CDSA

A partnership of major players in the CAM ecosystem, led by Irdeto, announced a productized CI Plus 2.0 USB CAM which is ready for certification. Initially formed in 2017 to support the CI Plus 2.0 Standard, the partnership includes Irdeto, MStar Semiconductor, Inc., SMIT Holdings Limited and TP Vision. The partner companies have reached the latest milestone in allowing consumers to receive pay TV services on their TVs by leveraging USB-based CAMs, providing an attractive alternative to set-top boxes.

CAMs are already popular across Europe, and the use of a USB over a PC Card (PCMCIA) has additional cost and support benefits for operators looking to give consumers access to pay TV services without the burden of a set-top box. The ubiquity of USB ports on modern TVs means that CAMs based on the CI Plus 2.0 standard will have a global reach and are set to transform the global pay TV market.

Irdeto took the lead in bringing together major players in the CAM ecosystem last year and is a strong believer in a standards-based approach. The CI Plus 2.0 USB CAM meets the latest security requirements for operators when it comes to premium content and will allow cost-effective delivery of pay TV services through a USB dongle plugged into a TV. In collaboration with SMIT, Irdeto is demonstrating the technology at IBC 2018 at Hall 1 Stand D51.

“As a world leading CAM provider, we are always striving to be at the forefront of global developments in secure pay TV delivery, and that’s what this partnership represents,” said Bingyu Xiang, GM of CAM products for SMIT. “With a productized USB CAM ready a year after this partnership was announced, we are moving quickly towards the global uptake of the CI Plus 2.0 standard.”

“We’re committed to supporting secure delivery of pay TV services across a variety of channels based on key industry standards. As the USB form factor continues its development into production, our support of CI Plus 2.0 in our TV chips allows our global partners to take advantage of the benefits of this standard,” added Wayne Tsai, marketing director for MStar.

“The benefits of the CI Plus 2.0 standard are clear and many well-known market players are ready for the move to USB CAMs,” said Steeve Huin, VP of strategic partnerships for Irdeto. “Irdeto is committed to leading the support of a USB CAM based on the CI Plus 2.0 standard. With a demonstration ready and device set for production, this leap forward for the industry is fast becoming a reality.”

“This partnership was formed a year ago to support new ways for operators to deliver premium content and we remain committed to supporting the CI Plus standard and its evolution through our TVs,” said Elie Bonte, innovation lead for TP Vision. “The fact that the USB form factor is becoming a reality is an important step for CI Plus. This will provide consumers with easier access to pay TV content, as well as assisting operators with cost-effective and secure content delivery.”