Entropic Selected for DIRECTV Home Networking Deployments

Monday, January 25th, 2010
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Technology Cooperation Delivers Next-Generation Set-Top Boxes for Multi-Room Viewing and Quality User Experience

SAN DIEGO — Entropic Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ENTR), a leading provider of silicon and software solutions to enable connected home entertainment, today announced that its silicon has been selected by DIRECTV (Nasdaq: DTV), the world’s most popular television service, for integration into set-top boxes (STB) that deliver a new-generation of coax-based networking capabilities such as multi-room viewing.

By adopting Entropic’s field-proven technology based on the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) standard, DIRECTV will soon enable its customers to easily share high-quality, high-definition digital entertainment and data throughout the home over the existing coax cable infrastructure. The coax-based networking also enables DIRECTV to propagate the ground-breaking RVU technology on its platforms. RVU Remote User Interface ensures that the client set-top receivers in a multi-room DVR environment display the exact look and feel (user interface) of the server on a pixel-accurate basis.

“By integrating MoCA technology into our STBs along with the existing deployment of the Single Wire Multiswitch, we will set ourselves apart from the competition as a leading provider of connected home technology,” said Romulo Pontual, chief technology officer at DIRECTV. “This is part of our overall strategy to simplify the installation process and create a reliable video distribution system for our customers who want to enjoy a connected home lifestyle. Technology cooperation with Entropic was instrumental to expedite the delivery of these new STBs.”

“We are very excited to be working with DIRECTV as multi-room viewing capabilities continue to drive next-generation home networking requirements,” said Patrick Henry, Entropic CEO. “By leveraging our technology leadership and experience and expanding our relationship with DIRECTV beyond channel-stacking for their Single Wire Multiswitch ODUs, we are enabling a new world of digital entertainment sharing applications for DIRECTV’s customers nationwide,” he continued.

DIRECTV’s selection of the MoCA standard further demonstrates the industry preference and growing market acceptance for in home coax-based video networking as reported by numerous operators. The new generation of DIRECTV set-top boxes are currently in production and will be in customers’ homes starting in Q1 of 2010.