A robust application developed for Virgin Media to purchase and stream the latest movies and TV shows with enhanced user safety and seamless multi-device access.

Project Description

The Vision360 project was conceived to elevate Virgin Media's customer experience by enabling users to purchase, stream, and explore the latest movies and TV shows through their digital platform. Specifically designed for Virgin Media's customer base, the application utilizes cutting-edge technology to ensure a user-friendly experience. One of the standout features is the application's seamless integration with Virgin Media's set-top boxes (STBs), allowing for consistent user experiences across platforms, including tablets and other mobile devices. The app is particularly beneficial to families, as it incorporates a robust parental control system featuring three levels of parental PIN access, ensuring that content is age-appropriate and can be controlled at different levels. Through the use of Native JavaScript, combined with the Tivo Library, the application promotes fast, reliable, and uninterrupted streaming, offering DRM-enabled video streaming to safeguard content. Crazi Co developed the app's user interface and client-side functionality, harnessing HTML5, Java, and advanced integration techniques to meet Virgin Media's quality and security requirements. This collaborative effort not only enhances entertainment options for Virgin Media's audience but also upholds the integrity and safety of digital content.

Scope of Work

Virgin Media identified a growing need for a more dynamic and user-centric application to retain and expand its customer base within the competitive entertainment market. The original goal was to develop an Entertainment Shopping and Ticketing (EST) service that enabled users to purchase movies and TV shows and stream them across various devices. Challenges included creating a seamless user interface adaptive to multiple platforms, ensuring multi-device compatibility, and incorporating security features to protect users, especially children. Virgin Media required the integration of their existing set-top boxes (STBs) with the app, offering a consistent user experience irrespective of the platform or device used. A critical challenge was ensuring that once content was purchased, it could be accessed on different STBs under a single account without expiry, necessitating an advanced authentication system and Digital Rights Management (DRM) to prevent unauthorized access. The technical complexities of these requirements needed precise execution in client-side development using reliable frameworks and resources, all while keeping in mind the company's goals for high-quality streaming and robust content protection.

Our Solution

Crazi Co implemented an all-encompassing solution addressing Virgin Media's requirements with precision and effectiveness. The solution began with a thorough design and building phase focusing on creating an intuitive and robust user interface tailored to Virgin Media’s set-top boxes and maintaining consistency with their tablet platforms. Native JavaScript was employed for client-side development, integrating the Tivo Library granted by Virgin Media, ensuring efficacy and consistency. Key features included the implementation of three-tier parental control PINs for content safety, authenticated access allowing multiple users to manage their preferences, and ensuring quintessential integration across different devices. The platform architecture was constructed to support multi-STB access to the purchased content, still available without an expiration limit, ensuring a seamless viewer experience. A meticulous implementation of DRM-enabled video streaming was conducted to safeguard digital assets, leveraging licensor API integration with VM lab servers. Employing technologies like HTML5, Java, and video integration, Crazi Co was able to deliver a fast, reliable, modern streaming solution that met all client expectations and positioned Virgin Media at the forefront of digital entertainment services.

Key Features

• User Experience Design: The app's user interface was specifically designed for Virgin Media's TV Box Sets, ensuring a consistent and seamless user experience across all platforms, including tablets, providing users with an intuitive and enjoyable interface.

• Client-Side Development: Utilized Native JavaScript combined with Virgin Media's Tivo Library to develop a robust client-side application that delivers a seamless and efficient user experience, ensuring fast and consistent streaming performance.

• Parental Control Features: Integrated a secure parental control system offering three levels of PIN access, allowing families to control and customize age-appropriate content settings, ensuring a safe viewing environment for children.

• Multi-Device Support: Enabled the app to support multi-STB access, allowing users to view purchased content across various devices without expiration, through advanced authentication features and DRM-enabled streaming.