Smart Home (connected home, home networking) News

No New Wires Required For VeHDa/PlayTV Set-Top Box Roll Out
Aug 21, 2007 – UK-based, high-definition specialist, VeHDa, is utilising the HomePlug®-based integrated circuits (ICs) from Intellon Corporation to compliment its PlayTV-partnered 500,000 IP set-top box roll out.
News categories: Global Digital Broadcast, Play TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, UK

184 Million Digital Media Adapters in Homes in 2012
Aug 20, 2007 – The installed base of Digital Media Adapters is expected to number about 184 million in 2012. But according to ABI Research, only a little more than 11% of those will be dedicated standalone devices - fully 85% will be embedded in game consoles.
News categories: Digital TV, DVD, Gaming, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, Streaming

DS2 emerges as leading supplier of Powerline Technology solutions for US multi-media networking
Aug 20, 2007 – DS2 has confirmed that shipments to the US of its 200 Mbps chipset increased by 229% during the first half 2007. In general the Powerline market is growing at a rate of 100% p.a. while growth in other home networking technologies has stagnated.
News categories: DS2, NPD Group, NETGEAR, Digital TV, Gaming, Gateway, Market Research, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, USA

Hercules Provides $7.5 Million of Venture Debt to Quartics, a Semiconductor Design Company Focusing on Wireless Video Streaming Capabilities
Aug 16, 2007 – Hercules Technology Growth Capital (NASDAQ: HTGC) has announced that on August 2, 2007, it provided $7.5 million of venture debt to Irvine, California-based Quartics, Inc., a premier provider of video processing solutions.
News categories: Quartics, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Digital TV, Semiconductor, Smart Home, Venture Capital

Standards Battle Brewing In Wireless Interconnectivity
Aug 15, 2007 – With the promise of entirely wireless interconnections for PCs, standards and technology battles are looming, reports In-Stat. Most digital interconnects are first adopted in PCs and then by consumer electronics (CE), the high-tech market research firm says. "Like USB vs. 1394, the outcome of the battle between ultra wide band (UWB) solutions will be determined by the PC platform" says Qasim Inam, In-Stat analyst.
News categories: In-Stat, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart Home

Enabling new wireless technologies in the UK
Aug 9, 2007 – From 13 August 2007 Ofcom will remove the requirement to hold a licence to operate equipment using approved Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. UWB allows the transfer of large amounts of data (up to 2 Gb/s) over relatively short distances (around 30 metres).
News categories: Digital TV, Smart Home, UK

Amstrad to produce multi-TV Sky box
Aug 5, 2007 – Amstrad and BSkyB are to produce a pioneering set-top box that will link every television in the home, and let viewers record and play back two different programmes on separate TV sets simultaneously.
News categories: Digital TV, DVR, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home, UK

Broadcom and Verizon Wireless Announce Broad-based Strategic Alliance
Jul 19, 2007 – Broadcom and Verizon Communications have announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance involving new mobile device chipsets and other products, including Bluetooth® and wireless LAN solutions, optical network solutions, Multimedia over Coaxial Cable (MoCA) devices, GPS location technology, and DSL and fiber network components including set-top boxes.
News categories: Verizon Communications, Broadcom, Broadband, Digital TV, Fibre, IPTV, Licensing, Mobile, Patent, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smartphone, USA

Valens Semiconductor Raises $7M in Series A Financing
Jul 16, 2007 – Valens Semiconductor Ltd., a developer of a chip that will enable high quality transmission of audio and video in a home networking environment, has announced the completion of a $7M series A round of equity financing.
News categories: Digital TV, Israel, Semiconductor, Smart Home, Venture Capital