Pace & Inxstor showcase place-shifting technology for operators

Secure access to set-top box content from anywhere in the world

IBC 2007, Amsterdam, Stand 1.221 — Pace Micro Technology plc (LSE:PIC), the leading independent developer of digital TV technologies for the global pay TV industry, and Inxstor Ltd, developers of a unique embedded secure place-shifting system, are demonstrating how content stored on a personal video recorder (PVR) in the home can be accessed using ‘place-shifting’ technology over the internet.

The Pace/Inxstor demonstration shows how content from a consumer’s PVR can be accessed remotely, using a compatible PC or mobile phone, anywhere in the world, safely and securely. This could consist of either a live TV stream, or previously recorded media on the subscriber’s hard drive, such as photos, music and video.

Content from the PVR is sent digitally to a dedicated server which transcodes high bit rate MPEG-2 content into H.264 signals. The H.264 video is packaged as an IP stream and transmitted via the internet to a portable unit, for example a WiFi-enabled mobile phone or laptop.

“This technology gives consumers the ultimate flexibility with their live and stored content,” commented Mark Smith, Chief Technical Engineer at Pace Micro Technology. “No matter where they are in the world they can access the same services that they enjoy at home.

“By linking the server digitally to the set-top box, optimum picture quality can be maintained. There is also potential to secure re-transmitted content via the payTV operator’s conditional access system. If the set-top box is part of a digital home network, all content stored on that network – including digital pictures and MP3 audio – can also be securely accessed remotely. ”

Dr Glenn Craib, CTO at Inxstor added: “This end to end demonstration allows consumers with internet enabled portable devices to freely access both live and stored content as if they were at home. As this technology can also keep the conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM) intact, it is possible to ensure that the content remains secure throughout this extended network.”

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