Hybrid MPEG4 HD Set-Top Box by Sagemcom and SoftAtHome for Orange

Sagemcom, in high added value communicating terminals, and SoftAtHome, a software provider of home operating platforms that help Service Providers deliver convergent applications for the Digital Home, have collaborated to develop the first hybrid MPEG4 HD universal Set Top Box that combines IPTV, Satellite and Terrestrial delivery and content sharing through DLNA with a removable hard disk drive. The solution is being deployed by Orange, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators, to deliver premium services to its subscribers in France.

Sagemcom has developed its fifth generation of MPEG4 HD Set Top Boxes (STB) platform, using the high performance ST7105 chipset from STMicroelectronics. This next generation platform is a hybrid solution, offering IP, satellite and terrestrial TV receptions, and runs over Linux Operating System. The SoftAtHome Operating Platform STB Edition provides 3rd party developers and Services Providers with extensive functionality and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to develop convergent applications and deploy them across different devices including Home Gateways (HGW) and STBs. The two companies have worked together to optimize the SoftAtHome Operating Platform to leverage the flexibility and high performance of the Sagemcom STB.

“Orange wanted a STB with a removable hard disk and content sharing while being flexible to support different delivery mechanism for future needs”, says Georges Penalver, Senior Executive VP Orange in charge of Group Strategy and Development. “The openness and richness of the SoftAtHome Operating Platform combined with the flexibility and high performance of the Sagemcom Set Top Box gave us a complete platform for our new STB offering”.

The combined solution provides operators with a very flexible yet feature rich solution to deliver on the promises of the Digital Home. Thanks to a hybrid design, operators can deploy the same solution throughout their whole subscribers’ base to receive live TV service through the most appropriate technology: IP, Satellite or Terrestrial. The removable hard disk adds even more flexibility by enabling operators to address all their needs ranging from low cost receivers to high-end digital media recorders for users who want to build complete digital video libraries. Operators and 3rd party developers can also easily develop and add new and innovative applications by leveraging all the different services through standard languages such as Flash and HTML. And finally, full support for DLNA enables subscribers to access content stored on their PC or any other DLNA enabled device in their home.

“Sagemcom is a leading provider of devices for the Digital Home”, says Michel Degland, CEO of SoftAtHome. “The availability of our platform on the Sagemcom Set Top Box provides operators like Orange with a solution that can accommodate all their needs from low end to high-end STB with the access technology of their choice”

“We are pleased to collaborate with SoftAtHome to be the first to bring to the market an innovative universal solution integrating SoftAtHome platform, that will enable operators to deliver new services including content sharing with DLNA, and supporting a removable Hard Disk with an high quality eSATA connection, that is known to offer one of the most efficient connection for removable or external hard disks.”, adds Patrick Sévian, CEO of Sagemcom.