Disney shoots down kids set top box link

The Walt Disney Company has refuted rumours that it officially licensed a German company’s TV streaming box.

This follows reports from the Las Vegas Computer Electronics Show that Snakebyte’s new streaming set top box will carry official Disney branding.

The TV box, which is a rough prototype costing US$99, allows consumers to play pre-recorded media, connect external storage sources and listen to music. Reports out of CES suggested it would come pre-loaded with Disney content.

Disney is understood to have moved quickly today to deny that is the case.

Mouse House insiders say Snakebyte had made an unapproved prototype demo for CES, which is not officially licensed.

TBI understands there were initial exploratory discussions between Disney and Snakebyte, but only about licensing Disney-owned franchises and characters. There were not, however, any plans to release a Disney-branded streaming box.

Snakebyte’s PR team have issued a statement clarifying the issue. It said: “The box is NOT from Disney, it is a Snakebyte product that [the company is] looking to license several Disney characters and franchises for.”

They added that the prototype was part of “exploratory discussions about acquiring a license from Disney for some EMEA territories”.