24i and Amino provide turbo boost to Android TV

Android TV enables operators to update services that keep consumers in their environment by integrating streaming apps, update the UI and brand the UX. The appeal of the platform is growing quickly, with Google reporting that for 2019, it was working with more than 140 operators in over 60 markets – up from just 8 operators in 2016.

Although Android TV gets operators a long way down the road to launching a modern advanced TV service, it isn’t designed to take them the whole way. Amino and 24i have a number of solutions that work with Android TV to deliver all the features operators need to succeed in today’s market.

“The combination of 24i and Amino software and devices enables us to turbo boost Android TV, providing the layers on top of Android TV Operator Tier. This gives operators the ability to launch modern TV experiences and take advantage of the Google Play Store video apps, including YouTube, while still owning the consumers UI and UX,” said Donald McGarva, CEO, Amino. “We have pre-loaded premium OTT services such as Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Netflix, so that operators can expand their TV offering – a huge advantage! Where OTT apps have not yet been added to the Google Play Store, the Chromecast integration means consumers can easily cast from their mobile devices to the Android STB.”

Amino’s unique value lies in its IPTV heritage. Amino brings its knowledge of operator delivery infrastructures, government regulations and content protection platforms to manage the certification of a device platform that incorporates the necessary delivery protocols, players, tuners and more. It is these sometimes complex combinations of technologies that present the greatest challenge for operators launching Android TV. Amino has the proven expertise to bring Android TV to life for pay TV providers.

The first company to take advantage of the turbo boost provided by 24i and Amino was Youfone. Its TV service was initially launched in 2017 and required modernising. Youfone tapped 24i and Aminoin December 2019 to deliver an expanded TV and OTT offering. Powered by the 24i Video Experience Platform, Amigo 7X Android set-top boxes, and Amino OS, the 24i and Amino Android TV solution enabled Youfone to launch an exciting modern next-generation TV service – and do it quickly.

Discussing the speed of the deployment, Valentijn Rensing, CEO of Youfone said: “The unique power, flexibility and breadth of the integrated 24i and Amino solution meant that Youfone launched the Netherland’s first Android TV service in just 5 months, rather than embarking on a major engineering project of a year or more if we had followed another path.”

“Traditionally, launching an advanced modern converged OTT, VoD and Live TV service would take a year or more and would be technically demanding. Before the combination of Android TV and our turbo boosting solutions, operators were faced with the choice between over-engineered single vendor systems, smaller single-vendor solutions with gaps in functionality, or the complications and delays associated in dealing with multiple vendors,” said Donald McGarva, Amino Group Chief Executive Officer.

“Getting Youfone up and running with the Netherland’s first major Android TV service so quickly proves that our turbo boosting of Android TV is an exciting solution for operators in today’s multiscreen market conditions,” concluded McGarva.

The 24i and Amino solutions that provide a turbo boost to Android TV Operator Tier, include:

24i Video Experience Platform: a smart and cost-effective SaaS platform that, for the first time, productizes all the services required for the convergence of Pay-TV, IPTV, and OTT streaming services. VEP has been designed to accelerate time-to-market while delivering the essential flexibility and functionality required for the creation of next-generation video services.

AminoOS: built on over 20 years of focused IP entertainment delivery excellence, Amino OS is device middleware that supports Android TV devices and has integrations to a broad and deep industry ecosystem.

Amino Amigo 7X devices: Android TV Operator Tier certified Ultra-HD client TV device, with tuner options, delivering exciting OTT content with an exceptional user experience.

AminoSM Engage: cloud-based service management solution providing a suite of management tools that efficiently manage and proactively support deployed Android TV devices and apps to improve quality of service and experience.