Reprinted with permission from IPTV International, Vol. 5, No. 1, March 2009

NDS is most recognised for its world-leading role in pay-TV conditional access, particularly with DTH, but as Geof Todd explains, its expertise has been applied to IPTV for many years and its sees hybrid platforms as one of the most important sectors in TV evolution.

It may surprise some to learn that NDS has been involved in the IPTV business for over nine years, and we have over ten major deployed IPTV platforms around the world. In fact, in 2008, NDS was ranked by two independent research organisations, ABI Research and Current Analysis, as the leading IPTV content security and Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology vendor worldwide.

As a leading technology company in the TV space, we are constantly involved In both inventing and applying new technologies – in fact, we reinvest some 30% of our revenue to maintain this position. Our CEO, Dr Abe Peled, is on record as highlighting that IPTV is part of the evolution of TV and that hybrid systems are now emerging as probably the most cost effective way forward. NDS is now a leader in these converged hybrid platforms. Just some of NDS’ IPTV and hybrid customers include: Arcor (Germany), BBTV (Japan), Cyta (Cyprus), KT (Korea), Sistema Mass Media (Russia), Telekom Austria, Viasat (Scandinavia), Telecom Italia and GET Norway.

DELIVER INTERACTIVITY. Working with IP connections has meant the ability to deliver interactivity to platforms that were previously uni-directional or had only dial up connectivity. More and more devices now include some form of direct network connection; this might be an Ethernet port or Wifi link for example. We are pleased to say that our customers are some of the most competitive in the world and many have already added Ethernet ports to their STBs. This will enable the next generation of interactivity and on-demand services.

For those that still lack connectivity, NDS has over many years created a significant portfolio of Interactive applications that do work in a non-return path STB, and this has given us a rich store of experience in application development. And we fully understand and enable the many flavours of VoD from pure hard drive based DVRs to full network, and everything in between.

This all illustrates that NDS realises that our IPTV strategy must be founded on advanced   solutions and adaptability; we must meet the needs of our customers today, and tomorrow as their businesses grow. We have integrated VideoGuard®, our industry-leading security technology, with middleware solutions from many of the market’s best known vendors, as well as our own MediaHighway® middleware – which enables a host of advanced services for subscribers, and is deployed on over 108m devices. Additionally, NDS is enabling a growing number of hybrid Broadcast+Broadband platforms – in fact, we lead the market in the hybrid sector. As you can see from our customer list, we have worked with major Telcos, Cable MSOs and Broadcasters around the world and so we have a lot of experience in delivering all types of complex platform deployments. I’m proud to say that we have deployed just about every form of hybrid system out there – I’d say that makes NDS technology the most adaptable and interoperable there is.

$40bn PROTECTED. As a company founded in the Conditional Access space, NDS is acutely aware that while IP technology is certainly the common currency for these connected systems and it is the preferred technology for the distribution of digital media on demand, it should be remembered that it’s also an all too effective technology for illicit re-distribution too. Our encryption technology protects more than $40 billion worth of premium digital assets today. Operators used to believe that connected systems are easier to manage with respect to Conditional Access, so preventing piracy is easy, but this has not turned out to be the case. Our approach is based on many years of well proven and, more to the point, well trusted technologies – trusted by both the content suppliers and platform operators and we have shown how well NDS IPTV technology performs and scales in the growing connected world.

Home networking of TVs, PCs, Portable Devices and Mobile is facilitated by IP and is an opportunity for operators but it is important to avoid the expensive QoS pitfalls that multiple device connectivity can present. NDS has been showing these types of connected solutions at IBC for many years and it is crucial to design in QoS resilience from the start. In fact we invested in an innovative technology company, Jungo (jungo.com) that builds software for the residential gateway market and through their tools our customers can monitor the performance of the signal in the home. This is only going to become more important: outside the home is the domain of the traditional switching systems vendors, and we are all aware of the major push towards more broadband deployments around the world, both for bandwidth and QoS improvements.

