No New Wires Required For VeHDa/PlayTV Set-Top Box Roll Out
UK HD specialist, VeHDa, utilises HomePlug technology from USA-based Intellon, for major PlayTV set-top box roll out.
[UKPRwire, Tue Aug 21 2007] UK-based, high-definition specialist, VeHDa (http://www.vehda.co.uk), is utilising the HomePlug®-based integrated circuits (ICs) from Intellon Corporation, a major US-based provider of powerline communication ICs for home networking and networked entertainment, to compliment its PlayTV-partnered 500,000 IP set-top box roll out.
HomePlug® technology enables the delivery of local area network (LAN) signals through existing home powerline (home wiring); creating a home network for distributing data and content, thus alleviating the need for re-wiring, or for new cabling to be installed. In particular, this technology is well suited for IPTV applications, as the internet connection may not be in close proximity to the television set/s on which the customer wishes to view the IPTV stream. Intellon’s HomePlug®-based ICs are designed to provide the necessary bandwidth to support either standard-definition (SD) or high-definition (HD) applications, such as IPTV, with optimum quality of service delivery.
Cameron McCaskill, vice president of business for Intellon, says: “I believe that Intellon’s fast, simple, secure and reliable whole-house networking solution will definitely benefit the VeHDa/Play TV installations. Our HomePlug®-based ICs are being selected globally by manufacturers and service providers to meet the technical challenges of the whole-house service deployment and media distribution using our No New Wires® technology.”
The VeHDa/PlayTV installation engineers will be offering the HomePlug technology to customers as an ‘add on’ to the service. The roll out will begin in September 2007 and 100,000 IP set-top boxes will be directly installed into customer’s homes by Christmas 2007.
James Thompson, director of operations for VeHDa, says; “With such a high roll out of the set-top boxes this side of Christmas, installing an ethernet connection between the customer’s router, which is often located within the proximity of the PC in a spare bedroom, and through to the VeHDa set-top box, could have caused a logistical problem. However, HomePlug®-compatible products offer the perfect answer for customers and engineers alike; saving on both installation time and the possible need for extra, unwanted cabling. Intellon’s technology could not have come at a better time for us.”
The HD VeHDa set-top boxes are programmed with middleware from Global Digital Broadcast (GDB) and will be pre-programmed with over 700 channels from 84 countries; including channels from the GDB IPTV network, PlayTV content and terrestrial freeview.
Jim Deans, managing director of GDB, says; “It is always great to see technology providing an answer just when we need it. We have tested products containing Intellon ICs in our own homes and not only do they work brilliantly, but they provide a quick solution to installing a second IPTV set-top box. Intellon’s HomePlug®-based products will enable the moving of your IPTV set-top box around the home and I see this as a huge benefit, in a cost-conscious world, where families want to share their entertainment. I would like to congratulate the GDB team, led by David Wray, who put this co-op agreement together.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
ABOUT VEHDA:
VeHDa is the leading independent manufacturer of advanced high-definition and digital technologies in the UK. Based at the foot of the South Downs, near Arundel, UK, it supplies and installs across the UK and continental Europe. VeHDa prides itself in providing superior picture and sound quality and is constantly increasing its cutting-edge product range. The company motto is; “VeHDa puts the HD into HDTV.”
ABOUT PLAY TV:
Based in West Sussex, UK, Play TV has an extensive customer database and offers a moderately-priced movies, sports and entertainments package. Play TV also incorporates its successful, independent, internet radio station, which has over a million listeners worldwide. Play Radio may also be found on i-Tunes.
ABOUT INTELLON CORPORATION:
Intellon is a market leader in powerline communications, providing HomePlug® compliant and other powerline integrated circuits for home networking; networked entertainment; broadband over powerline (BPL) access; smart grid management and other commercial applications. Intellon created and patented the baseline technology for HomePlug® 1.0 and is a major contributor to the baseline technology for the new 200Mbps HomePlug® AV (powerline standard). With over ten million HomePlug® ICs sold, Intellon is the market share leader in the HomePlug® IC market. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Ocala, Florida, USA; with offices in San Jose, California, USA and Toronto, Canada. For additional information, please visit www.intellon.com.
ABOUT GDB:
Based in Hove, East Sussex, UK, Global Digital Broadcast operates an IPTV delivery network with a large client base of content providers and channel owners. GDB hosts independent channels from local TV and regional programming, to multi-cultural and international streaming and hosts content from over 70 countries. GDB channels include: 18 Doughty Street; the Local Government Channel; NFL Alumni; Suzuki; TVScuba; TV Freestyle; Invincible; Make it or Break it TV; Suncastv; Faithglobe; Dave Courtney TV; Future of Broadcast; TVBrighton; TVWorthing and TVChichester.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Furl
Blinklist
Reddit