The way we watch television is constantly changing. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES, Las Vegas January 7-10) NDS is showing exactly how seamless this change can be. NDS is exhibiting in the Murano Suites 3201-3202 of the Venetian Hotel. Call to arrange an appointment to see NDS’ latest developments for convergence.

NDS aims to demonstrate to operators the possibilities for the kinds of services they will be able to offer their customers, now and in the future. Operators can contemplate new and innovative offerings and business models by virtue of multi-platform delivery to the digital home and beyond. Broadcasters and content owners want to reach their audiences via an array of media to maximize their return on investment in content. And they want to build loyalty so that the relationship with the customer will grow in depth – and continue over time.

A simulated home environment – complete with living room, home office and garden – has been created for CES to demonstrate how NDS delivers true secure mobility. This home environment serves as the background for the individual pods demonstrating specific NDS convergence solutions.

For NDS, convergence is reality

At CES, NDS illustrates true convergence by enabling operators to see the potential it really offers. NDS is demonstrating how operators can generate more revenue from “three screen” users of today and tomorrow: Pay-TV operators can use a centrally managed content delivery system across multiple networks, enabling them to develop cross-platform business models.

Taking content from an HD DVR in the living room to a PC in the home office and then outside to a mobile device and PMPs – and back again – NDS VideoGuard^®, MediaHighway^® middleware and other market-leading solutions enable broadcasters, telcos and IPTV providers to extend business rules and security to multiple devices in a seamless experience for the end-user.

Quite simply, NDS is the pay-TV operator's partner of choice for advanced digital TV and for delivering on the promise of true convergence.

What will visitors to the NDS virtual home see at CES? The living room is equipped with an HDTV and STB connected to a residential gateway/home network which directs content to other devices. In the home office, a PC is also connected to the residential gateway and is able to receive content from the STB. Content and bookings made remotely can be viewed on mobile phones and a wireless enabled PMP which can receive content through NDS-protected wireless networks.

Solutions geared for convergence

Solutions being presented at CES reflect how NDS technology is aligned into three primary business units to help our customers succeed in making the most of the opportunities and challenges presented by convergence:

• Products that Secure content using conditional access and DRM
• Solutions that Enable operators to attract subscribers and generate revenue using broadcast, on-demand, and Internet content
• Applications that help subscribers Interact with their favorite programs, channels or games, extending the number of devices subscribers can use while enhancing the viewing experience and reducing churn.

Secure

VideoGuard – CA/DRM

NDS VideoGuard has established a solid, worldwide reputation in pay-TV delivery. Today NDS has more than 78.6 million active smart cards deployed on more than 60 TV platforms in more than 25 countries and 15 languages.

At CES NDS will demonstrate features that make VideoGuard the industry’s most advanced suite of conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM) solutions.

IPTV – NDS Metro™

NDS Metro is a fully integrated turnkey middleware and DRM solution for telcos and broadband operators who provide IPTV services. It offers the unique combination of NDS IP middleware and VideoGuard content security. The Metro demonstration at CES shows how operators can offer the revenue generating services that make up a complete IPTV system.

Enable

Hybrid Set-Top Box

NDS hybrid solutions enable operators to optimize the delivery of both premium and Web content, as well as advanced Internet and interactive services. These solutions help deliver the best of both worlds: live linear programming TV over cable or satellite augmented by additional services, content and information delivered over an IP broadband connection.

Mobility

NDS Mobile TV solutions help operators maximize revenues while aggregating their user base via the VideoGuard Unified Headend™. Content protection, metadata management, electronic service guide (ESG) and interactive technologies provide the essential foundation for service growth and user satisfaction.

Interact

NDS Electronic Program Guides

EPGs can be one of the most important differentiators between your offering and that of your competition. In order to ensure the success of your EPG NDS is demonstrating an array of solutions that enable your viewers to find and launch your services easily. NDS EPGs are the most deployed in the world. They feature a fast response time and support sophisticated navigation tools as well as frequent data changes for promoting new services. At CES you can see next generation EPGs from NDS available for the STB, PC and mobile devices.

VideoGuard Unified Headend

The VideoGuard Unified Headend being demonstrated at CES provides a business management platform interface that is pre-integrated with all NDS VideoGuard solutions so that operators can manage all their services with one system. This includes Snowflake, a new user interface developed by NDS. It is compatible with any screen – STB, PC or mobile. At CES you can see it operating on an STB and in a mobile environment.

Interactive Advertising

Interactive TV has not only transformed programming it has also revolutionized advertising. Gone are the days of linear video content aimed at selling the same product to all viewers. In the world of interactive advertising viewers who are interested in a particular product or service can press a button on their remote control to find out more or to communicate directly with the advertiser. For more information on NDS solutions for targeted advertising, see “Targeted Advertising is Around the Corner" in this issue of World Vision.

Enhanced Television and Games

Interactive TV (iTV) games are a proven way to attract and retain viewing audiences. Promoting loyalty and reducing churn, games deliver added value to audiences and advertisers alike, while generating revenue through pay-per-play, high-score competitions and subscriptions.

When you see the range options that NDS is demonstrating at CES (Venetian Hotel, Murano Suites 3201-3202) you will understand why we say that while everyone else is talking about convergence, NDS is doing it.