Irdeto and Neotion Integrate Software-Only CA and CI Plus CAM

Solution offers easy access to premium Pay TV on iDTVs and CAM-enabled STBs

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — IBC 2009 — Irdeto (JSE: NPN), a leading expert in content and business model protection solutions and services, and Neotion, a leading provider of highly”sophisticated System”on”a”Chip (SoC) MPEG”4 processors, today announced the integration and launch of Neotion’s CI Plus conditional access module (CAM) with the Irdeto Universal Client software CA solution. The combined solution gives digital TV operators and consumers an easy way to deploy and enjoy encrypted services on consumers’ flat screen iDTVs without the need for a set-top box.

The Irdeto Universal Client is the industry’s first commercially launched one-way software-based broadcast conditional access client from a major conditional access vendor. It is based on Irdeto’s 40 plus years of experience in successfully developing and deploying pay TV technology and uses key software protection technologies from Irdeto’s group company, Cloakware. The latest version of the Cloakware Security Suite is used to protect both the Universal Client code and the data through obfuscation and data transformations. The application of these tools makes it extremely difficult to tamper with or reverse engineer the Universal Client software. In addition, each Universal Client is cryptographically locked to its host device; in this case, the security processor in the Neotion CI Plus CAM. This allows Irdeto to deliver operators a software-only security solution that can provide protection similar to that of smart cards.

The Neotion CI Plus CAM follows the growing industry trend toward removable, secure silicon-based security modules. According to IMS Research, more than 82 million iDTVs with native DVB capabilities were shipped in 2008, making them a perfect platform for the direct reception of encrypted TV services. Under European law, a CI slot is mandatory for all integrated TV sets with a screen size of 30 cm or larger, so providing CI CAMs is attractive to operators because they cost significantly less than set-top boxes. The product is attractive to consumers because they can acquire premium Pay TV services without requiring additional equipment and can continue to use a single remote control. The solution allows both parties to acquire encrypted digital TV services more quickly, and can be updated transparently over the network without any user intervention or disruption.

“The integration of the Irdeto Universal Client onto a CI Plus CAM represents a major step toward a new breed of pay TV-enabled devices that will help our customers reach new subscribers more easily,” said David Canellos, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Irdeto. “The global growth of iDTV delivery and mass take-up of digital TV through analogue switch-off makes it the perfect time to bring this solution to market.”

“Neotion is hereby emphasizing its strong commitment towards CI Plus which has the drivers to drastically change the way the whole pay TV experience gets deployed in a TV-centric, horizontal market,” said Loïc Bernard, CEO of Neotion. “Bringing a consumer-friendly but security-focused solution like this to market with a Tier 1 conditional access vendor like Irdeto will help ensure the continued growth and success of our mutual customers.

Please visit Irdeto during IBC 2009 in Amsterdam from September 11-15, Hall 1, #D51 to view live demonstrations and to meet with an Irdeto representative.