Sharp Electronics has tapped Digitalsmiths and Tribune Media Services to power video discovery elements that are baked into SmartCentral 3.0, the software/apps platform for Sharp’s 2014 lineup of Aquos LED smart TVs.
Under the deal, Sharp is tying in Digitalsmith’s Seamless Discovery Platform pre-integrated with TMS’s On Entertainment data, enabling the TV maker to provide a cross-platform guide that integrates program and content information from pay-TV providers as well as Internet-delivered streaming services. Users of SmartCentral 3.0 can receive content recommendations along with program descriptions and images for that content without having to switch TV inputs or apps, the companies said.
"Sharp continually strives to improve the viewer experience, and the SmartCentral 3.0 platform offers integrated search, the best apps and mobile connectivity,” said Vishnu Rao, director, product technology at Sharp. “Working with Digitalsmiths and TMS allows Sharp to bring the best content discovery experience to Sharp AQUOS viewers,” said Vishnu Rao, director, product technology at Sharp.
Sharp said the 3.0 version of SmartCentral is available on more than a dozen 2014 models.
TiVo acquired Digitalsmiths earlier this year in a deal valued at $135 million. TMS’s clients include Microsoft, Yahoo, TiVo, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, DirecTV and Cablevision Mexico, among others.
