Opera (Hall 14 Stand E20) is to launch an enhanced HTML5 TV rendering engine at IBC. Opera Devices SDK 4.2 brings Android, RDK and 4K support plus new full internet browser.
The industry’s first Blink-based engine for Smart TV devices is getting a major upgrade, with the release of the Opera Devices SDK 4.2 embeddable HTML5 rendering engine. Developed by the most mature vendor in the space, Opera Software, this latest Software Development Kit debuts in time for the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), kicking off next week in Amsterdam.
The Opera Devices SDK 4.2 comes packed with new features: support for HbbTV 1.5, the latest version of the broadband broadcast specification, with the debut of HbbTV on Opera’s Blink product.
A media-streaming option with support for adaptive bitrate streaming, including MPEG-Dash, HTTP Live Streaming and Smooth Streaming. This enables support for all kinds of video services, with better quality and a better user experience.
Support for Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) according to a Smart TV Alliance specification and support for multiple video, audio and text tracks for better rendering of subtitles and languages.
Support for additional connected-TV device platforms is also new in the latest version of the Opera Devices SDK. In version 4.2, support for devices based on the Android and RDK (Reference Design Kit) operating systems moves from beta to production, joining the SDK’s support for Linux-based devices. The additional platforms satisfies the demands of pay-TV operators and retail OEMs seeking to bring online services, applications and HbbTV to their platforms.
In a boon for manufacturers seeking to enable 4K content on their devices, the Opera Devices SDK 4.2 has also been fully tested for content and devices with 4K resolution, to manage the high memory flow required for ultra-high-definition television. Over-the-top content is anticipated to become the industry’s biggest driver of 4K content, rather than broadcasted content.
The Opera Devices SDK 4.2 also features a totally new internet browser: the Opera TV browser. Empowering viewers to browse the full web directly from their TV with their standard remote control, the latest version features a new user interface completely tailored and optimized for the TV experience. The TV browser has now been deeply integrated into the Opera Devices SDK, making it easier than ever for manufacturers of Smart TV devices to select and deliver a web browser as part of their product offering.
