Company:Synamedia

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Short description: English video technology company
Synamedia
HeadquartersStaines, United Kingdom
Key people
Paul Segre, CEO

Mark Readman, CFO
Tzvi Gerstl, CTO
Shauna O'Handley, CPO
Nick Thexton, EVP, GM Cloud Services
Julien Signes, EVP, GM Video Network
Julien Signes, EVP, GM Broadcast Technology

Ismat Levin, EVP, General Counsel
ProductsVideoGuard Conditional Access
Videoguard Connect DRM
MediaHighway - Set Top Box Software
Broadband IPTV
XTV Digital Video Recorders DVRs)
OTT
Unified Headend
Gateways
Interactive TV
Number of employees
1100 (2023)
Websitesynamedia.com

Synamedia Ltd. (previously Cisco's SPVSS business, and formerly NDS Group Ltd., and later Cisco Videoscape) is a video technology provider headquartered in Staines-upon-Thames, UK. Its products cover content distribution and delivery, video processing, advanced advertising, broadband offerings, and video security.

History

The company was formed in 1988 as News Datacom in Israel, offering encryption technology for satellite broadcasts. The encryption technology was developed by Israeli cryptographer Adi Shamir and Amos Fiat. In 1992, the company was acquired by News Corporation and renamed News Digital Systems (NDS).[1][2] In 2012, Cisco Systems Inc. acquired NDS.[3] It became the foundation of Cisco's Service Provider Video Software Solutions (SPVSS) business.[3][4] In May 2018, Permira acquired the SPVSS business from Cisco.[3] The acquisition included Cisco's Infinite Video platform, the former Scientific Atlanta video processing portfolio, cloud digital video recording, video processing, video security, and video middleware.[5] In October 2018, the business was launched as Synamedia.[4]

Synamedia leadership includes Paul Segre, CEO; Tzvi Gerstl, CTO; Nick Thexton, EVP of Media Cloud Services; Lucy Norris, EVP of Broadcast Technology & Customer Success; Ismat Levin, EVP of General Counsel; Shauna O’Handley, EVP of People and Places, and Julien Signes, EVP of Video Network. The company has offices in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Belgium, Israel, India, and China.[5][6]

Synamedia's clients include satellite and cable pay TV providers, media companies, and others involved in direct-to-consumer OTT distribution.[7] It has over 200 pay TV and media customers.[8] They include Astro, AT&T, beIN, Bharti Airtel, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Disney, Etisalat, Foxtel, Liberty Global, MNC Vision, OSN, Rogers, Sky, Tata Sky, Verizon, Vodafone, and YES.[8][9][10][11]

In January 2020, Synamedia entered a partnership with Pearl TV to join the Phoenix Model Market Initiative.[12]

In August 2021, Synamedia acquired ContentArmor, a company that develops forensic watermarking software for the media and entertainment industry.[13][14]

In May 2022, it was announced that Synamedia had acquired the United Kingdom -headquartered TV and OTT content discovery SaaS platform, Utelly.[15] In July 2022, Synamedia acquired Quortex, a Saas streaming video processing provider. [16]

Products

Synamedia's cloud-based platforms for cable, satellite, and IPTV and streaming services include Synamedia Go, Go.Aggregate, Go.Enrich and the Infinite platform.[17] In September 2021, Synamedia announced pre-integrated security and business products with [buzzword] support for Android TV on its Infinite platform.[18][19][20]

In 2019, Synamedia released its Credentials Sharing and Fraud Insight product.[21] The product enables pay TV partners and OTT companies to track and prevent piracy and password-sharing.[22]

In April 2021, Synamedia announced Gravity, a managed service that offers broadband and video capabilities to operators and service providers for their small to medium business (SMB) and residential customers.[23][24]

At the end of 2020, Synamedia worked alongside THEO Technologies to advance the already existent High Efficiency Streaming Protocol (HESP)[25] . They did so by founding the HESP Alliance.[26] This alliance intended to enhance the modern streaming landscape, by bringing video vendors and media companies together, in order to provide a scalable solution for ultra-low latency.[27]

The Synamedia Video Network portfolio includes a virtual Digital Content Manager (DCM) which transitions distribution architectures to an IP-based virtualized video processing environment.[28] In May 2020, Synamedia launched a ATSC 3.0 Receiver which can function as both an RF and IP receiver. The receiver is in use today with Fox Television Stations in Orlando, FL.[29][30][31] Synamedia acquired Quortex in 2022 adding Quortex Play for just-in-time streaming at scale to the Video Network portfolio. In April 2023, Synamedia released Quortex Link for video distribution. Both are pay-as-you-use, self-service, multi-tenant SaaS platforms.

