[Satellite TODAY 06-14-11] EchoStar Technologies launched three new HD set-top boxes designed to enable mid-sized and independent cable operators to deliver enhanced, interactive video applications, the company announced June 14. 

    EchoStar’s HC-620DRS, HC-410D and HX-410 set-top boxes will be packaged with IP-based content management features and optimized to support EchoStar’s Aria ecosystem of hosted TV services, which aim to enable resource-constrained cable operators to deploy enhanced video applications hosted at EchoStar’s data centers directly to the new set-tops.

“With Aria, operators can efficiently expand their video offerings with a growing list of cloud-based services that includes remote DVR programming, interactivity and TV Everywhere,” EchoStar said in a company statement.

    All three set-tops feature EchoStar’s graphical interface with universal content search capability and access to hosted VOD libraries. In addition, all three boxes support EchoStar’s Universal RF remote control with IR learning, continually updated device code database and two-way receiver communication.