RTÉ catch-up on Samsung smart TVs

Samsung has teamed up with RTÉ to bring the broadcaster’s catch-up service to its smart TV platform.

The app will allow viewers to access a selection of RTÉ’s programmes through compatible TVs or Blu-ray players from this month.

This is the first time that the catch-up service has come to smart TV platforms. The app will work with Smart TV enabled Samsung’s TVs and blu-ray players sold last year and in 2012.

The new app has been designed with a larger screen in mind, so has had some changes to the interface and also how the video is delivered to the TV. Video is deployed at a higher bitrate to the TV than the desktop version of RTÉ Player, and also uses adaptive bitrate stream. This means that faster broadband connections will get higher quality video, and if the connection slows for any reason, the app will drop to a lower bit arte to avoid pauses in the video.

The move is part of RTÉ’s push to bring its digital services to a wider audience.

In recent weeks RTÉ has signed a deal with UPC to bring its catch-up service to customers on-demand through its digital set-top boxes, and the RTÉ Player is also available through mobile apps, the PlayStation 3 and online.

Samsung is hoping it will help drive uptake of smart TVs.