STMicro powers set-top boxes from NTT Plala

This STB has been developed by Sumitomo Electric Networks, Inc., a major Japanese equipment producer for home entertainment and broadband service providers, with operations around the world. ST’s Orly was selected as the high-end SoC best fit for Sumitomo’s global set-top box middleware platform based on Linux, Android Ice Cream Sandwich and HTML5. In particular, the Orly’s dual-core ARM® Cortex™-A9 MPCore® processor allows the set-top boxes to run the Android™ operating system and so connect easily to new marketplaces including mobile ecosystems. Moreover, the integrated ARM Mali® 3D graphics processor has allowed Sumitomo to create a rich user interface for Android-based services. “By offering new smart IPTV STBs, we enhance user interface operability and deliver triple-tuner functionality,” said Katsumi Nagata, Board Director, Executive Director, Technology and Engineering Division, NTT Plala Inc. “By supporting Japan’s first cloud game called ‘Hikari TV Game’ and various applications called ‘Hikari TV Apps’, we are offering more convenient smart TV services that perfectly fit the lifestyle of our customers.” ST’s Laurent Remont, Digital Convergence Group Vice President and Unified Platform Division General Manager, added, “We are delighted that NTT Plala and Sumitomo have chosen to work with ST, resulting in successful delivery of advanced set-top boxes capable of delivering seamless high-quality viewing and innovative services to multiple connected devices throughout the home.”