In October 2019, Discovery began using the virtual DCM platform.[28] The Synamedia virtual DCM with Smart Rate Control and Automation provides bandwidth distribution, storage capabilities and High Definition viewing experiences for live and time-shifted ABR streaming. The Synamedia Video Network Service Manager is a micro-services-based platform that helps operators and video producers quickly update their programming line-ups and bundled offers. The Converged Headend is designed to help pay-TV providers transition to software-based services, and can be deployed on premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment.[32]

In April 2021, Synamedia released Clarissa, which analyzes critical behavioral and consumption insights for pay-TV and OTT services.[33] Synamedia Iris, an addressable advertising for broadcast, IP, OTT and hybrid, was announced in August 2020.[34] In May 2022, Vodafone Deutschland went live with Clarissa and Synamedia Iris to support its GigaTV service.

Synamedia, in partnership with Sky, has developed a personalized ad targeting platform, AdSmart, which serves TV advertisements to households based on their profiles.[35][36]

References

  1. "The Israeli algorithm inside your satellite box". 2005-06-05. http://www.israel21c.org/the-israeli-algorithm-inside-your-satellite-box/. 
  2. "Cisco Sells Bought Israel-based NDS Back to Previous Owner – for Just a Fifth of the Price It Paid". Haaretz. 2018-05-01. https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/cisco-sells-nds-to-prior-owner-for-a-fifth-of-original-price-1.6049776. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Cisco's Just Sold Video Services Unit Rebranded as 'Synamedia'". https://www.multichannel.com/news/ciscos-just-sold-video-services-unit-rebranded-as-synamedia. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Bye Bye Cisco Video Software, Hello Synamedia". https://www.lightreading.com/video/video-software/bye-bye-cisco-video-software-hello-synamedia/d/d-id/745816. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Big spinoffs by Cisco, Ericsson and Nokia redraw the media tech sector". 2018-10-04. https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/big-spinoffs-by-cisco-ericsson-and-nokia-redraw-media-tech-sector. 
  6. "Comcast-Backed Sky Invests In Video Software Company Synamedia" (in en). 2019-01-08. https://deadline.com/2019/01/comcast-backed-sky-invests-synamedia-1202531167/. 
  7. "Synamedia CEO Yves Padrines on Password Sharing, Targeted Linear Advertising and the 'New Bundle'" (in en). https://www.nexttv.com/news/synamedia-ceo-yves-padrines-on-password-sharing-targeted-linear-advertising-and-the-new-bundle. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Synamedia opens for business, appoints Americas VP" (in en-GB). 2018-10-29. https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2018/10/29/synamedia-opens-for-business-appoints-americas-vp/. 
  9. "Etisalat's E-Vision launches multi-tenant OTT service" (in en). https://www.digitalstudiome.com/broadcast/34069-e-vision-launches-multi-tenant-ott-service-on-synamedias-infinite-platform. 
  10. "עידן הסטרימינג: הטלוויזיה מתעוררת לחיים" (in en). 2019-12-02. https://www.ynet.co.il/digital/technews/article/SyE11ZjChH. 
  11. "Astro partners with Synamedia for new video services" (in en-GB). 2019-04-25. https://www.vodprofessional.com/2019/04/25/astro-partners-with-synamedia-for-new-video-services/. 
  12. "CES 2020: Synamedia, Pearl partner for Phoenix Model Market Initiative | Infrastructure | News | Rapid TV News". https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2020010657895/ces-2020-synamedia-pearl-partner-for-phoenix-model-market-initiative.html#axzz6AHXBsNxl. 
  13. Winslow, George (2021-08-09). "Synamedia acquires ContentArmor" (in en). https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/synamedia-acquires-contentarmor. 
  14. "Synamedia acquires ContentArmor | Major Businesses | Business | News | Rapid TV News". https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2021080960996/synamedia-acquires-contentarmor.html#axzz78KvnGm9V. 
