Vidiom Systems Corp. is getting a new overseas owner under a deal announced late Thursday.
The provider of interactive-TV products -- and a major contributor to the OpenCable Application Platform specification fielded by Cable Television Laboratories Inc. -- will be acquired by Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings S.A., a Geneva, Switzerland-based supplier of high-end digital set-top boxes, network systems and interactive middleware.
Terms of the deal, including price, were not disclosed, but ADB officials indicated that it would involve cash and stock.
Vidiom has been plugging away in the interactive-TV market for some time, and it has product deals with top cable operators including Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable. It developed the software stack for OCAP Development, a joint venture between Comcast and Time Warner, and it also offers a portfolio of OCAP software products.
ADB, meanwhile, has been active in the European set-top-box market, and it also offers a line of Multimedia Home Platform standard-based middleware through its Osmosys S.A. subsidiary.
The acquisition will allow Vidiom to expand its product and services marketing, according to CEO Timothy Wahlers.
“ADB Group is a great fit, as their MHP knowledge complements Vidiom's OCAP expertise. I envision the ADB Group/Vidiom iTV software will experience global success,” he added.
The deal is expected to close in early 2006.
