Espial TV Browser Powers Mitsubishi STB for NTT Plala's IPTV Service

Espial TV Browser Powers Mitsubishi STB for NTT Plala's IPTV Service

Featuring HTML5 and a Powerful WebKit Engine, Espial TV Browser
Optimizes Interactive TV Content and OTT Web Video


OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Espial, a leader in on-demand TV software and solutions, today announced that
the Espial TV Browser has been selected to power Mitsubishi Electric's latest set-top boxes (STBs) deployed by NTT Plala, a leader in the
Japanese IPTV market, to deliver a more compelling IPTV service to its
customers. Leveraging a sophisticated range of features and
technologies, the Espial TV Browser enables NTT Plala to distribute
customized, interactive IP video-on-demand and e-shopping services and
applications, such as review and rating functions, through an intuitive
user interface.



"Two of our main criteria while looking for a connected TV browser were
an open design and support for all of the industry's latest standards,
including HTML5," said Hiroyuki Ojima, manager, Mitsubishi Electric.
"We chose the Espial TV Browser because it offers a high degree of
modularity, a customizable user interface, and robust performance -- all
of which enabled our customer NTT Plala to deploy interactive and
personalized applications rapidly across Mitsubishi's connected set-top
boxes."



The Espial TV Browser features a comprehensive software development kit
that can be integrated seamlessly with Mitsubishi's proprietary
middleware media player and digital rights management platform for
smooth playback of encrypted content. The browser's open, modular-based
architecture also enables easy integration with video plug-ins and
JavaScript extensions, and is portable across a wide range of chipsets
and devices, further simplifying interactive TV content and Web
navigation on connected TVs.



Based on the same WebKit rendering engine used by Google Chrome(TM) and
Apple(®) Safari(®) browsers, the Espial TV Browser features built-in Adobe(®) Flash(®), as well as support for HTML5 and the latest W3C Web and interactive TV
standards, including ISDB and OIPF. Through a powerful JavaScript-based
engine optimized to accelerate CSS3 and CSS 3D animations, Espial TV
Browser quickly performs graphic transitions and supports complex
animations. The TV Browser user interface can be customized according
to geographic location and user preferences and provides users with
dynamic content and streamlined Web navigation.



"One of the critical features for an enhanced connected television
experience is compliance with the HTML5 standard," said Yukio Kanemori,
Japan country manager, Espial. "By supporting HTML5, Espial TV Browser
provides users with more engaging video content, helping consumer
electronics manufacturers such as Mitsubishi to deliver the optimum TV
Web experience."



More information about the Espial TV Browser and the company's other
products is available at www.espial.com.



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About NTT Plala (www.nttplala.com)

NTT Plala is a major Japanese Internet Service Provider (ISP), providing
triple-play service (Internet, IP phone, IPTV) leading the Japanese
broadband market. NTT Plala has achieved over 5 million subscribers in
March 2012 for ISP service and IPTV service "Hikari-TV."


About Mitsubishi Electric (www.mitsubishielectric.com)

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) is a recognized world
leader in the manufacture, marketing, and sales of electrical and
electronics equipment used in information processing and
communications, space development and satellite communications,
consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation,
and building equipment. The company recorded consolidated group sales
of 3,639.4 billion yen (US$ 44.4 billion*) in the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2012.


*At an exchange rate of 82 yen to the US dollar, the rate given by the
Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2012.

About Espial (www.espial.com)

Espial is a leading supplier of digital TV and IPTV software and
solutions to cable MSOs and telecommunications operators as well as
consumer electronics manufacturers. Espial's middleware,
video-on-demand, and browser products power a diverse range of pay-TV
and Internet TV business models. Over 10 million licenses of its
patented software are in use across the world. Espial is headquartered
in Ottawa, Canada and has offices in the United States, Europe, and
Asia. Visit www.espial.com or contact via phone at +1 613 230 4770.



SOURCE ESPIAL GROUP

ESPIAL GROUP

CONTACT: Agency Contact:
Netra Ghosh
202 Communications
Tel: +1 801 349 2840
Email: netra@202comms.comEspial Contact:
Kirk Edwardson
Director of Marketing
Tel: +1 613 301 3423
Email: kedwardson@espial.com


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