14 DAY TRIAL // After a long time when solid state drives were arguably too expensive for most applications, compared to HDDs, SanDisk and NDS claim that, by combining the SanDisk P4 SSDs with the latter's MediaHighway STB software, a new range of low-cost set-top boxes with DVR functionality can be created.
According to the two companies, new revenue generating features can be conferred upon a set-top box by giving it even just a small amount of storage space.
The list of such features include video on demand (VOD), live-pause, advanced advertising and the possibility of enabling networking functionality, among other things.
The SanDisk P4 solid state drive, in capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, is a fair bit less expensive than hard disk drives that usually have unnecessarily high storage spaces.
NDS plans to use these SSDs, which have the convenient SATA interface, to complement its progressive download and live-pause technologies
Basically, the two partners intend to deploy energy-efficient STBs with smaller form factors, less noise generation and, of course, enhanced DVR-like functionality.
“For the first time, SSDs are now a cost-effective alternative to hard drives in the STB market,” said Doron Myersdorf, senior director, SSDs, SanDisk.
“The successful integration of SanDisk P4 SSD with NDS STB software enables new business models in the STB market, and takes Video on Demand content beyond the DVR to offer a high degree of DVR-like functionality on a new range of boxes,” he added.
“This exciting development underscores how seamlessly the SanDisk SSDs work with NDS MediaHighway technology,” said Jonathan Beavon, director, segment marketing, NDS.
“This innovative solution offers operators a low power and reliable alternative to conventional hard disk drives, enabling a new market segment,” Beavon went on to saying.
NDS intends to demonstrate the technologies prepared for SandSIk P4-enabled set-top boxes at IBC