S3 and Broadcom Support BSkyB's Set-Top Box Development

DUBLIN — S3 Group (formerly Silicon & Software Systems) today announced that it has collaborated with BSkyB (Sky) [LSE:BSY] on the development of its latest high-definition (HD), low-power set-top boxes (STBs), the DRX890 and the DRX895. These boxes include highly integrated and advanced STB technology from Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM). Both boxes boast enhanced features, increased storage capacity and energy saving capabilities. And as with Sky’s existing Sky+HD STBs, the boxes have also been designed to support future services launching in 2010 such as broadband-enabled video-on-demand and 3DTV.

Broadcom’s BCM7335 HD DVR satellite system-on-chip (SoC) solution features a high level of integration and performance to enable broadcasters such as Sky to offer advanced features and low power consumption. Furthermore S3 Group’s coLinkTV™ software product helped Sky get these products to market faster. S3 Group also used its own automated testing solution, StormTest™, to test the functionality of the boxes throughout the entire development and system test cycle. Sky has been routinely utilising StormTest for in-house testing of their boxes since early 2009.

Roger Lambert, Sky’s director of customer technology, comments: “Working with Broadcom and S3 Group as partners has been a great experience and we are very proud of the products we have created together. Providing our customers with high performance, high reliability HD PVRs is central to our on-going HD leadership, and also for launching innovative new services like 3D and video-on-demand.”

“By combining Broadcom’s field proven and advanced set-top box technology with S3 Group’s software and analysis tools, Sky has been able to quickly deploy its latest industry-leading set-top boxes with DVR,” said Julian Wood, vice president of sales, EMEA for Broadcom. “Sky continues to innovate by supporting next generation services such as video-on-demand and 3D that even further enhances the TV entertainment experience in the home.”

“Broadcom’s high-end single chip solution, coupled with our product IP and system integration expertize, have helped create a quality solution which sets the standard for the industry at large.” said Philip Brennan, VP TV Technology, S3 Group.