Introducing openBOXware for Android: The Convergence between Mobile Devices and Set-Top Boxes

Multimedia contents delivered over residential and mobile IP networks are among the main driving forces of the Internet. The pervasiveness of connected devices capable of receiving and decoding multimedia streams has induced a change in the market of set-top boxes from dedicated proprietary appliances to software modules running on top of off-the-shelf devices. In spite of the large number of devices we use every day, smartphones are the favorite answer to our communication needs because of their availability, of their user friendliness, and of the great opportunities of personalization offered by user-generated mobile applications. The last generation of smartphones and tablet PCs, capable of handling HD multimedia streams while also retaining the distinguishing features of mobile devices, enables the convergence between personal communication devices and home entertainment appliances. This paper introduces openBOXware for Android, an application suite which makes it possible to use any Android device as a set-top box, allowing end-users to take advantage of the tailored run-time environment of their personal mobile devices while watching television in the comfort of their living rooms. OpenBOXware exploits technology convergence for usability, in the attempt of enhancing the accessibility of the Internet by providing a TV-like usage experience. The paper presents the key features of openBOXware, outlines the implementation on top of the Android application framework, and shows representative use cases.