Layer3 TV, the Denver-based next-gen cable operator, has been putting a fresh, new face on the much-maligned set-top box using a colorful and modular lineup of whole-home gateways.
While the industry has known for a while that Pace plc, the U.K.-based set-top maker now part of Arris, was tapped to make at least the first wave of Layer3 TV boxes, the MVPD revealed Tuesday that Designworks, a subsidiary of BMW Group, designed the whole-home gateway exclusively for Layer3 TV.
The use of modular color schemes, the companies said, is a first for cable in that it provides a way for the devices to "best fit into each room’s aesthetic" of the subscriber.
This video offers a more detailed look at the different colors supported by the design:
Layer3 TV’s main Gateway box supports HD, 4K and High Dynamic Range video, integrated WiFi, a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, and whole-home DVR that can store more than 3,000 hours of HD, integrates access to certain OTT apps, and features a Full Color Front panel LCD screen that displays info about what’s being watched. It’s also Zigbee and Bluetooth-ready, the company said.
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Layer3 TV and BMW Group have connected elsewhere, as the pay TV provider uses a fleet of electric BMW i3 vehicles for installations and other service visits. Layer3 TV has also been using Tesla vehicles for its partnership with NextLight, a municipal service provider that is building out a city-wide fiber network in Longmont, Colo.
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“Designworks and the BMW Group have a long history of designing high end and intuitive products that customers love using every day,” Layer3 TV CMO Eric Kuhn, said in a statement. “After conducting an exhaustive global search for a design firm, we were attracted to the firm’s commitment to combine elegant design with tangible improvements to how media is experienced.”
“The user experience is at the heart of what we design for at Designworks, whether we are working on aviation interiors, user interaction concepts or solutions for the smart home” said André de Salis, creative director and project lead for Layer 3 TV at Designworks.
Layer3 TV has launched service in Chicago, Washington, D.C., parts of Los Angeles, and Longmont, Colo.
