Tech4home Unveils Voice Remote Controls for RDK and Metrological enabled Set-top Boxes

Operators opting for the RDK platform will now be able to choose from Tech4home’s wide range of remote control units and benefit from a BLE voice remote control pre-integrated for RDK and the Metrological TV Application Platform .

The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is an open source software platform for the connected home. RDK standardizes core functions used in broadband, video, IoT and streaming devices. The collaborative platform allows operators to manage devices and customize their user interfaces and apps. RDK software includes BLE integrations that enable communication between the remote control and the set-top box, in addition to other wireless protocols.

RDK is backed by a wide range of leading industry players. Another important aspect is that the system’s reference design allows operators to create cost effective solutions for the end customer. With RDK, customers profit from a fully integrated and standardized BLE voice remote control. In addition, consumers gain access to a familiar voice remote experience they have come to expect. When it comes to Tech4home, all of our RCU products can be adapted to be RDK compatible.

Miguel Oliveira, Managing Director at Tech4home

The new remote enables set-top boxes, including RDK Video Accelerator  products, to use voice commands to change channels, launch an app from the Metrological App store, and more. Operators also can develop additional enhancements, such as universal voice search across live, on-demand, and apps, using the new RDK-enabled BLE remote control options from Tech4home. 

“RDK innovations are driven by our community, and Tech4home is propelling this mission by providing an intuitively integrated voice remote control for RDK devices. With its BLE voice solutions, Tech4home is providing the industry with an innovative new remote and contributing to the RDK community a standardized BLE profile for voice integration.”

Steve Heeb, President and General Manager of RDK.

Having been involved in earlier RDK remote control implementations based on ZigBee RF4CE, Tech4home worked with RDK to develop the first voice remote control using the RDK BLE APIs which relies on common BLE profiles for standard functions. In the development process, Tech4home took a leading position to create the BLE solution for the voice integration for the RDK community and will continue to do so.

Tech4home shares our vision that the future of TV will be about deploying simplified, integrated user experiences, and the remote is at the center of that experience. With Tech4home’s BLE voice remote solutions on RDK set-top boxes, voice commands can instantly control the user interface in real-time—to change channels or access a wide variety of premium OTT services as well as niche content and localized apps through the Metrological TV Application Platform.

Jeroen Ghijsen, CEO of Metrological