Dutch cable operator Ziggo announced the name 'Mediabox Next' for its next-generation set-top box. The new box is available to the first customers and will replace its previous Mediabox XL dating from 2012.
The box was first announced last September at the Liberty Global Technology Summit in Amsterdam and is based on Ziggo's parent company Liberty Global's Horizon 4 platform. Deployed already in other markets such as the UK and Switzerland, the platform supports 4K content as well as online apps like Netflix and Youtube and cloud recording.
The Mediabox Next was developed using RDK (Reference Design Kit), the open-source platform for standardised software for connected TV and home services. Ziggo said the new STB will offer improved speed, for example when changing channels, and can also be controlled using voice commands. The accompanying remote control was also simplified compared to previous Horizon models.
The box uses the same Horizon 4 interface as used on smartphone apps, making it easier for customers to recognise and navigate.
The Mediabox Next also brings new content recommendations, both on TV and VOD, based on the user's past viewing. An opt-in is required to take advantage of this feature, and Ziggo said all viewing data is anonymised.
Also new is cloud recording. The box no longer includes a hard disc. Instead customers save recordings to the cloud, allowing them to record multiple programmes at the same time.
