Orion taps Ateme for move into internet TV

Konstantin Saltikov

Russian pay TV platform Orion has tapped online video specialist Ateme to provide encoders and decoders for its expansion into web-delivered video services.

Orion, which is expanding its offering from a satellite-only services to embrace OTT-delivered content, will use Ateme’s Stream compression technology-based Kyrion encoder to deliver video services over the internet.

Ateme said that Kyrion offers a software upgradable HEVC encoding option to support UHD video streaming, as well as legacy MPEG2 to H264 compressions.

“The Orion group is following an ambitious expansion program and for that reason we are looking for strong, experienced partners with proven technology,” said Кonstantin Saltikov, technical director at Orion group.

“After conducting extensive testing of ATEME’s contribution technology live during the Rock Festival Nashestvie in July, we decided to choose Ateme’s equipment which performs perfectly in the field and delivers the highest video quality. A unique technology implemented in Ateme equipment for delivering video over standard internet connection allows us to provide an efficient content delivery from any place.”

Xavier Gentric, EMEA sales director at Ateme says: “Ateme has demonstrated excellence in providing a superior product and a high level of technical expertise. It provided us with an advantage over competitors and allowed us to deliver the high-quality broadcasts Orion relies upon.”

Orion Express CEO Kirill Makhno recently told Russian press that his company would launch an online movie service before the end of this year. Makhno said that Orion was already testing the service and would launch with a partner rather than negotiate rights deals directly.

Orion’s move into online video is part of a general move by Russian satellite pay TV operators to embrace hybrid delivery of services that has seen NTV+ and Tricolor TV announce similar initiatives.