The Comcast Media Center and enableTV have hooked up to collaborate on the development and delivery of iTV applications that will be based upon the enhanced television (ETV) / Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) and tru2way platforms.
With the agreement, enableTV joins 20 other companies that have signed on to take part in the Comcast Media Center’s Hits Advanced Interactive Services (AxIS) program, which serves as a centralized resource to support the development, delivery and management of advanced interactive TV applications.
“We are pleased to partner with the CMC to expedite the delivery of interactive services to the industry through the Hits AxIS service by providing developer solutions and testing services in our Independent Test Lab,” said enableTV President and CEO Tim Wahlers.
Four cable operators have also signed up with the CMC to beta test the interactive applications being developed at Hits AxIS (story here).
ETV is compatible with most of the legacy digital set-top boxes that are already deployed and enables iTV applications such as polling, news, instant weather and traffic.
Tru2way technology, formerly known as the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP), allows digital TVs and other devices to connect to cable without requiring a set-top box. ETV / EBIF applications that are currently being developed and deployed can eventually be moved into the tru2way environment.
One of the first joint activities the two companies will undertake is to co-exhibit at the TV of Tomorrow Conference, where the CMC’s Hits AxIS suite for iTV will be showcased. TV of Tomorrow will be held March 10-11 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
“Hits AxIS is focused on facilitating the process for cable operators to take advantage of new revenue opportunities from offering iTV applications and services to their customers,“ said Gary Traver, the CMC’s senior vice president and COO. “[Wahlers] and his team at enableTV have a great understanding of what it takes to develop and support iTV applications running on a cable plant. We look forward to adding their expertise to the pool of talent helping us create a great storefront of applications for our cable operator affiliates.”
