At the 2015 IBC Show opening in Amsterdam this week, NAGRA is showcasing one of its latest solutions for pay-TV operators: an Xbox One game console powered by NAGRA’s MediaLive multiscreen solution, now in use at VOO, a leading cable operator in Belgium.
The Xbox service was launched earlier this year, a first in the Belgian market. Not only does it take away the need for operators to invest in a set-top box model, it also allows for the end consumers to use their own Xbox One game console as a device to watch premium TV content on the big screen.
The deployed service is called “Be tv go,” a nationwide secure premium live and on-demand OTT streaming service delivered through the cloud on a selection of consumer devices. Be tv existing cable subscribers and new pure OTT subscribers can use the new service, allowing the operator to easily reach the gamer market segment–a growing, media-savvy installed base–while reducing upfront investment and accelerating time-to-market.
In between video games, using their console or any other consumer device like a tablet, laptop or smartphone, they can watch everything available in their pay-TV package, from live TV channels to on-demand content. All content is provided with closed-captioning, subtitles and multi-language audio (Belgium is a multi-lingual country) among other features, delivering a true premium TV experience across all screens. And Xbox content navigation relies on the standard Xbox game pads and smooth user interface.
“The market opportunities unlocked with such an offering are virtually limitless and the feedback we have received has been very positive. We’re excited to introduce this solution at IBC,” said Simon Trudelle, Senior Director Product Marketing for NAGRA.