Mitsubishi Electric STBs Power KDDI On-Demand TV Service Using Espial TV Browser

OTTAWA, March 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Espial^®, a leader in on-demand TV solutions, today announced KDDI's launch of a new generation on-demand TV user experience powered by the Espial TV Browser and its HTML5 capabilities. KDDI will use the Mitsubishi Electric ST1100R and Espial TV Browser to provide its subscribers with a world-leading user experience for a wide range of video-on-demand and IPTV services. KDDI is one of the largest operators in Japan.

The News:

• Mitsubishi Electric selects the HTML5-ready Espial TV Browser to offer subscribers a rich, engaging, and fast user experience on their set-top boxes.
• KDDI launches one of the most compelling TV services in Japan using the Mitsubishi Electric ST1100R and Espial TV Browser to provide its subscribers with the following services:
• A full HD video and audio experience
• The LISMO Video Store service
• IPTV services
• NHK video on-demand services
• DVR recording to external HDD
• Content sharing between devices in the connected home
• Consumers can easily discover and enjoy IPTV services and large selection of content from across two different VOD catalogs including the LISMO Video Store and NHK on Demand.
• The selection of Espial TV Browser demonstrates the growing momentum of the world's largest operators to adopt HTML5 ready browsers.
• This new TV service will be delivered over the au HIKARI high-speed fiber optic broadband line.
• Mitsubishi Electric selected the Espial TV Browser for the following capabilities:
• Leverages the latest industry standards — including HTML5, CSS3, W3C^® standards - with one of the fastest JavaScript^® engines available.
• the ability to rapidly integrate the Espial TV Browser quickly using its comprehensive SDK designed to simplify integration with middleware media players, video plug-in integration and JavaScript extensions.

Quotes
"The Espial TV Browser, ready for HTML5, is a high performance browser well suited to the needs of Japanese consumers," noted Norihide Yaguchi, Senior Manager, Home ICT Solutions Department, Communication Networks Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. "It provides an excellent user experience consistent with the brand experience consumers have to expect from us and KDDI."

"We are truly pleased and excited to see the Espial TV Browser deployed with two world leaders in TV services: Mitsubishi Electric and KDDI," said Yukio Kanemori, Japan Country Manager, Espial. "This demonstrates the power and performance of Espial TV Browser. We look forward to working to ensure the continuing success of Mitsubishi and KDDI."

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Tags/Keywords
Connected TV, WebTV, Over-The-Top, Smart TV, OTT, BML, HTML, W3C, IPTV, Cable TV, HbbTV, Adobe Flash, Open IPTV Forum, AcTVila, NetTV, Open GL, CSS3, HTML5, HTML5 video, Social TV.

Web Links

• Espial
• Mitsubishi Electric
• KDDI

About Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. The company recorded consolidated group sales of 3,645.3 billion yen (US$ 43.9 billion*) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.
*At an exchange rate of 83 yen to the US dollar, the rate given by the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2011.

About KDDI
With more than 30 million subscribers, KDDI is Japan's second-largest mobile operator. Furthermore, together with its subsidiaries, now KDDI is the only Japanese ICT solution company that provides comprehensive services for consumers and corporate clients. With services from fixed to mobile communications and solutions, "TELEHOUSE" data centers and broadcasting, KDDI aims to be a company that creates new styles for customer's lives and corporate activities from local communities to overseas with communication as its base.

About Espial (www.espial.com)
Espial is a leading supplier of digital TV and IPTV software and solutions to cable MSO's and telecommunications operators as well as consumer electronics manufacturers. Espial's middleware, video-on-demand and browser products power a diverse range of pay-TV and Internet TV business models. Over 10 million licenses of its patented software are in use across the world. Espial is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and has offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Visit www.espial.com or contact us at +1.613.230.4770.

For inquiries from press or analysts, contact:
Espial
Kirk Edwardson
Espial Marketing
e: [email protected]
t: +1.613.230.4770 x1145
c: +1.613.301.3423