NXP have had a Set Top Box (STB) playing Flash for quite a few years now. They’ve moved this on now play Flash videos, enabling them to support YouTube and other Internet video services without the need for a separate computer – and from the comfort of the sofa.
The upshot is YouTube videos playing straight to your TV, a la Apple TV.
We talked to Boris about the development (listen below).
[audio:https://digital-lifestyles.info/media/audio/YouTube demo on STB.mp3]Interesting Interface
Not content to just play the videos, the NXP bods in the labs have been experimenting with different interfaces to get access to the videos.
You’ll see from the video below that a selection of videos have been pulled together into a single screen.
The YouTube API has been used, but NXP were keen to stress that any video service with an API could be used.
Running thumbnails of the videos float around on the screen, tempting the viewer to dive in and have a look at them.
All of this using gestures on a Nintendo WiiMote.
Once a video is selected, pressing a button on the WiiMote plays the video taking about half the screen. Then there’s an option to expand this video to run full screen.
What’s Next?
They’re looking forward to the end of the current exclusive deal between YouTube and Apple, so they can start publicly supporting YouTube videos playing back in H.264. They’ve had the capability for quite some time.
Nowadays NXP is going to a good direction, adapting technology for the future consumer’s needs, instead of first creating its own exclusive hyper super platform and trying later to convince the customers to buy even with real advantages. This STB is a good example the company’s behavior is been changed. More and more people will share video content with friends and family by hosting in some web server provider such as Youtube. My human advise to take into account is that: People want to see and show homemade videos but play video is not enough if you can not find or select the video that, for example, some “physical distant” member from your family wants to share with you. So, “url address” or at least “user nickname” of the owner of the video must be considered.
What great, well considered comments. Thanks Felipe.
Yes – tech research companies/departments are often tempted to develop in a vacuum – just for the technical challenge of it – but it’s good to see NXP taking a different route.
Last week I did a tour of their Southampton research facility and was very impressed with them.
On your point of about finding content – 100% agree with you – one of the biggest challenges is, in an infinite sea of content, how do you find anything to watch!