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Cable Technology Feature Article

August 29, 2013

TiVo Embraces HTML5 with Opera TV Store Integration

By Tara Seals, TMCnet Contributor


TiVo (News - Alert) is bumping up the over-the-top (OTT) proposition for its set-tops via technology integration with Opera Software. Pay-TV operators who are shipping the just-announced TiVo Roamio devices will be able to offer HTML5 apps and content to their consumers through the Opera TV Store, by writing made-for-TiVo apps using the Opera Devices SDK.

The first apps should appear by early next year, TiVo said.

Opera’s been working on expanding its HTML5-based TV app store, which houses hundreds of applications for a range of connected devices. In 2012, more than 25 million connected TVs and devices shipped with the Opera Devices SDK, and the Opera TV Store has shipped on tens of millions of devices globally. The new Opera TV Snap, a tool to convert online videos into connected TV apps, is expected to bump up usage even further.

“Not only is Opera’s Devices SDK best-in-class, but its standards-compliant HTML5 engine will enable a household name like TiVo and its cable operator customers to bring the best and latest of OTT web content quickly to the end user,” said Aneesh Rajaram, senior vice president for TV and devices at Opera Software (News - Alert).

He added, “In addition, app and content developers will have another avenue to reach many active and loyal TiVo users through their apps in the Opera TV Store.”

The integration is part of a wider plan on the part of TiVo to bring HTML5 content to operators. In addition to the applications available in the store, Opera works closely one-on-one with content providers, like YouTube (News - Alert), that are moving to HTML, to integrate them into its platform.

“Consumers want to watch what they want, when they want it and it’s important to offer an easy-to-use interface capturing all the content possible, whether it be from cable TV or the Web,” said Jim Denney, vice president of product marketing at TiVo. “We have selected Opera as a partner in this mission because it enables users in both the operator and retail segments a completely customized experience, along with a wide variety of local, national and global long-tail content and other applications from the Opera TV Store.”




Edited by Blaise McNamee


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