Ocean Blue Software is targeting the growing number of IT companies that are looking to move into the connected digital TV market. The company has today released a paper "Software Technologies and Variations in Global Digital TV Markets", designed to give IT companies a brief insight into some of the key challenges in tackling the global TV market.

Available for free download here, the paper cites the fundamental difference between US and UK markets as a prime example. The US is dominated by cable services, whilst the UK's primary services are Freeview, Sky and Freesat. This leads to fundamental differences in digital standards that manufacturers must accommodate to address each market.

"As digital TV is increasingly delivered as internet-based, we have seen a growing number of IT and communications companies eyeing up the global TV market," said Ken Helps, Founder and CEO of Ocean Blue Software. "But it's not all about IPTV - the broadcast media cannot be ignored, and the manufacturers need to source MHEG middleware, for example, to provide complete solutions."

Ocean Blue is a leading global supplier of digital TV middleware to current TV and set-top box manufacturers, providing off-the-shelf solutions for the myriad of global standards in digital TV.

"When you start talking about the need to build in support for MHEG-5, DVB-S2, ISDB-T, HbbTV and CI, it can be intimidating," added Helps. "Fortunately, the same software stacks that are available to TV makers can be built into advanced TV devices developed by IT and comms companies."