India's DEN Launches Customized EPG, Based on NDS's MediaHighway Middleware

Interactive TV and conditional access technology provider, NDS, said Wednesday that Indian digital cable operator, DEN, has launched an advanced, customized NDS EPG for its Digitelly service, based on NDS's MediaHighway middleware. According to NDS, the new EPG includes sophisticated navigation tools and allows frequent data changes in order to support promotions for new services. It allows content options to be shown on a preview screen, NDS says, enabling viewers to scroll through all channels before making a decision, and also allows viewers to display the program schedule by time or day or by date. When using the DEN EPG, viewers "can truly interact with their pay-TV service," NDS says, and will in the future be able to access various advanced services through it, including VOD. Among other things, the new EPG represents each application with a 3D icon.

NDS, which has an extensive operation in India, originally announced that DEN would use its EPG, its MediaHighway middleware and its VideoGuard conditional access system back in March, 2008. "The launch of the advanced EPG makes digital viewing highly interactive and compelling," DEN CEO, Anuj Gandhi, said in a prepared statement. "Our subscribers can now navigate and select the content of their choice with ease and flexibility. This further reinforces our commitment to redefine the TV entertainment experience for the Indian digital viewer."