COMPANY REPORT Receiver Manufacturer AB IPBox, Slovakia

AB IPBox
New Manufacturer in Central Europe
AB IPBox was only established in January
2010, which might have you think it
would take some time to get a foothold
in a highly competitive market. On
the contrary, AB IPBox counts on the
ë Slovakia
expertise and technical know-how of its
owners and employees. We wanted to
find out more about this new player and
visited the company in the small Slovak
town of Topoľčany. After all, it doesn‘t
happen every day that a new start-up
enters the receiver playground.

■ A few months ago newly founded receiver manufacturer

AB IPBox moved into this new building in Topoľčany,
Slovakia. The same building also houses wholesale
distributor AB-COM.

82 TELE-satellite — Global Digital TV Magazine — 08-09/2010 — www.TELE-satellite.com

■ Juraj Masaryk (right), managing director of AB IPBox
presents the new AB IPBox 9900HD receiver to TELE-
satellite editor-in-chief Alexander Wiese. This particular
model comes with various different front panel designs,
which can be seen on the display shelf.

We are greeted by familiar faces in only a few months ago already has in What is so special about AB IPBox that
the brand-new office and manufacturing place exclusive distribution arrange- makes this new player so successful in
premises of AB IPBox: The managing ments in much of Central and Eastern all of these countries? Juraj Masaryk
director is Juraj Masaryk, who used to Europe. „In addition, we work with deal- goes back to basics and highlights one
hold the same position at wholesale dis- ers in other countries such as the Baltic of the major rules of any successful
tributor AB-COM. Incidentally, AB-COM states, Poland and the Balkan states as businessman: „We never rely on a single
is located in the same building and so it well as Austria, of course,“ Juraj Masa- solution but always follow a concurrent
comes as no surprise when Juraj Masa- ryk goes on. strategy.“ Not only has Juraj Masaryk
ryk informs us that AB-COM acts as a plan B up his sleeve at any time, he
exclusive wholesale distributor for AB- If you look at a map of Europe it even works on plans A as well as B at
IPBox in the Czech and Slovak Republics. becomes obvious that Slovakia is a bril- the same time. „Experience has shown
„We do, however, also cooperate with liant location for serving all countries in that you can never completely rule out
additional exclusive distributors,“ Juraj Central and Eastern Europe. Transport ■ AB IPBox’s top-of-the-range model: The
Masaryk adds, „namely in Germany, routes are short so that receivers can 9900HD boasts two DVB-S2 tuners, two
Russia, the Ukraine, Switzerland and – be shipped with very high efficiency. CI slots, two smartcard readers, two scart
euroconnectors and of course PVR. A test report
above all – Italy.“ What an unexpected for this box is scheduled for one of the coming
surprise: A company that was founded Which leads us to the big question: issues of TELE-satellite.

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unexpected problems. But if and when
they occur, they must never stop opera-
tional processes.“ Juraj Masaryk uses
the following example to explain what
he means by that. „Once we detected
a software bug in one of our receiver
lines, which caused the image on the TV
screen to freeze after a given time. This
problem could only be solved by re-set-
ting the receiver.“

What this meant was that the prod-

ucts could not be released for sale.
„At the time we already had a second
receiver in store with totally different
software, otherwise we would have had
to stop supplying the market with our
products.“ Without a plan B a major
problem like a software bug has the
potential to ruin a company. „This has ■ This is what it looked like in August of 2009…
taught us to never ever rely on a single
solution only,“ Juraj Masaryk empha- viders which produce them according higher end of the market. „The AB IPBox
sises the company credo and refers to to our own specifications and for which 9900HD Plus with two DVB-S2 tuners,
AB-COM wholesale distribution shar- the final assembly takes place in our two CI slots, two smartcard readers,
ing the same building. „Thanks to close manufacturing hall in Europe.“ Final two scart euroconnectors and of course
cooperation with AB-COM even our dis- assembly in Europe has two important PVR is our top-of-the-range receiver.“
tribution processes are based on two advantages: All boxes are submitted to With the two USB interfaces that are
pillars and don‘t have to rely on a single stringent tests and meet all European also a standard feature this box can be
product group.“ requirements. What’s more, they are turned into a genuine miracle machine.
classified as local products and obtain „For example, you may want to hook
So what product range is on offer from the „Tested in Europe“ seal. up a DVB-T tuner stick,“ Juraj Masaryk
a company that deliberately decides to suggests and shows us one USB inter-
offer much more than a single product We at the TELE-satellite are of course face on the back panel and a second one
group? Juraj Masaryk has a convinc- interested the most in the Linux-based behind a flap on the front panel. „This
ing answer: „In general, we have two receiver line. „A team of four software way you have a triple receiver or – if you
product lines. On the one hand we offer engineers is currently working on that so desire – even a quadruple receiver.“
Linux-based receivers which are devel- line, particularly on drivers for those
oped and manufactured by us. On the receivers,“ Juraj Masaryk explains. AB IPBox 99HD and 55HD are the
other hand we offer SKD (semi knock Three models are currently available, designations of the two other Linux
down) boxes sourced from Asian pro- with all of them geared towards the receivers from AB IPBox. Juraj goes on

■ The realm of AB IPBox sales managers.

