Opera is launching the industry’s first commercial-grade Chromium/Blink engine designed for Reference Design Kit (RDK) set-top boxes.
Pay-TV operators and their partners deploying the RDK, a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid set-top boxes and gateway devices, can get use the Chromium/Blink engine, via the Opera Devices SDK, in their set-top boxes.
The Opera Devices SDK integrates into the RDK environment, replacing Qt/WebKit as the rendering engine and providing direct integration to the RDK ServiceManager and the RDK Media Framework from HTML/CSS/JavaScript applications.
Support for the RDK is an important step forward for the Opera Devices SDK. Opera´s Chromium/Blink SDK for the RDK simplifies the path to outstanding web services in operator-controlled environments. What this means for set-top-box OEMs and operators is simple: cross-platform rendering of operator portals and web services, in addition to readily-available popular HTML5 web content in the form of TV Apps.
The RDK was developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation by providing speed to market, collaboration and standardisation. Supported by more than 100 licensees, RDK Management, LLC, was formed as a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable to administer the RDK.
With the new Opera Devices SDK for RDK, operators can immediately start deploying custom, HTML5-based services, using state-of-the-art HTML5 features such as CSS animations and 3D transforms. The SDK also supports the most common DRM and adaptive-bitrate streaming formats. The transition to Chromium/Blink on RDK can begin, today.
“Delivering the Opera Devices SDK for RDK is a big milestone, not only for us, but also for any operator wishing to secure its HTML5 roadmap while improving time-to-market,” said Aneesh Rajaram, SVP for TV and Devices, Opera Software.
“With a growing and engaged community, the RDK is quickly being embraced by CE manufacturers, SOCs vendors and other software developers, system integrators, and TV service providers around the world. Opera is proud to bring its experience to the RDK community, with over ten years of delivering web-browser SDK’s to tens of millions of connected TV devices worldwide.”
