Open UX Foundation Blog Setting the Foundation for HTML5

For pay-TV service providers, delivering multi-screen TV services is a must. Same goes for embedding web and social applications. But with the proliferation of video-enabled devices such as set top boxes (STB) and computer electronics (CE) devices, software platforms become more fragmented. And that makes it more of a challenge to deliver and maintain a high quality video service across the device ecosystem. Many rightly consider HTML5 to be the Internet technology for delivering commercial TV to video enabled devices. Indeed many devices already support HTML5. And all new devices will have native HTML5 browsers built-in. Furthermore, many open source frameworks also make it easier to create new services while social sites provide SDKs to help integrate existing services.

But that’s not enough.

The fact is that many HTML5 implementations simply don’t match the capabilities required by today’s commercial TV applications. Nor do they achieve the performance levels to which users are accustomed. Take, for example, the 3D effects and animations that are part and parcel of an award-winning EPG design such as Videoscape Snowflake. Or accessibility to metadata, authorizations and user preferences. Not to mention app life cycle management. Essentially, there is a need for more than an HTML5 standard browser.

So what can be done? Well at Cisco, we have an answer.

Last year, we launched an open, HTML5 web-based UX (User Experience) software product called Open UX. Powered by cloud technology, Open UX incorporates a powerful “TV optimized” HTML5 environment, known as Open UX Foundation. Built with open source components, Open UX foundation offers a common software layer that resides in the device and provides all that is needed to run HTML5 EPGs and applications across the video enabled device ecosystem. Using standard web tools, service providers can now rapidly develop, validate and deploy new EPG applications with all the richness of the web. And most importantly, the applications run smoothly.

In benchmark tests, Open UX foundation worked twice as fast as typical native CE HTML engines.

Open UX foundation is available as a software component with Cisco software solutions on RDK and other video middlewares from Cisco. We are also working with CE manufacturers to embed Open UX Foundation as standard in CE devices. Additionally, Open UX Foundation for CE devices can be easily and quickly ported to fit different app stores. Through our new Open UX Foundation, we’ve made it easier than ever for service providers to deliver a superior and consistent branded user experience on both service provider and CE devices.

At CES 2014, we will be showcasing Open UX Foundation running across the entire video enabled devices ecosystem, including set top boxes, smart TVs, mobile devices, HDMI sticks and more.

To learn more about Cisco at CES in Las Vegas, NV January 7 – 10, 2014, please visit our event page at http://www.cisco.com/go/ces and follow us on Twitter @CiscoSPVideo.