Advanced Television

UltraViolet solution from Saffron Digital

April 4, 2013

Video service delivery specialist Saffron Digital, which recently joined Akamai’s NetAlliance Partner Programme, has leveraged its relationship with the leading cloud platform provider to launch a comprehensive end-to-end UltraViolet (UV) solution. The new solution will enable retailers, content owners, operators and device manufacturers to take advantage of the business opportunities presented by UV. Using a common file format (CFF), UV aims to engage consumers with the ultimate value proposition for premium video content: buy it anywhere and play it on any device you own.

Saffron Digital, which has been offering UV-like digital locker services since 2009, has integrated its secure online video platform with Akamai’s Sola Media Solutions and global CDN to create an ‘out-of-the-box’ UV solution that simplifies and shortens time to market. As part of the relationship, Saffron Digital will develop UV storefronts that have its proprietary CFF player at their core.

“UltraViolet is starting to gain real market traction around the world with a wave of digital media retailers lining up to launch UV multi-platform VOD services. In the UK and US we’re already seeing millions of household accounts being created and thousands of titles becoming available. We’re also seeing a lot of interest from digital media retailers in Australia and New Zealand who are keen to get involved,” said Jason Keane, Saffron Digital CEO. “There are a lot of great synergies between Saffron Digital and Akamai and by integrating our video-platform with their media solutions and CDN we’re in a great position to help these very retailers launch compelling experiences as UV rolls out globally.”

The new end-to-end solution will feature: Content preparation; A comprehensive content management system (CMS); Storefront services and application design and development; Digital locker services; Payment and authentication; A proprietary CFF video player; Service management, and Media analytics and reporting.

Steven Chester, Vice President, Global Media and Entertainment at Akamai Technologies said that Akamai’s NetAlliance Partner Programme was designed to create better unified and integrated solutions for its customers, with the addition of Saffron Digital allowing it to offer further choices for UV customers. “With a strong focus on premium video, Saffron Digital is one of the industry leaders in DRM services and end-user experience. Like Saffron, we’ve been delivering UV-like services for a long time and, together, we know the complexities that new implementers may come across and how to solve them,” he added.

Categories: Articles, CA/DRM, Content