Upcycling - solving the pay TV operators’ dilemma
Update your legacy set-top boxes to deliver modern user experiences
The set-top box (STB) remains at the core of the home entertainment universe as the household TV hub…and for operators the in-home physical representation of their brand.
In order to continuously innovate their services, operators must often update the STB. This is an expensive proposition. Upcycling provides a new method for updating legacy devices by focusing on the software that powers the device, rather than the device itself.
Upcycling gives operators the agility to maximize investment in deployed STBs, while also providing leading edge features and functionalities, including a modern user interface.
Cincinnati Bell Telephone (CBT) wanted to update their end-to=end IPTV service powered by ZTE and migrate to solutions tailored to the North American market. With 80,000 subscribers and ~ 240,000 set-top boxes, CBT needed an alternative to traditional set-top box replacement strategies. By focusing on the set-top middleware, Amino helped CBT port from ZTE middleware to AminoOS. This allowed CBT to run AminoOS on legacy ZTE devices while introducing more fully featured, future-proof AminoVU devices; and easily integrate all devices with Minerva IPTV Middleware.
As PCCW prepared to update and launch 4K/UHD services, they also sought a cost-effect option to consolidate a diverse range of legacy set-top box platforms. Amino’s Upcycling Solution was used to replace existing device software with AminoOS. As a result, PCCW now has a common software platform – AminoOS, – that spans four hardware architectures from three hardware vendors. As a result, PCCW has streamlined the test and deployment process for new versions of the PCCW user interface from 12 months to 3 months.
