Numericable chooses Nagravision for TV widgets

French cable operator Numericable is set to launch a ‘TV widgets’ service using technology from Nagravision.

TV widgets are small software applications that enable viewers to interact with the internet using their TV. One of the widgets on offer to Numericable’s IPTV customers will be MyTV, which will make it possible to send programme alerts to friends. Subscribers will eventually be able to choose widgets from a large gallery including live and on-demand recommendation widgets as well as widgets allowing them to share videos and use online social networks.

Nagravision said it will support Numericable with its Nagra Media Widget platform that includes a set of available widgets organised in a store controlled by the operator. The platform also includes the Nagra Media Widget Studio, a publishing tool that gives operators and partners the ability to create custom libraries of widget services. The system is a web-based front end to the Nagra Media content management system, the Nagra Media service delivery platform and the OpenTV Core 2.0 middleware and its associated HTML browser.

Separately, Numericable will also deploy Nagravision’s multicast switched digital video solution in order to offer new VOD services. It will mean the operator will use broadcast, simulcast and unicast technologies on the same network.