How far can you go on a Chinese STB?

A post on how to make a worthwhile product by combining Chinese iron, Russian software and a European brand in one bottle. The heartbreaking story of unfulfilled TK and outright deception, ended better than it began. Under the cut, the history of development and launch of the Vermax HD set-top box .

STB (set-top-box) is a subscriber device receiving, transmitting and converting the signal into digital form. Nowadays, the label “STB” is most often applied either to IPTV set-top boxes or to set-top boxes that receive a satellite or cable digital signal.

TV set-top boxes are currently being developed on two operating platforms — Linux and Android.
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Linux is a widely used system and well known to almost everyone. However, the essence of the market is such that for each individual console there is a separate firmware with a separate “Linux” and for each such separate firmware, there are separate applications. Once every three months, these services usually change IP. In this connection, the operator is faced with many troubles and problems: contacting subscribers in technical support with complaints about the unstable operation of a particular functionality. As a result, the operator has to urgently perform a lot of manipulations, including updating the firmware, so that everything works fine for the service consumer.

With the prefix on Android, there are no problems when installing a third-party application for IPTV, but the market dictates its own rules. That is why it is almost impossible to find the necessary applications in free access.

Middleware

This is a software layer that defines the user interface and the channels that the client will watch. At first, MiddleWare presented an interface based on WEB-technologies. Aminet 110, which actually represented a computer with a browser, can serve as an excellent example here.



The next stage in the development of MiddleWare is writing a low-level application. If, in the first version, changing the interface was just a matter of changing the WEB design, then in this case it became already more difficult to change the interface. However, the speed of the consoles has certainly increased.

However, “NAG” sees the future of the set-top box as a universal device of its kind. That is, the creation of a "fat" client, adapted to Russian realities.

Several years of painful development

Somewhere in 2013, we concluded that we were tired of selling a third-party product. Then the prefixes Mag 245 and prefixes Amino were popular.



In fact, at that time there was a monopoly on the IPTV market, which, as is well known, cannot lead to anything good.

We started with finding a hardware solution. In the course of work, we sifted through several dozen chipsets from Chinese, European and even American manufacturers. As a result, your choice is still in the Chinese version. Firstly, the performance of the Chinese chipset is quite enough. It all depends on competent implementation. We also found that in those solutions that provided at that time almost no convenient IPTV players. That is, we did not see anything that could be sold as an integrated system, for example, in conjunction with switches.

Developer Search

If with the choice of hardware for the future console there were no particular problems, then when developing software we faced the realities of the Russian market. But first things first.

Having made an approximate TZ, we set about searching for a developer. Looking for friends, appealed to the company, analyzed price offers. At one of the exhibitions we were approached by representatives of a development company from Belarus. As proof of their own competence, we were given an impressive portfolio. For example, participation in the development of the Smartslab set-top box, which sold well under the Rostelecom brand. We will not name the company name here, because subsequent events are unlikely to become a good advertisement for this developer.

We settled all the technical details, discussed prices and shook hands and began to develop. In a happy wait, several months passed, during which our hopes began to gradually crumble. The development was far from what we wanted. Any deviations by the developer from the technical task were not discussed with us. The result was not quite what we wanted.


The interface of the console was just awful and inconvenient for the subscriber, not to mention the fact that in no way corresponded to the technical task. The prefix “loaded” about three minutes. When switching channels it was necessary to go to the initial menu. In addition, the application had a huge number of bugs that caused the console to hang. After that, it was difficult to restore its performance. Having played enough, we made a list of complaints and shortcomings that we would like to correct.



We discussed new terms, which were also postponed. However, even after half a year of improvements, we did not manage to see on the console that for which it is actually needed - that is, the video. Again, not having the result, further communication was decided to continue at the management level. After quite lengthy negotiations, we were asked to pay for the development of six times more, and in return we will make a specification for free. Naturally, such an employment relationship ended in a lawsuit from our side.

As a result, we returned to where we started - we again set out to find a developer, deciding to contact local Ural programmers. After some time, we found a developer and two weeks later we were given this as a test:


Test interface version

After some time, we got a completely "efficient" interface that suited us.

Final product

As a result, in 2015, on the shelves of our store, a joint creation of the NAG and Vermax companies appeared - a compact TV set-top box Vermax hd100 .


Review Vermax hd100





The hardware prefix is ​​based on SoC with a dual-core processor. The operating system used was Android 4.2.2, optimized for the needs of IPTV. The player for IPTV, as mentioned above, was painfully developed by NAG, together with Russian developers, and optimized for the work of telecom operators. Very much over time was refined precisely at the request of our customers.


Updated interface version

Optimizing the OS allows you to handle even the heavy content of HD channels without artifacts (for example, First HD). Supports both multicast and unicast. The prefix works in the server system - prefix software.



The software we developed is not at all demanding in resources. The principle of operation is based on the transfer of configuration files for IPTV Player. To deploy the minimum required system to several hundred consoles, even an outdated office machine is sufficient. The server can be deployed according to the instructions for half an hour.

As a result, we have a quality product on the Chinese chipset, which is lower than the competitors already known on the Russian market - for example, the same MAG-245. We understood that it was possible to run into the frank “kidalovo” even from companies that had proven themselves in the market. We did not lose by going the way of developing a “fat” client, providing the operator with a prefix with ready-made software optimized for work.

A year later, the Vermax HD100 was replaced by a more modern device - the IPTV Vermax UHD 200 with the ability to play 4K video.




The prefix is ​​built on a modern processor and video core, which allows processing UHD content provided by both the telecom operator and reproduced from removable media. The console software is identical to the previous model. It is constantly being updated and updated. Current firmware branches:

The main branch with software development Ltd. NAG
IPTVPORTAL (CAS is implemented for unicast, for multicast in development)
24h.TV (24hour TV)
VIEWER

More details about the Vermax UHD200 can be found in a review on our portal, and later we will tell about the device in this blog in more detail.

PS We still lost the trial with the developer, but only due to the annoying oversight of one of our colleagues. At the last exhibition CSTB.Telecom & Media in Moscow, representatives of the same company-developer again approached our stand to “make acquaintance” ...