Home & discovery
Featured content, trending shows and live channels at your fingertips.
One OTT platform.
Every screen.
How Appther built a multi-platform OTT streaming platform for Ideal TV, taking live television beyond the set-top box and onto mobile, web and connected TV.
idealTV
Satellite TV
+ Streaming Apps
+ Streaming Apps
100+Live channels
4Platforms shipped
15,000+Viewers on the platform
Cast-readyAirPlay · Chromecast
01 — The challenge
Take television beyond the traditional TV screen
Ideal TV wanted to extend its satellite service into a modern digital ecosystem, where viewers could watch live channels, movies, sports and shows on any device, at any time.
01
Multi-device experience
A consistent, intuitive viewing experience across phones, tablets, desktops and TVs.
02
Effortless content discovery
Make it easy to explore a wide range of live channels and entertainment categories.
03
Streaming performance
Smooth playback, fast navigation and reliability for high-quality viewing.
04
A scalable foundation
A future-ready platform that grows with more content, more devices and more demand.
02 — The solution
One entertainment experience, every screen
Appther designed and built a multi-platform streaming ecosystem that brings live TV and entertainment to viewers well beyond the set-top box.
Live TV streaming
Stream 100+ live channels with smooth, reliable playback.
Cross-platform applications
Apps for mobile, tablet, web and connected TV that feel like one product.
Content-centric UI/UX
A modern interface design that helps users discover, browse and watch effortlessly.
Connected-TV experience
AirPlay, Chromecast and popular streaming devices for the big screen.
Process — how we planned & delivered
Twenty-two weeks from kickoff to a shipped platform
A structured, phase-by-phase engagement that took Ideal TV from concept to a live product on every screen in 22 weeks.
Discovery
Discovery & scoping
Audited the satellite service and mapped audiences, devices and content goals.
Design
UX & product design
Designed one content-first experience, consistent across mobile, web and TV.
Architecture
Architecture & APIs
Built a shared backend and streaming layer to power every app and device.
Build & QA
Build & quality assurance
Developed native and web apps with rigorous playback and device testing.
Launch
Launch & scale
Shipped across platforms and tuned media delivery for growth.
03 — Product experience
Entertainment designed around the viewer
Channel browsing
Quickly explore and switch between your favourite live TV channels.
Watch anywhere
A seamless experience across mobile, tablet and desktop.
Cast to the big screen
Stream to your TV with AirPlay, Chromecast and more.
04 — Platform ecosystem
One platform connecting content to every screen
Content sources
Live channels
Movies
Shows
Sports
Streaming & application layer
Content APIs
User management
Playback services
Analytics & reporting
Viewer applications
MobileiOS · Android
TabletiPad · Android
DesktopWeb · Win · Mac
Connected TVSmart TV · Cast
05 — Engineering approach
Built for a high-quality streaming experience
A1
Responsive architecture
Applications optimised for different screen sizes and interaction models.
A2
API-driven platform
A robust backend powering every app and device from shared services.
A3
Streaming-first UX
Designed to move users from discovery to playback in the fewest steps.
A4
Scalable infrastructure
Cloud-based infrastructure that scales with a growing audience.
A5
Device compatibility
Support across devices and platforms without compromising the experience.
A6
Performance optimisation
Optimised media delivery and app performance for smooth playback.
06 — The outcome
From a television service to a digital entertainment ecosystem
Ideal TV viewers can now enjoy their favourite content well beyond a traditional setup. One platform, many devices, limitless entertainment.
- Viewers
- 15,000+
- Kickoff to launch
- 22 weeks
07 — Key capabilities
Live TV streaming
Favourite channels in real time.
100+ channel experience
News, movies, sports, kids and more.
Multi-device access
Phone, tablet, desktop and TV.
Casting support
AirPlay, Chromecast and streaming devices.
Cross-platform consistency
One experience across every device.
Scalable platform
Built to grow with more content and viewers.
