Tandberg Television will acquire Zetools, a Los Angeles-based developer of software supporting the delivery of next-generation digital video services over the internet. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The deal with Zetools enables us to help our customers build broadband businesses through the delivery of digital video over the Internet to PCs and to the TV using the next generation of broadband enabled set-top-boxes and PVRs,” said Eric Cooney, president and chief executive of Tandberg Television.
“Our business is to help operators and content owners move video across today’s growing choice of distribution platforms to satisfy subscribers’ growing demand for improved picture quality, and convenience in their viewing experience,” he said. “For cable, satellite, terrestrial, IPTV, wireless and now the internet, we are the world’s leading provider of solutions that enable our customers to create new consumer video experiences and generate online revenues through interactive advertising and pay-TV, a truly unique proposition.”
Zetools develops software such as MediaModeler for creating, managing, delivering and accessing rich media content.
“Internet video adoption is accelerating rapidly, and it’s clear that Tandberg Television has the right mix of global resources and vision to capture a large share of the digital video market,” said Richard Cardran, co-founder and vice president of product development at Zetools. “The combination of Zetools software and Tandberg Television’s on-demand, interactive systems and asset management solutions enables us to continue to create rich media ecosystems, and further generate profitable revenue growth for our customers.”
Last year Tandberg acquired GoldPocket Interactive, an interactive television software company, also based in Los Angeles. Both companies have established reputations in the emerging interactive television sector in the United States, which has been largely dormant for a decade.
The acquisition by Tandberg positions the television hardware company, perhaps best known for its digital video compression products, with software capabilities to deliver next-generation interactive services.