A couple of years ago I reviewed a new service for the PC connected to the TV called Kylo Browser. The idea of it is a browser designed for the 10 foot interface so from the sofa you can browse web sites with a browser designed for a the big screen. It seemed like a good idea and at the time I wished that Microsoft could build these features into IE9 but it never happened, Hillcrest actually sell the technology to others for use in commercial products but maybe another signal that the PC connected to TV is going away is that Hillscrest are open sourcing the application. So the application is not going away and in fact they say open sourcing it will open more opportunities but like Boxee dropping it’s PC product it’s a sign that less people are looking to connect their PC to their TV and the rise of connected TVs.
“Releasing Kylo to the open source community is a natural progression for the TV browser,” said Steve Scheirey, vice president of TV software and services at Hillcrest Labs. “Kylo has always been a distinct initiative apart from our core Freespace business. By releasing Kylo’s source code, we expect to see new innovations and product enhancements from a much broader development community.”
I am still interested to see what can be done with the Raspberry Pi connected to a TV but that is something only for enthusiasts.
Press Release:
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Hillcrest Labs today announced that it has released the source code for the award-winning Kylo® Web browser to the open source community for the first time. Kylo is a free, Mozilla-based TV browser uniquely designed to view online content on TVs connected to the Internet. When used with a Freespace® pointer, likeHillcrest’s award-winning Scoop™, Kylo makes it easy to surf the Web, watch online video and play casual point-and-click Internet games, whether in the living room, family room, bedroom or dorm room. It is compatible with the Mac OS® and Windows®.
Hillcrest will provide the Kylo source code under the Mozilla Public License (MPL) 2.0 to enable developers to create new and different versions that extend its features and enables new uses. As such, developers can copy, modify and redistribute the Kylo platform and source code without a separate commercial license, and without paying royalties or fees. Hillcrestwill remain active in the future development and support of the Kylo browser for TV. The open source version of Kylo is available for free via download at GitHub and www.kylo.tv.
“Releasing Kylo to the open source community is a natural progression for the TV browser,” said Steve Scheirey, vice president of TV software and services at Hillcrest Labs. “Kylo has always been a distinct initiative apart from our core Freespace business. By releasing Kylo’s source code, we expect to see new innovations and product enhancements from a much broader development community.”
The Kylo Web browser was specifically developed for browsing and viewing the Web on a TV screen using a Freespace or other pointing device. Primary applications include dedicated home theatre PCs (HTPCs), laptops and ultrabooks with HDMI connectivity, and digital media players using Windows or Mac operating systems. Kylo is not meant to replace traditional browsers such as Internet Explorer®, Safari® or Firefox® for “2-foot use” on standard computer display screens. Unlike other applications or websites, Kylo does not offer a “walled garden” of aggregated video content. Instead, it is a fully featured Web browser that lets users browse the open Internet. Compared to conventional browsers, the Kylo browser provides more onscreen viewing space with less visual clutter; larger fonts and buttons for easy navigation from across the room; an easy-to-use onscreen keyboard; and zoom-and-pan capability for enhanced viewing.
The Kylo Web browser for TV works with any mouse, but is ideal for use with a Freespace-enabled in-air pointing and motion control device. Hillcrest licenses its Freespace motion software and IP under separate commercial terms. Companies that have licensed Hillcrest’s Freespace technology for use in their products include: LG Electronics, Logitech, Roku, SMK Electronics, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Universal Electronics (UEI), Eastman Kodak and others. Announced earlier this year, the new WarpiaTV browser is powered by Kylo, and features a Freespace-enabled wireless motion controller. A custom OEM version of Kylo is also featured in ASUS’ Xtion media center for PCs. Hillcrest’s remote control OEM partners, including UEI and SMK Electronics, are licensed to produce Freespace remote controls, which are ideal for use with Kylo.
Hillcrest has received numerous awards and recognitions including the prestigious CES Innovations Honoree Award multiple times, EE Times’ ACE Award, PC World’s 100 Best Products and Greatest Tech Designs, Popular Mechanics’ Editors Choice, ECN’s Reader’s Choice Tech, and many others. Additional information about Hillcrest’s broad portfolio of natural motion control products is available at: www.hillcrestlabs.com. Follow Hillcrest on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HillcrestLabs or Twitter at @HillcrestLabs.
3 thoughts on “Hillcrest Labs open sources Kylo TV browser, another sign that the PC connected to the TV is going away”
The problem that Kylo has always had is that its difficult to control a mouse with a remote. kylo tried to sell you an overpriced amulet to bridge the gap but while the amulet may have been excellent there is no way i am deviating from my goal of one remote for all hardware to accommodate that.
not that i’m disputing the overall message of the post
Interesting to read this given the rumours that Microsoft are to add a version of IE to the Xbox and of course the PS3 has always included a browser (not that I used it for much more than curiosity when we had our PS3).
{"id":null,"mode":"button","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"GBP","currency_symbol":"\u00a3","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/thedigitallifestyle.com\/w\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/thedigitallifestyle.com\/w\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"none","featured_image_url":false,"featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","form_subtitle":null,"currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you for being a supporter!","payment_confirmation_title":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
The problem that Kylo has always had is that its difficult to control a mouse with a remote. kylo tried to sell you an overpriced amulet to bridge the gap but while the amulet may have been excellent there is no way i am deviating from my goal of one remote for all hardware to accommodate that.
not that i’m disputing the overall message of the post
Interesting to read this given the rumours that Microsoft are to add a version of IE to the Xbox and of course the PS3 has always included a browser (not that I used it for much more than curiosity when we had our PS3).
hopefully if the open source community add adblock to it then I might try it again, at least to bridge the gap until metro firefox arrives.