Entropic and Sigma Announce MoCA Enabled Set-Top Box Collaboration

Leading Multimedia Chip Suppliers to Deliver Feature-Rich, IP-based Set-Top Box Reference Designs That Offer the Best Combination of Media Processing Technology and MoCA 1.1 Compliant Home Video Networking

SAN DIEGO — On a mission to accelerate IP-Cable and IPTV deployments worldwide, Entropic Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ENTR), a leading provider of silicon and software solutions to enable connected home entertainment and Sigma Designs (Nasdaq:SIGM), a leader in digital media processing system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions for consumer electronics, today announced their cooperative relationship to develop high definition, MoCA compliant Cable TV and IPTV Set-Top-Box (STB) reference designs, powered by Entropic’s EN2510 and Sigma Designs’ SMP8654. Due to debut in the Fall of 2009, the reference designs will bring highly competitive, full-featured set-top box solutions to OEMs and service providers globally.

The Sigma Designs — Entropic Communications relationship symbolizes the technological innovations both companies are bringing to the global Cable TV and IPTV marketplaces. These leading companies are focused on the development of robust, feature-rich reference designs that leverage the full advantages of MoCA connectivity and powerful multimedia processing. The two companies expect to advance end-users’ connected home entertainment experiences, expand service provider innovation, and spur ubiquitous connected digital home networks worldwide.

Using Entropic’s third-generation, MoCA 1.1 compliant EN2510 single-chip solution, and Sigma Designs’ SMP8654 Media Processor SoC, the Cable TV and IPTV Set-Top Box reference designs are optimized to enable a cost-effective IP network, capable of delivering outstanding HD video performance, with guaranteed quality of service, over the existing coaxial cabling within the home. By taking advantage of up to 175 Mbps of application layer throughput, 16 node support, parameterized quality of service (PQoS) and remote network diagnostic capability of the MoCA 1.1 standard, the reference designs will provide both the bandwidth and media processing required to handle multiple streams of high definition video in addition to other network traffic, such as the sharing of personal content like music, photographs and other digital content.

“Sigma Designs’ OEMs and ODMs will accelerate the deployment of advanced IP-Cable and IPTV STBs by taking advantage of market-ready reference designs. Entropic’s EN2510 single-chip MoCA solution used in our reference designs provides a strong solution for low-power, high-performance, ‘no new wires’ home network for distribution of IP video,” said Ken Lowe, vice president strategic marketing at Sigma. “The collaboration with Entropic for our Cable TV and IPTV reference designs will enable higher quality solutions with faster time-to-market for the rapid deployment of MoCA enabled set-top boxes.”

“With millions of Cable TV and more than ten million IPTV subscribers worldwide, we expect to see increased operator interest in more advanced digital home networking solutions. Fueled by the introduction of innovative reference designs like the Sigma Designs’ MoCA powered IP-Cable and IPTV STBs, service providers can offer their subscribers higher bandwidth and a more robust home network while providing new services and generating higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU),” said Vinay Gokhale, senior vice president marketing and business development for Entropic Communications. “By partnering with Sigma Designs, a clear leader in media processors for the IP-Cable and IPTV market, we continue to expand our home networking product presence and bring innovation to the STB market, enabling simplified deployment and accelerated time-to-market for service providers globally.”

The SMP8654 is a multi-core media processor that features a 500 MHz MIPS 24k main CPU that enables crisp user interaction and a wider range of application-based features, which enhance the “future-proofing” of this platform. It also offers a full complement of advanced decoder engines with high-definition video decoding, including H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media(R) Video 9, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2), and the new AVS standard.

Entropic’s third-generation home networking solutions enable high performance and robust communication using existing home coaxial cables without the need for new wiring or modifications. The EN2510 offers best-in-class value for next-generation connected products requiring the features and throughput performance of a MoCA home network. The EN2510 offers convenience and cost savings by combining the coaxial network controller and RF transceiver into a single 15×15 mm chip for a complete MoCA 1.1 compliant solution. Manufactured in an advanced 65 nm process, the EN2510 substantially lowers power consumption over previous generations and supports advanced Input/Output interfaces such as PCI Express along with MII/TMII/GMII and RGMII.