Elgist is EchoStar Europe’s software solution for use in digital terrestrial TVs and set top boxes. Elgist made its first appearance in the 1990s in integrated digital TV products. Since then there have been well over two million installations of Elgist in all types of digital TV equipment.

Elgist is a scalable solution that is suitable for applications from high end multi region plasma TVs to low cost, high volume set top boxes. Elgist’s scalability means a small footprint can be achieved (as low as 8MB), which reduces BOM cost, a vital competitive edge in today’s cutthroat set top box marketplace. Elgist’s software interfaces are modular and tested on a unit by unit basis ensuring high quality and bug free performance. It has been used in satellite, terrestrial, IDTV, and cable solutions, and it can be found in major markets around the world.

To maximise opportunities from the Free to Air world, Elgist also supports a number of interactive options, especially MHEG 1.06. Our MHEG 1.06 engine is supported via a well developed and tested interface. It can be tailored to suit different applications and profiles that may be mandated in the world markets.

Elgist’s new DVR solution “Orthos” covers all that a user expects from a modern multi-tuner DVR, including ease of use in supporting the Freeview playback feature set, and complex trick modes. Elgist supports the series linking broadcast information proposed by Freeview, allowing linked items to be recorded at the touch of a button. Although primarily intended for the popular twin tuner market, the Orthos DVR solution can also handle mixed multiple streams.

To speed the construction of user interfaces and reduce the expense of the customisation, we have developed eBuilder. eBuilder is a PC environment where menus can be designed or modified showing an exact replication of what the end user will see on the TV. A complete user interface can be created using eBuilder in a matter of hours.

Elgist Features:

• Conditional access: Mediaguard, Nagra, Conax, and Latens Systems’ cardless CA
• Fully compliant common interface
• DVB subtitling
• Subtitling by teletext re-insertion
• Portable to other OS: Vx works, nucleus, PSOS, Linux
• Portable to alternative chipsets: ST, Conexant, Cheertek
• Portable to manufacturer specific drivers: STAPI, Conexant, Broadcom
• Fast development times using eBuilder support for user interface
• DVB SSU over the air download
• UK specification over the air download
• Fully re-skinnable user interface
• Now/next programme information and country dependent guide schedule
• Small footprint uses only 8MB SDRAM for basic implementation

Orthos DVR engine features:

• Multiple front end capabilities
• One touch record
• Manual record
• High speed advance and rewind (up to 64x)
• Disk full warning
• Full PIN protection support
• Series recording support
• Pause and rewind live TV