German cable operator Tele Columbus and Canadian video infrastructure provider Espial have announced the first results of their ongoing field trial of the next-generation, 4K ready multiscreen TV and video platform dubbed Advanced TV.
Conducted in select households within the cable company’s footprint, the impact of the multimedia home gateway based on Espial video solutions has been remarkable, according to the partners. Trial participants show an extremely high approval of the system’s clarity (83% favourable) and the EPG’s content (78% favourable). As a result, almost 70% of trial participants regularly use the system to discover content and learn about the TV programme they ultimately choose to watch.
The Advanced TV trial comprises Espial’s G4 STB client based on RDK, Espial media service platform backoffice and multiscreen solutions to support an Ultra HD/4K ready video platform with advanced PVR functionalities. The system also features Tele Columbus’ custom-designed on-screen content guide known as Premium EPG, featuring intuitive search – by programme name, genre, actor information etc. – with intelligent recommendations.
Advanced TV will combine Tele Columbus’ entire linear and on-demand video services on a single platform while simultaneously expanding the visual experience to mobile devices throughout the home network. Through the integration of video-on-demand service maxdome, customers will have access to movies, series and documentaries from Germany’s largest online video library.
Tele Columbus wants to roll out the new platform to its customers at the end of 2016, a spokesman confirmed to Broadband TV News.
