U.K.-based digital TV software firm Pixsan Digital Software has joined a growing crowd of vendors to license the Reference Design Kit, a pre-integrated software bundle for IP-based set-tops and gateways.
More than 80 vendors have licensed the RDK, a project initiated by Comcast that aims to accelerate the product development cycle for video devices. Pixsan’s involvement indicates a higher level of interest in the RDK platform among European suppliers and operators that use the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) platform.
Pixsan said it will use the RDK license to outsource professional services to operators, original equipment manufactures, original design manufacturers, and chipmakers that are pursuing RDK product strategies.
“Pixsan has been developing digital TV software platforms for many years and we are particularly excited about RDK and its recent progression into European DVB markets,” said Pixsan managing director Jon Williams, in a statement. “The key to success for rapid broadcast+IP uptake at all levels of the value chain, namely consumer, operator and device, needs to be a common framework approach and RDK offers our markets exactly this opportunity.”
Pixsan was founded in 2007 by four founding members of the technical and business development team of Echostar Software. Among Pixsan’s products is Elgist, a DVB software stack that has been deployed in more than 5 million devices, including digital set-tops, TVs, and DVRs.
The RDK project has attracted a broad range of integration, testing and services companies. Others in that category that have secured a license include Tata Elxsi, itaas, Bitrouter, Infosys, Larsen & Toubro, Red Embedded Consulting, S3 Group, Solekai Systems, Videon Central, Alticast, Sentosa Technology Consultants, and WiPro.
