He added that it has impacted all domestic STB companies.

    Furthermore, domestic STB companies have been struggling since ASEAN came into effect a couple of years ago. Big cable and DTH operators that used to buy products from domestic companies, switched to importing from ASEAN. Kharbanda emphasised that the competition in this space is not between Indian STB manufacturers but with the international players. In these challenging circumstances, MyBox has been able to survive as it tends to do R&D all the time whether it is with Google or Amazon, he stated.

    While the business environment was already tough for the players, the cash flow went for a toss post-Covid, Kharbanda added. The company had to cut down on its expenses. “Bankers started questioning the business model. It took time to get that issue streamlined and convince them, finding the right way of optimising the funding and everything. Now as all of that has been settled, we are hoping from this month onwards or next month we should start shipping. At the end of this year, we should at least come back closer to our quantities which we were shipping last year,” he said. MyBox sold 40 crore boxes in FY20.

    However, he mentioned that they kept up R&D during the lockdown. Some product launches including the android box, Alexa Solution have been delayed but the company has added new features during the period. Now as the business is opening up, it will release those products one by one.

    “We have been working on some very interesting solutions. One of these was the Android OTT box which we have tried to make valuable for ISPs. There are a lot of small ISPs in India. They can actually utilise the OTT box and give it as a package to their consumers. There is good ARPU source they can make on,” Kharbanda added.

    Talking about overall opportunities for STB manufacturers, Kharbanda said that India still has millions of TV unpenetrated households. Moreover, there is scope for old box replacements and new hybrid boxes. Even post-Covid, there has been a major demand for TV sets. But it does not translate into a huge benefit for domestic STB manufacturers as the large operators buy from international players, he rued. 

    Although the large DTH operators recently undertook ‘Make in India’ route for STB production, the move is more directed at getting foreign vendors here to assemble and sell rather than buying products from homegrown manufactures. However, he shared that MyBox is working closely with the government of India to push STB manufacturing here. Moreover, the ministry of commerce is also working on the issue and the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) is in talks with operators for boosting domestic manufacturing. Kharbanda is optimistic that these endeavours will give a much-needed nudge to the growth of STB manufacturers in India.