The MediaStar Evolution streaming video decoder and multimedia player, launched by Cabletime at the beginning of this year, is now able to show IPTV, and is capable of showing web pages and HTML content following enhancements to broaden its functionality and expand its target market.
The latest improvements to Evolution position the product as a complete solution for IPTV, multimedia and content delivery requirements. The digital multi-format ‘EvoNet’ units are now able to render live MPEG 2/4 encoded streams, deliver HTML and up to the minute web pages, and retrieve and playout MPEG 2/4 and HTML files stored on a network or USB key.
Delivering content is now much more manipulable thanks to the MediaStar Evolution Playlist and Scheduling software. This allows the user to timetable video, multimedia and web pages to be shown on the screen, before downloading the content to a group or to individual EvoNet units.
Wireless support is also provided, enabling the EvoNet units to be installed into protected locations such as churches, listed buildings and museums. This will open up new opportunities for signage and presentations within the ecclesiastical sector, which is experiencing unprecedented growth.
To suit retail applications, the EvoNet units can now feature ‘Contact Closures’. This enables content to be accessed from the EvoNet unit as a customer initiates the contact closure through proximity, switching the screen to display appropriate information about the item. An additional benefit of this is that the system will produce a report indicating which items are attracting the most interest. This technology can also be adapted for interactive kiosks.
Paul Reeves, Sales and Marketing Director at Cabletime, said: “Mediastar Evolution has been a ground-breaking product since it was launched, but these enhancements take it to a new level of functionality. This solution is no longer just an IPTV distribution product, it is a powerful, highly reliable conduit for the delivery of most forms of digital media and this will open up new, previously uncharted markets for Cabletime.”