LOOK AND FEEL. NDS has learned that an effective User Interface is absolutely key to subscriber satisfaction and stickiness and your Electronic Programme Guide can be one of the most important differentiators between your offering and the competition. In order to ensure the success of your EPG, NDS offers an array of solutions that enable your viewers to find and launch your services easily. We know fast response times and sophisticated, but intuitive, navigation tools are crucial to subscriber satisfaction.

As with our other IPTV and Hybrid solutions, our ethos is all about adaptability to customer needs. NDS has a range of options available to match your priorities. We can supply a ready-made EPG that is appropriate for your system and gives you the quickest time to market. We can build to your design specification, using our experience in delivering embedded systems. Alternatively, you can take advantage of our world-class design studio to have an EPG custom-designed for you. In TV’s evolution the EPG has developed way beyond a simple programme guide. It is now also a portal to interactive and on-demand entertainment services. The NDS EPG encourages viewers to book and view more content, strengthens operator branding, and helps reduce churn and increase ARPU. The NDS EPG is fully integrated with other NDS solutions including VideoGuard security, MediaHighway middleware, and XTV™ DVR.

The NDS EPG is designed to give operators flexibility and control
by featuring:

• Fast GUI updates. Operators can take control of the EPG GUI and easily update one or more screens.

• Fast and simple data changes. Developers can make simple editorial changes in-house when required.

• Powerful configuration options. Add new functionality, change menu selections, add menu items, or change an I-frame. It’s easier to implement changes without swapping out software in the set-top boxes.

• Sophisticated pay-per-view and on-demand support. Viewers can book programmes in advance or on impulse, and then be reminded when the show is about to begin.

• Target promotions. With NDS VideoGuard, operators can target viewers or groups of viewers defined according to geographic area, professional or personal interest for example.

• Multilingual support. Allows viewers to choose the language of their EPG screens.

• Programme information (synopses) and now-and-nextbanner. Let viewers know what’s coming up without disturbing their current viewing. A reminder feature ensures they won’t miss their
  booked programmes.

• Integrated with dozens of set-top box models.

• Additional services. Interactive applications, including games, home shopping, mail or chat – all can also be offered in a single, unified user interface.

TV NOT IMMUNE. In a difficult economic environment, subscribers want low prices, operators want low costs and advertisers want maximum efficiency and value. We at NDS recognise the challenge and we have a proven record in ensuring that our customers are successful in the long term. The TV sector is not immune from the difficulties in the current global financial climate, but our approach has always been to make our technology as cost-effective as possible, giving our customers greater choice when it comes to choosing key components like STBs. And we have also created new sources of revenue for our customers, through audience data capture tools, which in turn facilitate new advertising revenue streams through measurement, addressability and interactivity.

NDS Dynamic™ is a next-generation television advertising solutions suite which enables pay-TV operators to improve the revenue-generating potential of existing advertising sales models. It also empowers them to develop new paradigms made possible by targeted and interactive advertising, as well as accurate audience viewing analysis.

With this innovative technology, TV operators can identify target audiences, engage with them through powerful interactive advertising and measure the impact of the campaigns in a way never seen before in the TV advertising industry. NDS Dynamic enables advertisers to create campaigns that deliver broadcast and interactive ads targeted to specific audience profiles with rich STB measurement data to support their decision-making. NDS Dynamic includes:

• NDS Dynamic Audience Measurement Solution – provides second-by-second measurement of viewer interaction with TV content, advertising and advanced services such as DVR

• NDS Dynamic Targeted TV Advertising Solution – makes targeted TV ads an integral part of the broadcast experience

• NDS Dynamic Interactive TV Advertising Solution – enhances broadcast ads with different types of interactivity including access to additional product information and content online

NDS Dynamic provides the opportunity for operators to generate revenues outside the existing subscription revenue stream by delivering advertising content that will engage their audiences.

For more information:

VideoGuard

MediaHighway

EPG

NDS Dynamic

IPTV