Author: JT Smith
a leader in graphical application technologies for embedded Linux, and
VT Media Technology, a leading supplier of set-top computers and related
convergent media equipment, today announced the immediate availability
of WebMedia for the VT900 Set-Top Box (STB). The collaboration offers
multimedia services delivered over standard broadband networks, allowing
access to services such as interactive television (iTV), Video-on-Demand
(VOD), and high speed Internet access.
The combined solution, based on VT Media Technologies’ VT900 STB
reference design and Century’s WebMedia software platform allows the
deployment of a wide range of streamed audio and video content via the
Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTP). RTP provides a standard way for
clients and servers from multiple vendors to stream multimedia content.
The VT900 STB offers broadcasters, cable operators, and other content
providers a full-featured, easily scalable hardware and software
solution for delivering and maintaining services on their networks.
The VT900 is a high quality STB system at a low cost. It has easy-to-use
interfaces for Internet browsing and a supports a wide range of digital
video applications. Combined with WebMedia, the solution provides a
comprehensive platform that hosts hardware and software components
including enhanced TV applications, high-speed Internet access, a
customizable user interface and program guide, digital video recording,
and streaming audio and video. The VT900 addresses a growing consumer
demand for personalized content, convenience, and control over
information and entertainment media.
“Our collaboration with VT Media Technologies delivers a complete and
flexible production-ready STB,” said Gregory Haerr, CEO of Century
Embedded Technologies and Open Source leader. “The VT900 is a
ready-to-deploy option for cable operators and accelerates their speed
to market with proven and fully integrated advanced digital technologies
provided with WebMedia.”
Century Embedded Technologies’ Webmedia provides an open standards
software platform based on embedded Linux with the flexibility required
to integrate enhanced television services and content, manage and deploy
applications via IP multicast and coordinate services from multiple
vendors. WebMedia is a suite of embedded development tools, SDK, runtime
utilities, and applications that work together to form an interactive,
graphical user environment.
Technical Details
Optimized for National Semiconductor’s Geode system on chip, the VT900
uses Sigma Designs’ EM8400 MPEG Decoder and the MacPHYTER Ethernet
adapter. Additional peripherals are available and include DVD Player,
CDRW, and standard IDE Hardware.
WebMedia supports multiple industry standards including a full featured
Internet browser that supports HTML, Javascript, and plug-ins such as
Macromedia?s Flash, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for secure e-commerce
transactions, and the TCP/IP protocol. Software upgrades and maintenance
are delivered via multicasting to any or all STBs across a subscriber
base. This mechanism also ensures that the STB is scalable for future
enhancements.
A Software Development Kit is available and offers a suite of software
development tools that enable third-party developers to build and
customize applications on top of WebMedia using APIs and application
components. The SDK includes documentation, software libraries, sample
code, and user interface templates
For an overview of Century?s WebMedia, visit
http://embedded.censoft.com/documents/index.php#webdocs. A downloadable
open source version is also available:
http://embedded.censoft.com/downloads/downloads.php.
To view more details about VT Media Technologies and VT900, visit
http://www.vtmt.com/. A datasheet about the VT900 platform is available
http://www.vtmt.com/html/vt900.html.
Availability
For commercial inquiries and pricing, contact Century Embedded
Technologies at: cetsales@centurysoftware.com or +1.801.268.3088.
Century offers custom engineering services, maintenance and support.
About VT Media Technologies
VT Media Technologies is a leading supplier of Set-Top Computers, and
related convergent media equipment. They can be reached at
sales@vtmt.com, www.vtmt.com or 1.320.763.8491. The address is VT Media
Technologies, 6307 County Road 87 SW, Alexandria, MN 56308.
About Century Embedded Technologies
Century Software Embedded Technologies, a newly created division of
Century Software, Inc., is a leading developer of core applications
technologies for the worldwide embedded Linux applications market. These
technologies include: graphical windowing system development and runtime
environments; customized Internet browsers and HTML viewers; embedded
and Internet appliance multimedia technologies, including MP3 audio and
MPEG video players and recorders; PDA/WebPAD runtime and development
suites, PIM suites; and set-top boxes. Complete solutions These core
technologies are designed specifically to allow chip manufacturers,
hardware board vendors, and their customers to build embedded
applications on x86, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS, SH and other
microprocessor architectures running on either the Microwindows or the X
Window System. Based in Salt Lake City, Century Software was founded in
1985 and is privately held. Century Software’s CEO, Gregory Haerr, is
the founder and chief maintainer of the Microwindows Project, and
founder of the ViewML Project.
Century Software, Century Embedded Technologies, and PIXIL are
trademarks of Century Software, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark
owned by Linus Torvalds. WebPAD and MacPHYTER are registered trademarks
of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other names mentioned are
trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective
owners.
Contacts:
Jill Ratkevic
1.408.209.5181
jillr@centurysoftware.com
Jon Beutler
1.801.268.3088 X145