  15. "Synamedia acquires content discovery platform provider Utelly" (in en-GB). 2022-05-25. https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/synamedia-acquires-content-discovery-platform-provider-utelly. 
  16. Mann, Colin (2022-07-12). "Synamedia acquires Quortex" (in en-GB). https://advanced-television.com/2022/07/12/synamedia-acquires-quortex/. 
  17. Mahoney, Brian (Summer 2019). "Spinning a Well-Known Brand Into Something New". https://ottexec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/OTTMag_Summer2019_FORWEB.pdf. 
  18. Staff, S. V. G.. "Synamedia Delivers Pre-Integrated Solutions for Android TV" (in en). https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/09/02/synamedia-delivers-pre-integrated-solutions-for-android-tv/. 
  19. RBR-TVBR (2021-09-01). "Pre-integrated Security and Business Tools for Android TV Arrive | Radio & Television Business Report" (in en-US). https://www.rbr.com/pre-integrated-security-and-business-tools-for-android-tv-arrive/. 
  20. Miller, Mark (2021-09-01). "Synamedia Launches Integrated Security, Business Solutions For Android TV" (in en). https://tvnewscheck.com/tech/article/synamedia-launches-integrated-security-business-solutions-for-android-tv/. 
  21. Roettgers, Janko (2019-01-03). "Video Services May Use Artificial Intelligence to Crack Down on Password Sharing" (in en). https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/password-sharing-ai-synamedia-1203098715/. 
  22. Baumgartner, Jeff. "Synamedia CEO Seeks New Video Service Tangents" (in en). https://www.lightreading.com/video/video-software/synamedia-ceo-seeks-new-video-service-tangents-/a/d-id/747747. 
  23. Baumgartner, Jeff (May 7, 2021). "Synamedia sparks managed RDK offering for service providers" (in en). https://www.lightreading.com/security/synamedia-sparks-managed-rdk-offering-for-service-providers/d/d-id/769328. 
  24. "Synamedia Gravity pulls together managed video, broadband platform" (in en). https://www.fiercevideo.com/tech/synamedia-gravity-pulls-together-managed-video-broadband-platform. 
  25. "Members" (in en-US). https://www.hespalliance.org/members. 
  26. "HESP Alliance" (in en-US). https://www.hespalliance.org/. 
  27. "What is the High Efficiency Streaming Protocol (HESP) and why does the video industry need it?" (in en-us). https://www.theoplayer.com/blog/what-is-the-high-efficiency-streaming-protocol-hesp-and-why-does-the-video-industry-need-it. 
  28. 28.0 28.1 "Synamedia aids Discovery's cloud migration" (in en). https://www.csimagazine.com/csi/Synamedia-aids-Discoverys-cloud-migration.php. 
  29. Mann, Colin. "Synamedia supports Fox's Orlando ATSC 3.0 rollout" (in en-GB). https://advanced-television.com/2021/08/24/synamedia-supports-foxs-orlando-atsc-3-0-rollout/. 
  30. Staff, S. V. G.. "Synamedia Deploys New ATSC 3.0 Video Network Solutions" (in en). https://www.sportsvideo.org/2020/05/11/synamedia-deploys-new-atsc-3-0-video-network-solutions/. 
  31. Reading 8/25/2021, News Wire Feed Light. "Fox Television connects with Synamedia for ATSC 3.0 rollout in Orlando" (in en). https://www.lightreading.com/videomedia/fox-television-connects-with-synamedia-for-atsc-30-rollout-in-orlando-/d/d-id/771706. 
  32. "Synamedia debuts software-centric Converged Headend" (in en-GB). 2019-05-29. https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019/05/29/synamedia-debuts-software-centric-converged-headend/. 
  33. Hyatt, Jeff (2021-02-17). "Synamedia Clarissa Brings New Clarity to Video Business Decisions" (in en-US). https://www.mesaonline.org/2021/02/17/synamedia-clarissa-brings-new-clarity-to-video-business-decisions/. 
  34. Kurz, Phil (2020-08-12). "Synamedia Iris Tackles Addressable Ads to Unlock New TV Commercial Revenue" (in en). https://www.tvtechnology.com/equipment/synamedia-iris-tackles-addressable-ads-to-unlock-new-tv-commercial-revenue. 
  35. Frankel, Daniel. "Synamedia Thinks Outside of the (Set-Top) Box" (in en-us). https://www.multichannel.com/news/synamedia-thinks-outside-of-the-set-top-box. 
  36. "Synamedia's Padrines: television advertising still works" (in en-GB). 2020-05-11. https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/05/11/synamedias-padrines-television-advertising-still-works/.