Humax has showcased its web-ready Freesat+ box at IBC 2012. With the implementation of the Opera Devices Software Development Kit (SDK), Humax’s Freesat+ box provides Freesat’s newly launched service, free time, a HTML5-based backwards EPG. Through free time, viewers can navigate back through the EPG and choose to watch content on-demand.

The Opera Devices SDK empowers Humax to build HTML5 and CE-HTML rendering into its Freesat+ box and supports the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) and HTML5 browser technology, which have been adopted by the next-generation Freesat+ receivers. In addition, this tool kit includes a full web browser using hardware acceleration with DirectFB, and supporting WebGL, to speed up rendering and animations.

“Web services delivered to TV are increasingly moving to HTML5, so it makes sense to have one engine to drive the browser and power all applications,” commented Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Freesat brings HTML5 technology to its next-generation products. People can browse the web, run apps, play music and games–and most importantly–watch what they want, when they want it, on their TVs. This is the power of the web. For set-top-box and device vendors, adopting web standards can reduce the barriers of deployment and shorten the time to market.”

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