ORS taps 3SS to launch hybrid DVB+OTT smart TV apps
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Editor
| 20 May 2021
Austria’s national broadcasting services provider ORS has gone live with three smart TV apps, designed, engineered and delivered by 3SS, for its new simpliTV service.
ORS simpliTV 20 May 2021
ORS was founded in early 2005, originating from ORF’s Broadcast Engineering and in 2012, simpli services GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of ORS, was founded for the dissemination of the TV product simpliTV. In recent years, ORS group has evolved from a transmitter network operator into a Digital Content Gateway delivering content via cable, IP, satellite, and antenna as well as IP services and streaming solutions.

The next gen apps are now live and delivering a big-screen user experience via DVB-T2 (terrestrial), DVB-S2 (satellite) and OTT for Samsung Tizen and Android TV smart TV owners across Austria. These new apps enable switching between DVB-T2 live TV to time shift via streaming.

“We needed to create a new way of watching TV to meet the ever-higher expectations of many of today’s consumers, including streaming enthusiasts; we wanted to broaden our audience in this way while continuing to embrace our many viewers who prefer a more traditional TV experience,” explained Thomas Langsenlehner, CEO of simpli services commenting on the hybrid experience. “It was important to us to enrich the classic, linear broadcast big-screen UX with innovative features that streaming technology brings, such as catch-up, time-shift and network PVR, and to deliver it all to viewers in one attractive, easy-to-navigate app. The apps also feature mini-EPG, 7-day backwards EPG, search and continue watching where user left off, even when switching devices.”

Following an earlier competitive tender, ORS selected 3SS to deliver the next-generation hybrid service, which 3SS announced in August 2020. 3SS has led design, development and integration for the ambitious project. The app is the unified home of all three simpliTV services: simpliTV Antenne (ORS’ original over-the-air service launched in 2013), alongside simpliTV SAT and simpliTV Streaming. Both apps can automatically build channel line-ups displayed in the new UI in accordance with regional availability of over-the-air digital terrestrial services.

3SS has also developed a third simpliTV app to support OTT viewing on LG webOS smart TVs. The three new apps, all powered by the 3READY Product Framework now downloadable from Samsung Apps, Google Play Store and LG Content Store.

3SS says simpli services has benefited from expertise and certification in modern agile development methodologies, including SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework). SAFe is widely recognised for its ability to optimise time-to-market and deliver superior products, resulting from communicative and interactive workshops, concurrent work streams and regular incremental project update sessions.