Video content delivery — Apps for a branded set-top box and mobile devices

By request of one of the Canadian Internet and TV providers, Sibers team has developed several Android and iOS apps, allowing to deliver video content seamlessly right at the end-user’s hands.

On the first stage a Play On plug-in for streaming video from PC to TV, smartphones and tablets was built. The plug-in drags videos from the client’s server, then through the media server application and a rendering device (e.g. a game console) streams the video to a TV set.

On the second stage Sibers has participated in building Android middleware for the company’s branded set-top-box and also created the app for this box. The app allows to watch live TV, video on demand, archives of TV shows, listen to radio and, besides, use usual Android applications, as Google Play Market is available through the set-top-box.

Several mobile applications were developed on the third stage. The first app allows to control the STB remotely using an Android tablet or a smartphone. The lists of channels and VoD, descriptions of TV shows and movies, a TV Guide and the Play button to start videos are right at the users’ fingertips. Besides navigating through the user interface on the device screen, there is a possibility to use the Android device as a usual, analogue, remote control: for this purpose a screen with move to the left, to the right, up and down buttons was created, while UI is displayed on the TV screen.

Ultimately the two apps, Android and iOS, for watching videos right on mobile devices were built. These applications also contain lists of available channels, videos and a TV Guide, but at the same time allow the user to watch the chosen video right on his mobile device.