Liberty Global’s Mini Box uses the RDK software stack
RDK Management says its new RDK video software (RDK-V) will improve the efficiency of deploying video services and apps across IP and hybrid QAM/DVB set-top boxes.
The Comcast, Liberty Global and Charter JV plans to release RDK6 during Q4 2023.
“RDK6 will provide pay-TV operators with a hyper-efficient, versatile, low-memory utilisation software stack to power their set-top boxes,” said Jason Briggs, President and General Manager of RDK. “RDK6 will help improve the efficiency of app integration and manage core video functionality across chipsets (SoCs) and device manufacturers (OEMs).”
RDK6 is designed to offer a comprehensive set of tools for managing core technical functions in an efficient manner. The functionality includes audio and video playback, conditional access, digital rights management (DRM), home networking interfaces, closed captioning (subtitles), emergency alerts, voice remote pre-integrations and device telemetry. Its primary aim is to simplify the process for operators to develop, test, and deploy video services and applications across set-top boxes, collaborating with leading System-on-Chip (SoC) manufacturers.
More specifically, RDK6 will feature the latest iteration of Firebolt, aimed at standardising the integration of Over-The-Top (OTT) applications. Firebolt exposes common interfaces, including those for video playback, DRM, graphics, and video security, enabling app providers to seamlessly integrate their applications into the RDK with consistency. RDK6 also incorporates a WPE WebKit browser and is compatible with a wide range of DRM and SoC video security integrations. RDK6 supports both native and streaming video applications integrated via Firebolt, built using either the Lightning or HTML5 technologies.
RDK Management is also launching a new RDK certification test suite that will help RDK community members ensure consistency and performance across devices.
“‘RDK continues to be the underlying embedded software powering the customer devices offered as part of Liberty Global’s common Entertainment platform, Horizon, which is now in its fifth major iteration and is enjoyed by customers in all the markets in which Liberty Global operates,” said Gavin Sheldon, Managing Director, Technology Development at Liberty Global.
“By using a common software platform, we have been able to focus more of our energy into addressing the specific needs of our customers for improved navigation, search and discovery, and adding more and more in demand content and applications, resulting in a step change in customer satisfaction in all of our markets. The next major evolution of RDK (RDK6), which Liberty Global is contributing to and will utilise, will enable easier and quicker onboarding of applications which is critical to the continued evolution of our platform.”
To date, RDK has been deployed on more than 100 million devices from service providers around the globe.
Service providers with publicly announced RDK deployments include: Atlantic Broadband, BCN, Claro, Comcast, Cox, Deutsche Telekom, J:COM, KabelPlus, Liberty Global, Mediacom, Megacable, Melita, NOS, Nuuday, Orange, Rogers, SFR (part of Altice Europe), Shaw, Sky, Stofa, Telcom Argentina, Toya, Vectra, Vidéotron, Vodafone, VOO, VTR, WOW, Ziggo, and others.
