Creating Custom Media Players for Internet TV Systems

Having a unique media player can be an important branding tool for Internet TV broadcasters. Natalia Psakhie from Elecard explained to me at the CES show that having access to a media player that can be customized can be critical to the success of IPTV and Internet TV broadcasters. This allows the operator to create a custom user interface with advanced features and services. To start the process, an operator should be able to start with a simple reference design to get a working media player. The reference design can then be enhanced to create unique branded versions of the media player. The media player development kit should include important capabilities such as multiple software based codec types (MPEG-2, MPEG-4), playback controls (trick mode), closed captioning, and full screen controls. Additional features should include the combination of streaming and local media support (such as ActiveX capabilities) and local storage (download for later playback).