G.hn technology tested in real homes to deliver HD services to multiple rooms simultaneously
MILPITAS, Calif. – September 11, 2013 – Sigma Designs® (Nasdaq: SIGM), a leading provider of System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions for home entertainment, control, connectivity and converging multimedia delivery announced completion of a successful field trial with Portugal Telecom using G.hn for HD video streaming.
Today in the fight for service providers to deliver more high definition video to consumers, both higher throughput and wider reach are required. Service providers are seeking solutions that utilize existing powerline infrastructure as the network backbone to enable simultaneously viewed HD channels in multiple rooms with uninterrupted quality. In addition to the increased demand for these services, there are now more televisions per household, many of which are located in remote areas of the home and require reliable and persistent whole home coverage. In response to these market demands, Portugal Telecom, a leader in innovation, conducted a field user trial running their triple-play service (MEO) over Sigma Designs’ G.hn powerline network. This 60-day trial was conducted in customer homes using the actual MEO service to test the robustness of G.hn. The trial included distribution of multiple live and recorded HD streams, as well as data over the powerline infrastructure.
Based on customers’ feedback and based on remote data collection monitoring, the conclusion of the trial was very successful. G.hn carried the MEO service without interruption at all times of the day, including peak hours when families watched more television and used more household electrical appliances.
“We attribute consumers’ enthusiastic response to the Portugal Telecom powerline trial to the robustness of the G.hn technology. We know consumers demand flawless performance while watching premium high quality HD content wherever they are in their house," said Gabi Hilevitz, Sigma Designs' vice president and general manager Home Connectivity business unit. “We have built our G.hn products to deliver this and more at the lowest possible installation cost to service providers. We are proud that we could prove this in this field trial with Portugal Telecom.”
“Prior to this trial, we analyzed several home networking solutions and had high expectations about G.hn’s potential to fulfill our requirements. We began a trial to explore Sigma Designs’ G.hn solution.” said Ashok Bhagubai, Portugal Telecom’s Homenetworking and DVB Systems Director. “The trial surpassed our expectations and we are pleased that Sigma’s solution was reviewed so favorably by the trial participants. It is obvious today that G.hn reached an interesting performance and robustness level.”
Sigma Designs, is one of the leading proponents of G.hn and is active in the ITU G.hn working groups. Sigma Designs is considered one of the leaders in G.hn due to:
- Extensive and proven expertise in deploying HomePNA® and HomePlug® AV solutions in IPTV services that use existing coaxial cables, phone lines, and AC power lines in the home
- Sigma Designs was the first company to introduce a G.hn chipset in the market.
- Sigma Designs’ CG5210 G.hn chipset certified by HomeGrid Forum is already deployed in numerous ODM products
The CG5200 G.hn chipsets are optimized for IPTV distribution and advanced unicast and multicast systems. The chipsets were designed to be easily embedded within a broad range of products such as connected TVs, DVRs, thin client Set-top boxes, home gateways, ONTs, Blue ray DVDs and any other equipment for multimedia and entertainment.
See the G.hn in use during IBC Amsterdam, 12-17th September 2013, on the Sigma Designs Booth No.: BM7 (Hall 1, Balcony)
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