Advanced Television

Brazil’s Ginga middleware slips to 2013

March 2, 2012

By Chris Forrester

Brazil’s obligatory introduction date for its ‘Ginga’ set-top box middleware has slipped. Originally planned for this year, the new requirements are that 75 per cent of digital LCD-TVs produced in Brazil (from its dedicated duty-free zone in Manaus province) must now be Ginga-enabled from July 2013.

The so-called ‘Ginga rules’ come into play because of Brazil’s adoption of a Japanese/Brazilian hybrid digital TV system. Ginga was developed largely by Brazilian engineers, and embraces the nation’s DTT system and complies with the ITU’s H.761 standard.

By January 2014 the Ginga minimum rises to 90 per cent. 2014 is likely to be a big year for TV sales given that Brazil is hosting the soccer World Cup that year. The rules also apply to all other ‘Smart TV’ technologies, where it is mandated that 100 percent must have Ginga middleware by 2013.

For manufacturers which were already gearing up to introduce ‘Ginga-ready’ sets this year they can roll-over their numbers (and thus benefit from having a greater proportion of lower-cost non-Ginga sets in the market).

Categories: Articles, Middleware