Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB), a Swiss-based set-top box and software company, is hoping to develop its business more in Asia, ADB CEO François Pogodalla told the IBC E-DAILY.
    “We are looking at satellite in India, but you have to remember that HD is just starting there,” Pogodalla said. “All the broadband infrastructure is not really there yet either. I think it will take us a bit of time before we contribute to the industry. We are hopeful we can gain DTH deals in Asia and in India in the next two years. We are not sure whether these will be set-top box deals, interface deals or a combination of the two. The fact that we can build the software component means we can differentiate our offer.”
    Satellite players account for about 30 percent of aDB’s overall business, and the company wants to develop a multi-layered solution for satelilte players that combines the best of satellite and other technologies. “Satellite is important for ADB, as it is a mainstream distribution platform. Since satellite also has constraints because of the lack of return channel, it is therefore a platform that has to be more innovative. For example, satellite was the first going to HD. We have been providing what we call a ‘tri-brid’ platform, which brings together satellite, terrestrial and IP content on the same device with the same user interface. It does deliver a high-end television platform,” Pogodalla said.
    Using satellite alongside terrestrial and IP is at the core of ADB’s strategy. “I think using satellite alongside other telecoms and terrestrial technologies is a very powerful combination. You have a lot of capacity on satellites without the bandwidth limitations you have on telecoms and terrestrial networks. Satellite has a natural competitive advantage in terms of 3-D and HD. As far as we are concerned, hybrid is at the core of our whole strategy. We are really a believer in that. We have to be able to pull the content from various sources. It can be a pay-TV source, for example, that you can then mix and match with other sources of content, such as the Internet or the home network,” he said.
    The company also is committed to using open standards, another fundamental component of ADB’s strategy. “We really think it will benefit the industry to have open standards. With open standards, the key is that you can use the box middleware separately from the user interface applications. You avoid the vertical lock-in of a closed platform perspective. In our solutions, you see Java, you see DLNA, for example. I think this is pretty unique. I think what is good for our company is to have open standards so you have as wide a deployment of innovative pay-TV as possible,” Pogodalla said.