86 TELE-satellite — Global Digital TV Magazine — 08-09/2010 — www.TELE-satellite.com

■ … and again in 2010. The two-storey administrative building can be seen in front, with warehouse and dispatch and repair facilities in the back.

by revealing another little secret: „We they are free to get in touch with us and off your receiver in theses secondary
will make available the SDK (Software we might even decide to add it to our rooms, all you need is a box that works
Developer Kit) for this series shortly!“ existing range,“ Juraj Masaryk says. It‘s and can be hidden behind the TV,“ Juraj
By the time you read this issue of TELE- refreshing to see that AB IPBox is open states and at the same time hints at the
satellite it should already be available to ideas from independent software reduced size of HD100 series receivers.
for download from the AB IPBox web- developers. „They are available for all transmis-
site at www.abipbox.com. „With the SDK sion standards from DVB-S2 to DVB-T,
all software tinkerers are free to whip While the new HD100 series is based DVB-C and all the way to IPTV.“ If justi-
up new software solutions and creative on the Linux operating system it is none- fied by demand, AB IPBox will also offer
features,“ says Juraj Masaryk and adds theless just as interesting. „This series this series of receivers for ATSC and
that a whole range of additional soft- is characterised by value for money and ISDB-T.
ware plugins will be already available is intended for use as second or third
from the AB IPBox website for those who receivers,“ Juraj Masaryk explains. The Which leads us right to the next ques-
want even more features for their box. idea behind is that for the living room tion: What is the customer segment tar-
Internet radio, YouTube, weather fore- one of the usual suspects is chosen as geted by AB IPBox? „It is especially with
casts or picture viewers are only some satellite receiver, while brand and fea- HD100 series boxes that we clearly focus
of the plugins that can be installed. „If tures play little or no role when used on the provider market,“ Juraj says.
any of your readers believes they have in the bedroom, children‘s bedroom or „The new up and coming IPTV providers
come up with a worthwhile application even kitchen. „You don‘t need to show in particular are interested in low-cost

■ View of the warehouse which is

jointly used by receiver manufacturer
AB IPBox and wholesale distributor
AB-COM.

www.TELE-satellite.com — 08-09/2010 — TELE-satellite — Global Digital TV Magazine 87

 TELE-satellite World www.TELE-satellite.com/...
Download this report in other languages from the Internet:
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Indonesian Indonesia www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/bid/abipbox.pdf
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German Deutsch www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/deu/abipbox.pdf
English English www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/eng/abipbox.pdf
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Greek Ελληνικά www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/hel/abipbox.pdf
Croatian Hrvatski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/hrv/abipbox.pdf
Italian Italiano www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/ita/abipbox.pdf
Hungarian Magyar www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/mag/abipbox.pdf
Mandarin 中文 www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/man/abipbox.pdf
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Polish Polski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/pol/abipbox.pdf
Portuguese Português www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/por/abipbox.pdf
Romanian Română www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/rom/abipbox.pdf
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Turkish Türkçe www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-1009/tur/abipbox.pdf
Available online starting from 30 July 2010

■ View of the repair shop. In case a receiver

shows a malfunction AB IPBox does all repairs
right here on-site.

receivers,“ Juraj Masaryk continues and

also states that IPTV end customers in
most cases already use other receivers.
„In such a case size does matter – only
that here smaller is better, and this is
exactly one of the key features of the
HD100 series.“

It might come as a surprise that AB

IPBox is a very lean company, despite
its comprehensive product range. “A
total of 24 staff are employed,” Juraj
Masaryk has the numbers. “16 of which
work in receiver manufacturing, four are
responsible for sales and another four
take care of technical support.” If you’re
interested in meeting those responsible
at AB IPBox in person and in looking at
all their products you may want to visit
EEBC in Kiev/Ukraine this year or ANGA ■ AB IPBox reception area: The national sales team works on the ground floor while the first floor
hosts the export sales team, marketing department and management.
in Cologne/Germany next year. “Of
course we also use local fairs and exhi- 1 2 3
bitions as platforms for our company,
such as INVEX in the Czech Republic and
HI END in Slovakia. Both will take place
in November,” Juraj Masaryk adds.

It turns out that all that diversification

talk is not just marketing chatter. For
one thing, AB IPBox falls back on two
different operating systems for added
flexibility. And then there are the prod-
ucts themselves, which clearly target
different market segments. Even with
this multi-faceted strategy AB IPBox
manages to keep prices low and remain
competitive, which seems to be just the
right recipe for success.

88 TELE-satellite — Global Digital TV Magazine — 08-09/2010 — www.TELE-satellite.com

7 8

AB IPBox Employees
1. Radovan Cifra, Sales Manager
2. Ing. Michal Grežo, Marketing Manager
3. Svetlana Masaryková, Accountant
4. Martin Ďurisnký, Service Engineer
5. Michala Kováčová, Accountant
6. Juraj Halo, Sales Manager
7. Juraj Bobula, Sales Manager
8. Peter Valo, Sales Manager

An
AB IPBox
Receiver
is Born:
6

1 2
5
1. The SDK (semi knock down) receiver
components are assembled by AB IPBox
to create the final receiver.

2. A female member of staff does some

soldering on the receiver’s main board.

3. Finished receivers waiting for final

inspection.

4. Ready for dispatch: All that’s still

missing is the users’ manual which is
added with the languages required for
various markets.

3
4

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