Arris, part of CommScope, has announced the availability of the RDK Lab Accelerator, a solution jointly developed by Arris, Metrological and RDK Management, to support the rapid development of new video applications.

The RDK Lab Accelerator is based on the Arris VIP5202W UHD IP set-top and provides the RDK community an efficient application development platform that uses the latest RDK application framework and the pre-integrated Metrological App Store.

RDK is an open source software platform for the connected home that standardises core functions used in broadband devices, set-tops, and IoT. It enables service providers to manage their devices; control their business models; and customise their apps, UIs and data analytics to improve the customer experience and drive business results.

Now, service providers and development partners can rapidly come to market with new services and applications, including popular premium video streaming apps, while maintaining complete control over the user experience as they build on the RDK platform. The RDK Lab Accelerator is a 4K/UHD set top with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and voice control compatibility.

It comes pre-installed with the latest version of RDK open source software, the Metrological App Store and is configured with tools to customise services. RDK combined with the Lab Accelerator enables service providers to reduce the time to market for new solutions, differentiate their UX and maintain their customer relationships.

“Arris has long been a pioneer in RDK, and we remain committed to providing service providers and development partners with technologies that allow them to customise their own offering and quickly deploy flexible and cost-effective solutions,” said Larry Robinson, senior vice president and segment leader, Customer Premises Equipment at CommScope.

“As the global leader in set-tops, we are fully focused on providing the widest range of hardware and software solutions that meet the diverse needs of our customers.”

“Many operators simply want an off-the-shelf RDK set-top box experience to test and develop their next-gen video services, and Arris has made that easy with the RDK Lab Accelerator,” said Steve Heeb, president and general manager of RDK.

“Powered by RDK software and pre-loaded with the Metrological App store, it provides a reference integration that allows operators to expedite application development, testing, and service deployment.”

The availability of the RDK Lab Accelerator reinforces Arris’s commitment to RDK technology. Most recently, Arris announced its support for the RDK software stack across its next-generation EPON gateways, offering a range of benefits to customers.

This includes a unified back-office system for managing both fiber and DOCSIS architectures, simplified network provisioning, carrier-grade management features, and full integration with the Arris HomeAssure solution. Arris has since made high-volume RDK deployments on multiple DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 gateways.

The RDK Lab Accelerator Arris VIP5202W IP set-top is available for order. – TradeArabia News Service