Vestel Releases First CASTVs with Integrated Broadcast Pay TV Services

Vestel has launched the first TVs which allow consumers to access premium pay TV services directly through their TVs without the need for a separate set-top box (STB), CI CAM or any other external device. The 43” UHD CASTV will be available in Croatia under the JVC brand, offering content from local Croatian DTT pay-TV operator EVOTV.

The launch has been enabled by Irdeto and Vestel’s partnership to implement Irdeto’s TV Cloaked CA solution. This allows the secure delivery of premium content direct to Vestel’s 4K TVs. The new JVC UHD CASTVs can directly receive broadcast DVB Satellite, Cable or Terrestrial content with pay TV protection, through integrated tuners and demodulators. This makes subscribing to pay TV even easier for consumers as they only need to connect the TV to the broadcast network to get started.

“The launch of the JVC CASTVs addresses a market need in providing more cost-effective content delivery choices for pay TV operators while also drastically reducing subscriber acquisition costs, with no hardware subsidy required,” said Hakan Kutlu, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management, Vestel. “The partnership with Irdeto has enabled this launch as Irdeto TV Cloaked CA ensures that we can give a great experience for our customers, providing easy and secure access to premium pay TV content directly through the TV.”

“This partnership, and subsequent launch of JVC UHD CASTVs, is a real innovation in the industry,” said Steeve Huin, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Irdeto. “With no need for a separate STB or CI CAM module, consumers can have easier access to services, making new subscriber acquisition seamless for operators. All the while, Irdeto TV Cloaked CA provides premium software security to protect high-value content.”

“We’re focused on offering our customers a great experience in all stages of the customer lifecycle and with the JVC CASTV product, customers can easily start enjoying our DTT and OTT services immediately after product installation,” said Domagoj Frank, CEO at EVOTV. “The new JVC CASTVs allow consumers to watch pay TV straight out of the box and will help us to reach new customers through retail sales channels. We will continue to make our content and services as easily accessible as possible, with the highest levels of content security.”

Irdeto TV Cloaked CA is a key solution offered in the Irdeto 360 Security suite, which is designed to ensure future-proof end-to-end security that can quickly and easily react to changes in the market in a cost-effective fashion. By partnering with Irdeto, Vestel ensures the highest level of content security for operators and content owners who want to deliver premium content and pay TV services directly through the TV. In the coming months, Vestel plans to release CASTVs in 49” and 55” screens as well as launching in new markets including Germany, Austria and Uzbekistan.—BCS Bureau