EchoStar Hosts Top-Shelf Video for Mid-Tier Ops

At the Cable Show in Chicago, EchoStar Technologies will unveil Aria, a technology "ecosystem" designed exclusively for mid-sized and independent cable TV operators. It's engineered to perform on existing networks and features cloud-based VOD, TV Everywhere and an interactive HD program guide."Our engineers have designed an economical technology platform that will allow smaller cable operators to deliver the premium television features and services most in demand by consumers today without the need to invest in new facilities, servers, data centers and additional engineering staff," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies, in a statement.Aria will run in concert with new hardware that will also be introduced at the Cable Show. It's intended to allow operators to take advantage of multi-platform, out-of-home viewing in a way that brands the experience to the local cable operator.Other services that can be delivered as part of Aria include graphical user interfaces with "skins" branded for the local cable TV operator; universal search across all of a consumer's authorized content, including linear TV, VOD or OTT services; remote DVR timer setting; and all-digital HD VOD utilizing adaptive bit-rate streaming.