In the client's words
“We came to Appther with a satellite service and a simple problem: our viewers wanted to watch on their phones, and we could only reach their living rooms. In 22 weeks we had apps on every screen that matters, and we have since passed 15,000 viewers.”
Didier Alerte
General Manager, Ideal TV
LinkedIn
08 — Admin platform
A control centre behind the experience
A single admin platform lets the Ideal TV team run the business end to end: locations, packages, subscribers and hospitality plans, all in one place.
Manage locations
Add, organise and configure every service location from one view.
Packages per location
Tailor plans, channels and pricing to each location independently.
Customer subscriptions
Track, upgrade and manage subscriber plans and billing status.
Individual & hotel packages
Dedicated plans for homes and for hospitality at scale.
09 — Technology stack
The technology powering Ideal TV
A modern, cloud-native stack chosen for reliable streaming, fast delivery and consistency across every platform. See the full Appther tech stack.
Swift
Kotlin
React
Next.js
Node.js
TypeScript
Google Cloud
Docker
Redis
PostgreSQL
GraphQL
Kubernetes
Firebase
Chromecast
AirPlay
Android TV
Gallery
Ideal TV, on every screen
The same content-first interface, adapted to how people actually watch on each device.
Smart TV
A lean-back home screen built for remote navigation and the big picture.
Web & desktop
The full catalogue in the browser, with live channels one click away.
Tablet & mobile
Recommendations, live sports and on-demand, sized for the screen in hand.
Build your own
Put your channels on every screen
If you run a satellite, cable or IPTV service, Appther can take it over the top: mobile, tablet, web and connected TV apps on one shared platform, with the admin tooling to run subscriptions behind it.
Get in touch
Let's talk about your streaming product
Tell us what you're building, whether that's a single live TV app, a hospitality rollout, or a full multi-platform build, and our team will come back within one business day.
Discovery first
Every engagement starts with a scoping phase, so you get a fixed plan before a line of code.
One team, every platform
iOS, Android, web and connected TV built together, not stitched from separate vendors.
Prefer email? Reach us through the contact page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an OTT streaming platform?
An OTT (over-the-top) streaming platform delivers live channels and on-demand video straight over the internet, without a cable or satellite set-top box. For Ideal TV it means the same television service viewers already paid for now runs as an app on their phone, tablet, laptop and smart TV.
Which devices does the Ideal TV platform support?
iOS and Android phones and tablets, web browsers on Windows and Mac, and the big screen through smart TV apps, AirPlay and Chromecast. Every client is built on the same shared backend, so the experience stays consistent wherever a viewer picks it up. If you are weighing native against cross-platform for your own build, our comparison of iOS, Android and cross-platform development covers the trade-offs.
How many channels does the platform stream?
More than 100 live channels across news, movies, sports and kids, alongside an on-demand library of shows and films. The catalogue is managed centrally, so new channels appear on every device at once.
Can an OTT platform support hotels and other venues?
Yes. Ideal TV runs dedicated hospitality packages so hotels can offer the service in guest rooms, with channels, plans and pricing configured per location from the admin platform, separately from individual home subscribers.
How are subscriptions and billing handled?
Subscribers choose an individual or hospitality plan tied to their location. The admin platform tracks plans, upgrades and billing status in one place, so the operations team can manage every location and account without touching the apps.
How long does it take to build an OTT streaming app?
It depends on scope. A single-platform live TV app with a ready content feed can ship in a few months, while a full multi-platform ecosystem with mobile, web, connected TV and an admin back office takes longer, because each client and each device family needs its own playback and QA cycle. We scope a fixed plan after a discovery phase, and our guide to mobile app development cost in 2026 breaks down what drives the budget.
What technology stack suits a live TV streaming platform?
Ideal TV runs on native Swift and Kotlin clients, a React and Next.js web app, a Node.js and TypeScript API layer, PostgreSQL and Redis for data and caching, and containerised services on Google Cloud with Docker and Kubernetes. Casting uses Google Cast and AirPlay.
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