CES Report: Nagra Show the Future of Streaming UX and Security
Hundreds of movie and TV show images swirl around the 88-inch high-definition screen at a speed so dizzying it's likely to cause motion sickness. This is Gravity Ultra, the "concept car" of a user interface that Nagra, which provides security and multiscreen user interface solutions, is showing off in its room at the Venetian during International CES 2015.
The advances in this highly futuristic interface might never come to be, or might appear in several years. It's just one user experience possibility that Nagra is demoing. Another is only a little futuristic, while a third is more typical of what users will see today.
Nagra is demonstrating tomorrow's interfaces to get cable and satellite operator feedback, and to refine what it offers. It's also getting out front of the 4K video discussion, showing how the 4K shift provides the perfect time to upgrade both the security and features in the average receiver. After all, 4K video is now an inevitability, and many homes will upgrade their cable and satellite receivers in the coming years to get a 4K signal. With studios concerned over the security of their 4K properties, this is the moment to introduce compelling new features.
In Gravity Ultra, titles move around freely in a 3D space, with more relevant titles appearing closer to the viewer. They snap into a helix coil or into columns to suggest recommendations in whatever way the viewer prefers. There are no end points: Every screen pivots to a new experience. There are more familiar views at the ready, of course, for those who don't want all the flash.
"Can we improve on the standard mosaic, the standard list that we see?" asks Crx Chai, Nagra's director of user experience.
One novel feature is a reward point system for frequent viewers. Points can be redeemed for purchases or rentals, or even tickets to events outside the home. Nagra finds reward programs lead to a dramatic jump in viewing time.
Along with the interfaces, Nagra is demonstrating more advanced security solutions. Using a prototype eight-tuner 4K receiver that it hasn't publicly shown before, the company is showing how its AnyCast Command security technology manages viewer rights and content descrambling in one step, eliminating a vulnerability often exploited by content pirates. The receiver has already found a customer in a major European satellite provider, but Nagra isn't saying which one just yet.
The 4K future is coming, and sees a golden moment for change.
The Gravity Ultra interface
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