Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) April 2017 Volume 34, Issue 3 | Page 42

42 X-PLATFORM
April 2017

Bobbles . tv targeting Indian diaspora

Germany ’ s bubbles media has launched bobbles . tv , a multiculture satellite and over-the-top ( OTT ) entertainment service for Indian expat communities in continental Europe .
Bobbles . tv , which is targeting 1.5 million Indian expats living in mainland Europe , delivers 16 channels of entertainment in Hindi and English , including B4U Movies , B4U Music , Star Gold , Sony MAX and Zoom , which are all Bollywood content-heavy .
For news , bobbles . tv offers NDTV India , NDTV 24x7 , Times Now and Aaj Tak , while popular general entertainment is rounded up with channels such as Viacom18 ’ s Colors , StarPlus , NDTV Good Times , NDTV Spice , Sony Entertainment Television ( SET ), Sony SAB , Life OK and Rishtey Europe . Fourteen channels of bobbles ’ Indian package are also available for live streaming and catch-up TV via OTT .
Arnold Kulbatzki , CEO of bubbles media , said : “ As many as 1.5
Bobbles . tv distributes channels from around the globe , delivering popular programming to Indian , Chinese , Indonesian and Vietnamese expat communities in Europe .
million Indian people living in mainland Europe now have a convenient way to receive their favourite shows from home , via satellite or OTT , live or on catch-up . We are really excited to offer this great new package — with bobbles ’ simple , affordable , contract-free subscription , feeling closer to home has never been easier .”
Originally launched in August
2016 , bobbles . tv distributes channels from around the globe , aiming to reach a potential 14 million people originating from Asia , Latin America and Africa but currently living and working in Europe .
In addition to its new offering for Indian viewers , bobbles . tv also delivers popular programming to Chinese , Indonesian and Vietnamese expat communities .

Aperi and Macnica form video-over-IP partnership

Aperi , a provider of software-based , real-time IP media processing solutions to live production and networking , has entered into a new partnership with Macnica Technology , who offers videoover-IP intellectual property and products .
Macnica is developing branded apps that provide core IP media processing functionality , and will be available through Aperi ’ s app store . The companies will also jointly develop technologies that will lead to new video transport applications and that conform to new SMPTE standards .
Heralding the new partnership , Joop Janssen , CEO of Aperi , said that a “ robust offering ” of apps from leading developers is critical to Aperi ’ s business model , and to its collection of high-quality , all-IP solutions for broadcasters , service providers and content owners worldwide .
Apps in the Aperi app store are dynamically deployed to Aperi ’ s compute engines . With this virtualised , native live IP media platform , users can spin channels up and

A unified viewing experience for Scandinavian audiences

down on demand quickly , easily and cost-effectively , to stay relevant and earn viewers as media consumption habits rapidly evolve , said Aperi .
Marc Levy , CTO of Macnica , added : “ Aperi ’ s open platform has met an urgent need in today ’ s media landscape for reliable , native IP processing . The software-based platform integrates the essential components needed to implement IP-based live production workflows supporting the emerging SMPTE standards .”
Nordic OTT service Viaplay has chosen Unified Streaming in a bid to optimise its viewer experience across Scandinavia .
Viaplay , a Nordic over-the-top ( OTT ) service , has chosen Unified Streaming in a bid to optimise its viewer experience across Scandinavia .
A provider of cross-platform video streaming technologies , Unified Streaming offers Unified Origin , an all-in-one solution that allows users to utilise a single unified source to stream all their media content to multiple clients and devices .
According to Viaplay , Unified Origin allows it to fully utilise its content and support a multi-CDN ( content delivery network ) strategy . It manages packaging on-the-fly to formats such as DASH , HLS and MSS while offering full DRM ( digital rights management ) protection . This , added Unified Streaming , reduces storage volumes , enables fast implementation of format-related changes and gives Viaplay the possibility to target its A / V features to specific devices .
The integration of Unified Origin also offers Viaplay the possibility to add start and end parameters for live events , which means improved A / V handling at a single event and quick turnaround of clips published on the sports new site .
Kaj af Kleen , CTO of Viaplay , concluded : “ Teaming with Unified Streaming has given Viaplay the flexibility and strength needed to continue as the region ’ s leading online service for TV , sports and film .”