Cupertino, California (September 8, 2010) – Entone, Inc., a leading provider of Hybrid TV and Connected Home solutions, announced today the launch and immediate availability of its WebVOD Hybrid TV solution.
Entone’s WebVOD application is integrated with leading middleware solutions to significantly enhance IPTV services. By downloading the WebVOD application to subscribers’ settop boxes, IPTV service operators can now offer Hybrid TV services that combine the best of broadcast television and “over the top” (OTT) media services that were previously only available through separate store-bought devices.
First and foremost, WebVOD enables video service operators to offer video-on-demand (VOD) services over the Internet, allowing consumers to select from vast online movie libraries that include thousands of HD titles. The solution is pre-integrated with leading middleware solutions and does not require any modifications to the middleware.
One of the leading web media services enabled by Entone’s WebVOD solution is VUDU. Announced in 2009, Entone and VUDU have teamed to enable access to both VUDU Movies and VUDU Apps via Entone devices. The VUDU Movies service includes more than 3,000 HD movie titles which is the world’s largest catalog of HD titles. The VUDU Apps service includes a vast array of web-based media services ranging from YouTube for online videos, Pandora for online music, Flickr for online photo sharing, Facebook for social media, and hundreds of other compelling applications delivered to the TV.
“From our extensive research on OTT, the hybrid OTT model is one that we expect to be very successful,” commented Mike Galli, Senior Analyst at MRG. “Entone has been at the forefront of bringing traditional TV service with OTT applications. The fact that Entone’s WebVOD application can work with already deployed IPTV STBs makes this solution ideal for service providers wanting to add VOD to their service portfolio.”
Entone’s WebVOD application is immediately available to video service operators deploying Entone’s hybrid devices. Entone is currently deployed with over 100 IPTV operators in the US alone.
“Entone’s clear focus is on enabling Hybrid TV services that bring the power of the Internet to traditional Pay TV services,” said Ameer Karim, VP of Hybrid TV Solutions at Entone. “With our WebVOD application, operators can instantly deploy VOD services without the costs and complexities typically associated with equipment and personnel required to operate such a service. By moving the operator’s VOD service to the cloud, an operator can deliver a VOD service literally over night, with a broad complement of other differentiating web-media services such as online music, photo sharing, social media, and the like.”
Entone’s WebVOD application provides a combined IPTV and OTT service with a unified user experience. The consumer’s online movie library and other web media services are presented as part of the core TV viewing experience from the same user interface, same TV input, one remote control, and all from a single device.
Entone’s WebVOD application is currently being deployed and trialed by numerous video service operators. The Entone WebVOD application and related services are immediately available in all US markets.
About Entone
Entone is a market leader in Hybrid TV and Connected Home solutions. Initially established in 1999 by the team that deployed the world’s first and largest commercial IPTV service, Entone’s proven technology enables service operators to reliably deliver integrated IP-based video and advanced broadband services using existing in-home wiring.
Entone’s technology seamlessly integrates broadcast television, whole-home digital video recorder (DVR), web media services, personal media sharing, and place-shifting. Entone’s Hybrid TV solution is the next-generation entertainment platform for delivering a rich and unique television service over existing broadband networks. As part of the Entone Hybrid TV solution, Entone’s media hub products deliver next-gen services throughout a networked home without requiring a separate set-top box at each TV set.
Over 100 of the world’s leading service operators are deployed with Entone to support their IP and Hybrid TV video services.
Entone is a privately held company with headquarters in Silicon Valley, California and offices in Europe, Hong Kong and China. The company is backed by leading venture capital firms such as Menlo Ventures, Scale Venture Partners and Coral Group. For more information about Entone, www.entone.com.
About MRG
Founded in 1990, Multimedia Research Group, Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California. MRG publishes market analyses of new technologies for the communications industries, and provides market intelligence and strategy consulting for its client companies.
Multimedia Research Group publications have a strong following in the United States and overseas, and its clients and customers include: AT&T, Apple, Compaq, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Sarnoff Labs. Its publishing partner is Fuji-Keizai USA, New York, N.Y.
The OTT report information can be found at http://mrgco.com/reports.html#ott09.
