Cisco and Roku Inc. today announce a collaboration to enable the Cisco VideoGuard Everywhere video service protection solution on Rokustreaming players and Roku TVs.
Cisco VideoGuard Everywhere enables pay-TV operators to secure their content distribution to a wide variety of devices, which now includes Roku streaming players and Roku TVs. This collaboration will enable VideoGuard Everywhere to support the Charter Spectrum TV app available on Roku devices.
VideoGuard Everywhere is a software-based video service protection solution encompassing Conditional Access (CA) and Digital Rights Management (DRM).
Cisco and Roku are working closely to pre-integrate the VideoGuard Everywhere security software into Roku firmware. All Roku devices will be automatically upgraded to include Cisco security software. Initial features and services the solution will be able to support for the Spectrum TV app for Roku devices will now include secure video on demand (VoD) and linear content playback, as well as control of the number of devices used simultaneously per subscriber account.
“We have been working closely with Roku to deliver a lower-cost, easy-to-deploy software security solution leading to innovative services like the Spectrum TV app on the Roku platform,” said Rajeev Raman, senior director of Strategy, Studio Design, and Product Management, Video Software and Solutions, Cisco. “Charter has been a pioneer in the industry for downloadable security to give its customers more options to watch what they want on the devices they want in their homes.”
“Using the fast growing Roku streaming platform in combination with the Cisco VideoGuard Everywhere security solution enables operators to simply and securely deliver their branded video streaming services to the home, and optimally manage digital sharing rights for their content library,” said Andrew Ferrone, vice president of pay TV at Roku. “With this powerful combination, Charter continues to offer its pay- TV customers unique options to watch TV in ways that fit their lifestyles.”
Charter is deploying the VideoGuard Everywhere solution across its systems, including the Worldbox and Charter Spectrum TV apps on a wide range of consumer electronic devices such as PCs, tablets and phones.
“We are always looking ahead for ways to make our customer experience better, providing more flexibility and options for accessing the television content people want to watch,” said Jim Blackley, executive vice president, Engineering and IT, Charter. “By expanding the Cisco downloadable security solution to our Spectrum TV App channel on Roku streaming devices, we can better control device streaming rights and functions within the home without compromising on the experience.”
About Cisco
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About Roku, Inc.
Roku is the creator of a popular streaming platform for delivering entertainment to the TV. Roku streaming players and the Roku Streaming Stick are made by Roku and sold through major retailers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Republic of Ireland, France and Mexico. Roku licenses a reference design and operating system to TV manufacturers to create co-branded Roku TV models. Under the Roku PoweredTM program, Roku licenses its streaming platform to Pay TV providers around the world who want to use the Internet to deliver entertainment services through streaming players. Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR. Roku is privately held and headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif., U.S.
About Charter
Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) is a leading broadband communications company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services, including Spectrum TVTM video entertainment programming, Spectrum InternetTM access, and Spectrum VoiceTM. Spectrum BusinessTM similarly provides scalable, tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet access, data networking, business telephone, video and music entertainment services, and wireless backhaul. Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold under the Spectrum ReachTM brand. More information about Charter can be found at charter.com.