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NDS VideoGuard Unified Headend
VideoGuard Unified Headend
Making convergence a reality

Managing a video service to multiple devices is a prime example of convergence. Different CE devices are used differently but complement each other as part of one service.

Service operators—broadcasters, telcos, and cable TV operators—introduce new services and applications on STBs, PCs and mobile devices. The VideoGuard® Unified Headend provides a business management platform interface that is pre-integrated with all VideoGuard solutions. This enables operators to manage all their services using one system.

NDS VideoGuard® is the pay-TV industry’s most advanced suite of Conditional Access (CA) and Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions. It protects your branded service and content over any platform to any device. This includes STBs, PCs, portable media players (PMPs), mobile devices and removable media.

How does VideoGuard Unified Headend work?

  • It enables the single management and operation of NDS conditional access and DRM (digital rights management) solutions across all delivery platforms.
  • It offers step-by-step expansion paths that enable new services and devices to be added.
  • It supports applications across different platforms including:

    • Personalized business offers to a group of devices
    • Purchasing, authentication and user interfaces on any device
    • Targeting and personalization

This presents challenges and opportunities. The challenge is to meet the rising expectation for a more integrated and exciting service without compromising on content and service protection. The opportunities are based on the ability to add value and new business models through tighter integration between back-end systems.

The bottom line is that the VideoGuard Unified Headend reduces operation costs.  It ensures that operators can create attractive, cross-platform business offers that keep them ahead of their competition and satisfies their customers. The end result is reduced churn and increased ARPU.

Beyond the STB

The VideoGuard Unified Headend enables pay-TV providers to go beyond the set-top box to distribute broadcast and on-demand video services to a number of devices. At the same time it helps deliver the flexibility subscribers want, so that they can view content anytime, anywhere on any device.