It is not much bigger than lots of the wall warts currently filling outlets on your power strip, but this reference design from Sigma Designs may be your next cable box. With HomePlug networking, Z-Wave RF handheld remote control technology and the flexibility to process multiple 1080p streams directly inbuilt, it only should be plugged in to the wall (and connected to a TV via HDMI) to get to work. connect with the network and pull in video from the web, feeds from an IPTV provider like U-Verse (or Comcast eventually ), or multiroom streams from a connected DVR. At its heart is the SMP8670 chip unveiled at CES that’s optimized for XBMC , Adobe AIR and Flash that may make it a great extender for somebody like TiVo or Boxee, if Sigma can get them to bite at the concept. Until then, all we will be able to show you’re a few pics of the bare internals inside the gallery and a statement after the break.
Reference Design Integrates Media Processing, Home Connectivity and residential Control Technologies Making a New Class of High Performance, Ultra-Thin Set-Top Box
Milpitas, CA — June 20, 2011 — Sigma Designs, the realm leader in connected media platforms, is poised to energise the set-top-box market by unveiling the industry’s most advanced set-top box design, enabling an experience only present in devices which are combined with networking gateways. Sigma Designs will supercharge this growing market of set-top-boxes by enabling these products to stream high-definition content from the net, in 1080p, via networking during the AC power adapter, all in a tool so small that it fits behind consumers’ TVs.
“Service providers are searhing for how you can cut costs while improving the buyer experience,” said Thinh Tran, chairman and CEO at Sigma Designs. “With the Sigma ultra-thin, telcos and cable companies can enable users to self-install their set top box for dramatically reduced deployment costs. Just as importantly, this high performance solution delivers more reliable quality of service, a kind factor consumers’ love and the most important ecosystem of interoperable home control products to manage.”
Sigma Designs ultra-thin reference platform is unlike existing set-top boxes. This revolutionary self-installable ultra-thin design doesn’t require an influence cord; it plugs directly into AC power outlets for simple installation by consumers and uses Sigma’s award-winning HomePlug AV with ClearPath for probably the most reliable networking over the home’s electrical wiring. With a state-of-the-art media processor, this new platform decodes multiple HD IPTV streams and connects to a HDTV through an effortless HDMI connector.
The recent system also integrates Z-Wave RF technology for the main advanced handheld remote control functionality. With Z-Wave, the ultra-thin may be placed out of sight, behind the television or in a cupboard without affecting its functionality and will be used to manage not just the television, but in addition over 500 available Z-Wave devices including the lighting, door locks, thermostats and more. This is often the primary design of its kind to weave together the great functionalities and necessary processing power to handle most every need for the buyer to govern their connected home.
Sigma Designs will make the fully integrated ultra-thin set-top box reference design available to service providers and their set-top equipment suppliers. These customers can have the good thing about quick time-to-market through these turnkey solutions, whereby they’ll have a single agreement and point of contact for direct support.
The recent ultra-thin reference platform is the primary in a chain of Sigma-enabled solutions developed to support the desires of the ever evolving, feature-rich set-top box market. Its core technologies include:
** SMP8670 media processor
The SMP8670 is a brand new media processor targeted at thin-clients, optimized to run over-the-top application environments along with Adobe AIR for TV, Adobe Flash Player and other graphically rich environments. This new solution is 40% faster than previous Sigma thin-client solutions and dramatically improves the responsiveness of those new, advanced user interfaces. The SMP8670 also is very power efficient — consuming 30% less power than previous versions.
** CG2110 HomePlug AV technology with ClearPath
Sigma’s HomePlug AV with ClearPath is a breakthrough home networking technology that permits unprecedented, carrier-class streaming of HD video, voice and knowledge over existing powerlines in the house. Sigma’s award-winning platform uses all three wires — phase, neutral and ground to deliver improved performance and as much as twice the throughput. It’s the only MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) solution currently available over powerline. Conforming to the universal HomePlug AV standard, Sigma’s HomePlug AV with ClearPath has the original ability to deliver triple play, whole-home DVR, HDTV and 3DTV to each power outlet inside the home — even within multi-phased homes, across surge protectors and thru EMI filters.
** Z-Wave technology
Z-Wave is the leading technology for home control and effort management. Today, over 500 completely interoperable products worldwide from over 170 manufacturers support Z-Wave — way over rival technologies. The leading makers of lighting, thermostats, shade controls, door locks and more have created the broadest ecosystem of solutions. This is the reason ADT, Schlage, Verizon, Vivint and more all deploy home services according to Z-Wave.
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