System Management

The majority of SmartTUBE system functions are accessed and controlled through the web-based SmartTUBE Admin Console. Fine-tuning of platform functionality is carried out through configuration files of SmartTUBE SDP components. Together, these management tools provides System Administration Departments with complete control over platform aspects and features described below:

• End-user Device Provisioning: SmartTUBE SDP includes SmartTUBE Device Manager, a service with the web console for managing firmware, apps and configurations on all types of IPTV/OTT devices including Linux and Android STBs, mobile and Smart TV platforms.  This console enables software artefacts management (STB Linux and Android firmware, private app repository for AOSP, configuration files), device grouping (production, staging, etc.), HTTP and Multicast firmware distribution, software version tracking, update strategies management (soft update, force update, minimal allowed version), etc.​
• Process Automation: Various service tasks (e.g. EPG import, cache data reload, etc.) can be performed automatically at set schedule.
• Admin Console Access: Operators can manage users with specific access roles like Administrator, Content Manager, Business Manager, Technical Support Specialist, and Analyst. Multiple roles can be assigned to a user, defining access to different features within the console.
• Failure Alerts: Provides email alerts for failures related to OSS integration, EPG and VoD metadata import, database connection limits, and SmartMEDIA warnings.
• Device Geolocation:  To manage access to content based on IP address range, operators can assign IPTV devices to specific subnets or utilize data from third-party services like Maxmind (under a separate contract) to determine the geo or network location of OTT devices. Operators can also restrict access to services for mobile devices when transitioning between network connections (e.g., from home network to cellular one). 
• License usage statistics: Provides detailed information about installed licenses, including their types, number of service accounts and active devices used.  
• License features: Operators can manage the availability of features that depend on the license type. 
• Rebooting STBs: Enables remote reboot of STBs  by a list of UIDs or by matching conditions.
• Cache Server Data Reload: Allows to manually update metadata and system settings on cache servers to quickly pass changes to devices. 
• Data Export: SmartTUBE Admin Console allows to export any data stored in the SmartTUBE SDP database to CSV format.

Apps Localization and Customization

SmartTUBE provides a comprehensive toolkit for localizing and customizing SmartTUBE Apps’ UI and UX. This process occurs in two stages:

• Initial: Performed by SmartLabs specialists at the stage of system commissioning.
• Operational: Performed by the operator during the system operation.

Initial customization allows to adjust the UI within the existing structure (layout of the main components, animation logic, etc.) and includes the following possibilities:

• Interface Localization: SmartTUBE provides the ability to localize the interface to the operator’s language by the operator. English is supported by default. Localization in languages using fonts containing hieroglyphs, arabic script and other specific alphabets, is discussed separately.
• Operator Logo: Can be placed in the various parts of UI (upper left corner, placeholders, splash screen, etc.);
• Color of Selected Elements
• Animation of Waiting States

Operational customization allows the operator to change the representation of the Home screen and Movies/Series sections by uploading the corresponding configuration files to devices via SmartTUBE Device Manager, a service for managing firmware and apps on all types of IPTV/OTT devices.

Security Mechanisms 

SmartTUBE system protects IPTV / OTT services and confidential information from unauthorized access at different levels utilizing the following mechanisms:

• Device activation and user authorization: Each time a device attempts to connect to the SmartTUBE SDP, the system compares its device ID and serial number with the values stored in the DB when the device was activated. If the device ID and serial number do not match, the device is not allowed to access services.
• Connection sessions management: SmartTUBE SDP uses special identifiers to manage each connection session with devices. Each connection session lives for a limited period, after which the session closes and SmartTUBE SDP stops the information delivery to the device. This also avoids the memory shortage and related security issues on STB devices.​
• Token-based authorization: SmartTUBE SDP issues a unique token to each device upon authorization on the platform. This token is then passed by the device in all requests to the platform and SmartMEDIA streaming servers for the OTT TV channel streams. This process ensures that only authorized devices can access the SmartTUBE platform and view content securely.
• Secure access to SmartTUBE Admin Console: Provided by the authorization mechanism with the login and password issued by the system administrator.
• OSS/BSS API Access: Interaction with SmartTUBE SDP from the OSS/BSS side via API can be protected with login and password. 
• Network-level security: The HTTPS protocol with SSL certificate management is used for interactions between devices, external systems, and SmartTUBE SDP. Session control is used for interactions between platform nodes and the database.
• Protection against STB duplication: STB has built-in protection against duplication, which prevents the possible device counterfeiting.

Licensing 

The SmartTUBE licensing policy offers two license types, SmartTUBE Basic and SmartTUBE Ultra, providing operators with different levels of features and functionality to choose from.

	SmartTUBE Basic	SmartTUBE Ultra	Notes
SmartTUBE SDP
Multitenancy support	❌	✔
Widevine Security Policies support	❌	✔
Discounts and promo codes support	❌	✔
System health monitor	❌	✔
SmartTUBE Apps for all supported platforms
Catch-up Content Library	❌	✔	To be implemented in 3 phases in versions 9.1–9.3
Kids profile	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
Open movies/series by actors/director	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
SmartTUBE Apps for Android TV, LG & Samsung Smart TV, Web Browser
AVoD support	❌	✔
Vertical main menu (configurable)	❌	✔
Horizontal main menu as text instead of icons (configurable)	❌	✔
‘TV Channels’ rail with program posters instead of channel logos	❌	✔
Faded top banner with trailer playback	❌	✔
Easy access to profile selection on Home Screen	✔	✔
QR code login	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
Auto-play of program/movie on poster rails when they are focused on Home Screen	❌	✔	To be implemented in 2 phases in versions 9.1–9.2
SmartTUBE App for iOS
Push notifications support	❌	✔
Totally redesigned app (version 8+)	❌	✔
Legacy app (version 5.x)	✔	❌
Download content for watching in offline mode	❌	✔
‘HLS + FairPlay’ streams support	✔	✔
Chromecast support	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
SmartTUBE App for Android Mobile
Push notifications support	❌	✔
Totally redesigned app (version 8+)	❌	✔
Legacy app (version 5.x)	✔	❌
Download content for watching in offline mode	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
Chromecast support	❌	✔	To be implemented in version 9.2
Hisense Smart TV support	❌	✔
Amazon Fire TV support	❌	✔
Legacy Linux STBs (Albis/SML/MAG/Motorola) support	✔	✔

How many licenses do I need? 

SmartTUBE is licensed according to the number of service accounts and active devices. You can purchase one or more simultaneously active licenses of the following subtypes:

• License by accounts: This method considers only active service accounts — accounts with the status other then Suspended, Trial closed, Closed, Deleted, regardless of whether the subscriber uses the services or not.
• License by devices: This method considers only active devices — devices with a non-empty UID and linked to the active account, which were authorized at least once and (optional) with the date of the last authorization is no more than N days ago. Operator can specify which device types will be considered by this license.
• License by service account with devices: This method considers only active service accounts to which only the specified types of devices can be linked. The operator should specify the number of active devices licensed under one license.