Irish technology company S3 has been selected by Microsoft to be its Mediaroom testing partner to provide set-top box testing services for OEMs planning to deploy Microsoft’s forthcoming TV platform.
The Leopardstown technology firm in which Dutch technology giant Philips is a shareholder is in a position to increase testing capacity for Mediaroom, enabling faster time-to-market for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and more choice of STBs for Mediaroom operators.
“As we grow our Mediaroom business it is important that we also grow our partner ecosystem,” said Steve Koepp, senior manager, Business Development, TV, Video & Music Business, Microsoft Corporation.
“The addition of S3 as the first set-top box (STB) testing partner for Mediaroom brings scale to the STB testing process while also enabling us to re-deploy internal resources on developing next generation client experience. S3 has a skilled base of engineers with design and integration experience right across the digital TV development cycle and will provide an efficient service to STB OEMs,” Koepp added.
Mediaroom has a global customer base of customers delivering IPTV services to more than 3.5 million subscriber households worldwide. Mediaroom offers a more personal and connected alternative to digital cable or satellite TV services with exciting features such as instant channel zapping, HD VoD, whole home DVR, remote recording and rich interactive TV applications.
Through this relationship with Microsoft, S3 will provide independent professional services tailored to the requirements of the OEMs with the key emphasis on time-to-market. S3 will integrate the Hardware Adaptation Layer from the OEM with the Microsoft Mediaroom client on the STB, bringing the integrated system through all phases of testing required for deployment.
This is done by executing a series of structured test cycles, focused on comprehensive functionality, stability and reliability testing at each phase.
“Achieving this testing relationship status is a clear endorsement of S3’s capability as a trusted collaborator,” said Paul Kavanagh, General Manager, North America, S3.
“Since many of the OEMs are already customers of S3, we understand their platforms, systems and technologies intimately which enables us to work efficiently and assist Microsoft and the OEMs in getting set-top boxes to market faster,” Kavanagh said.
Photo: Mediaroom’s new testing partner will be S3, an Irish technology company.
By John Kennedy
