Cabot’s feature-rich middleware enables manufacturers to develop a wide range of reliable digital TV products such as Set Top Boxes (STBs), Digital Television Recorders (DTRs) and Integrated Digital Televisions (IDTVs).  Cabot middleware supports various DVB countries and there is a continuous development to support emerging markets like New Zealand, South Africa and Russia.  Manufacturers are able to develop a very wide range of products not only for DVB-T, but also DVB-S/S2 and DVB-C, with high definition and various connectivity options; such as DVB-CI, USB, HDMI and IP.

Consultancy and training

With decades of in-depth experience in the digital TV field and core teams of engineers based in the UK and Turkey, Cabot’s consultancy services offer a valuable resource to manufacturers.  A project can be completely outsourced to Cabot’s highly skilled engineers or, alternatively, Cabot staff can work alongside and augment in-house resources, providing the complimentary software skills required.

Porting and integration services

In order to deploy a digital TV product, manufacturers need to make a considerable investment, as well as having expert knowledge about the multitude of components that make up the system, such as DVB-T, MHEG-5, EPG, Over Air Download (OAD), bootloader and Conditional Access (CA).  Whatever the project, Cabot can provide a full, bespoke service that meets specific requirements.  Cabot can manage and execute an entire project from planning, integration, testing, validation and field support for a digital TV product or provide expert support at any of the various stages of a project.  Cabot has extensive experience on a range of different silicon architectures with multiple toolsets and is particularly experienced in identifying those elusive issues created by the interaction of the various system components.

Software support and upgrade services

Cabot customers are strongly advised to take out an annual software support and upgrade service.  This service provides customers with an unprecedented level of technical support utilising email, web, telephone or face-to-face meetings.  It also entitles the licensee of Cabot’s products to receive updates for their relevant product.  Cabot continually updates its products with software issue resolutions and functional improvements, to reflect the changing digital TV market and to support new standards.

Product testing service

There are a wide range of requirements that must be met in order to bring successful products to market.  Cabot is able to offer its customers a unique digital TV product testing service to ensure that their products meet all necessary requirements.  Cabot has invested in a comprehensive range of specialist commercial and bespoke playout equipment, test suites, tools and sophisticated test processes for this purpose.  All testing is conducted in Cabot’s dedicated test department which produces structured and standardised reports.  The product is tested against external and internal standards, using Cabot’s automated testing environment wherever possible, which include:

• Broadcast standards such as DVB specifications, analogue broadcast, teletext
• Interactive applications such as MHEG-5
• National and international standards including Europe and emerging digital TV markets such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
• Testing bodies such as DTG testing
• Industry standards such as D-book, E-Book, Nordig
• Operator tests, for example Teracom, Mediaset, Digitenne

 
OAD testing and management services

OAD is critical for a successful digital TV product deployment.  A loss in consumer confidence will occur if a viewer’s receiver cannot be updated or updates incorrectly.  Cabot has extensive experience preparing, testing and managing multiple successful OADs.  Manufacturers rely on Cabot’s unique skills, tools and services to help validate their OAD implementations, produce OAD carousels and manage the complex OAD process. 

For further information regarding Cabot services, or any other Cabot solution, please contact us.