Service Providers and Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Select VidiPath™ Brand to Identify Products

AMSTERDAM - Friday, September 12th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

News Highlights:

    Subscribers will be encouraged to look for new brand name, VidiPath, when shopping for retail devices that deliver service providers’ full viewing experience on many different screens in home.
    Previously identified as CVP-2, Guidelines were developed through a close collaboration between service providers and consumer electronics (CE) product manufacturers.
    More than 15 companies have already begun pre-testing their products to prepare for Certification.

IBC2014

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IBC (Hall 14, Booth L22) - The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) today launched the VidiPath Certification program for retail CE products supporting the organization’s subscription TV content-viewing Guidelines. Guidelines have been given the new consumer-friendly VidiPath brand name, which was chosen so that subscription TV customers can more easily find products that best suit their needs for seamlessly enjoying their providers’ content on multiple device platforms in the home.

DLNA will demonstrate products supporting its VidiPath Guidelines and share details about its Certification and branding programs at IBC, Sept.12 -16, 2014 in Booth #L22, Content Everywhere Hall at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition & Convention Centre.

“We are extremely pleased to be launching the VidiPath Certification Program, and applaud service provider and CE members for developing the consumer-friendly VidiPath brand name that will simplify product shopping and selection as Certified devices become available later this year,” said Scott Lofgren, chairman and president of DLNA. “Consumers will know that VidiPath Certified products can stream and play subscription TV content on multiple, interoperable home devices, and their providers will use the VidiPath brand name to identify services that can be enjoyed on these Certified devices.”

DLNA’s VidiPath Certification program draws on expertise from more than a decade of proven interoperability testing that the organization has performed on over 25,000 device models, enabling more than 3 billion devices to share personal content on many types of devices in the home. The VidiPath Certification program adds key DLNA Certification elements designed to test and validate the extended technology requirements for viewing subscription TV content, including Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol (DTCP-IP), HTML-5, authentication capabilities, IEEE 1905.1 and UPnP remote diagnostics, network power save, and adaptive delivery technology to optimize streaming quality. Additionally, VidiPath Certified products will interoperate and share media with the billions of existing DLNA Certified servers. Alliance members have been building and pre-testing products to the new subscription TV content-viewing Guidelines all year, with the goal of accelerating the Certification process. AwoX has developed the first VidiPath Reference Device, a server that can be used to speed time to market for Certified products.

“As products complete the VidiPath Certification process and get introduced into the market, we will be able to provide our services to customers on a growing choice of compatible devices that they can choose based on their unique requirements and preferences,” said Ken Klaer, senior vice president, Comcast Cable. “VidiPath Certified products will provide a standardized platform for our customers, enabling them to enjoy the content they love on a broader range of devices in their homes.”

"We are excited that the VidiPath Certification program has now begun. It will facilitate the interoperability between cable operator supplied STBs and VidiPath Certified CE devices. We look forward to all the benefits that a growing VidiPath product ecosystem will deliver to our member cable operators and consumers,” said Tom Lookabaugh, chief R&D officer, CableLabs.

"DLNA has taken another important step toward fulfilling the FCC’s vision for an industry standard that allows TV services to be delivered to CE devices,” said Brett L. Sappington, director of research with Parks Associates. “With their choice of a consumer brand for devices that successfully complete the certification process, North American cable operators have signaled their intent to quickly adopt VidiPath. They have also shown their interest in working with consumer electronics manufacturers to create a vibrant ecosystem of interoperable products for subscription TV viewing in the home.”

About VidiPath Certification

DLNA Certification administrators are available to assist Alliance Members with all aspects of Certification testing preparation. Test tools are also available to Members and can be used during product development to streamline troubleshooting. Products can be submitted to any of five Test Labs (ICVs) worldwide. ICVs can also provide pre-testing services to help Members achieve VidiPath Certification.

Additional details about VidiPath Guidelines are available by downloading the DLNA VidiPath white paper. Click here to download the VidiPath Guidelines, and here to learn more about the VidiPath Certification program. For editors interested in meeting with DLNA executives while they are at IBC 2014, please contact kellyp@magnetprgroup.com to schedule a briefing.

About DLNA

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is a technology standards organization driven to build industry consensus to advance the interoperability of products in consumers’ connected homes. Founded in 2003 with a current membership of more than 200 companies, this unique multi-industry collaboration continues to implement an innovative set of guidelines utilized by service providers, electronics manufacturers, and software developers to provide consistent performance in a connected home environment. Consumers can share and enjoy personal content on DLNA Certified devices and subscription TV content on VidiPath Certified devices, including mobile devices, PCs, set top boxes, AV receivers, game consoles, TVs and more, regardless of manufacturer. DLNA has also created a robust certification program which tests and verifies the interoperability of products built to its standards, ensuring consumers that devices branded with the DLNA Certified and VidiPath Certified marks will successfully connect and exchange content. Additional information about the Alliance is available at www.dlna.org. Find the Alliance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dlnacertified or on Twitter @DLNA. DLNA's leading member companies include ACCESS, ARRIS, AwoX, Broadcom, CableLabs, Comcast, Dolby Laboratories, DTS, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Time Warner Cable and Verizon.

Contacts

Digital Living Network Alliance

Katie Gengler, 503-908-1115

Katie@global-dlna.org