Monsoon Multimedia Announces Streaming HD Video Over WiFi With HAVA

Monsoon HAVA First to Stream True 1080i Video to any PC Throughout a Home Wireless Network

LAS VEGAS — Monsoon Multimedia, an innovative digital video solutions provider, today announced HAVA as the first consumer solution to stream HD video throughout a home 802.11n or wired network. Customers can now enjoy the full glory of HD video on multiple PCs throughout the home or view and control live home TV from anywhere in the world on a broadband-connected PC, Windows Mobile phone or handheld computer.

The HAVA wireless hardware setup is fast, easy and eliminates the need to run ethernet cables, or purchase costly HomePlug or PowerLine adapters required by similar place-shifting solutions. The included HAVA Player software includes a wide range of familiar virtual remote control designs allowing users to change channels and control other features of their video source as if they were sitting at home.

Combined with 802.11n-enabled laptops, Monsoon’s breakthrough technology in streaming true HD offers households a viable alternative to the traditional TV set. Users can enjoy television and video content on their laptops as a portable, hi-resolution alternative that brings together all of the features of a television and the power of a PC.

“Wireless-N technology with notebook computers based on Intel® Centrino® processor technology featuring 45nm Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor delivers the speed and coverage needed for consumers to wirelessly enjoy their digital entertainment in full HD,” said Erik Reid, Director of Marketing, Mobile Platforms Group, Intel Corporation. “Our wireless-N technology improves the home network experience — especially when multiple people access their wireless network simultaneously and enjoy bandwidth consuming applications such as full HD video entertainment.”

Monsoon’s HAVA also allows a PC to operate with TiVo-like functionality. Customers can pause, fast forward, rewind and record live TV to a PC hard disk and burn the recorded content to DVD for archiving purposes. In addition, the HAVA can employ WiFi to serve as a wireless network TV tuner for Media Center PCs within the home allowing customers to enjoy the full functionality of their Media Center XP or Vista PC without having to install a TV Tuner Card or place their PC in the living room.

“Wirelessly streaming HD TV to PCs and other portable devices throughout the home has been a dream until now,” said Colin Stiles EVP, Sales and Marketing at Monsoon. “Our world class engineering team continues to enrich the consumer TV experience, by mobilizing HD TV content with 802.11n and eliminating the inconvenience of wires or costly power-line adapters. Monsoon’s leadership position in place-shifting technology is really TV Set Free”

HAVA features Monsoon’s vBooster technology which provides superior picture quality and enables multicast video allowing an unlimited* number of PCs connected to a home network to view video content while simultaneously transmitting video to a broadband-connected PC or mobile phone anywhere in the world. Monsoon’s vBooster technology allows the local MPEG-2 video streams to bypass the router, effectively doubling the available bandwidth, while simultaneously keeping the PC connected to the router for non-video traffic.

Monsoon HAVA Features:

• Stream Live 1080i, 720p and 480p HD TV to multiple PCs within the home (Multicast)
• ATSC/NTSC hybrid tuner to receive off-the-air HDTV broadcast
• Component input and support for HD video source (1080i, 720p, 480p/576p) played back in the native 16:9 aspect ratio on the client display
• Supports Windows Vista
• Functions as a wireless networked TV Tuner for Microsoft Media Center PCs on home network
• Connects to any TV source including Cable, Satellite, DVD, TiVo or a Camcorder
• Enables TiVo-like functionality on the PC. Users can record, store, pause, rewind and fast forward stored video
• Schedule and record programs for later viewing
• Allows archival of recorded material to DVD
• All inputs include a pass-through connector, eliminating the use of splitters when connecting HAVA to home video equipment
• Streams video at an average of 18-20Mbps directly to PCs in a home network in MPEG-2 at HD resolution up to 1920×1080
• Streams MPEG-2 format over the home network, MPEG-4 format over the Internet
• Supports Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.0 cell phones and PDAs

Pricing and Availability

The Monsoon Multimedia HAVA with true HD streaming will be available Spring 2008 through select retailers and etailers nationwide as well as directly through Monsoon’s e-tailing division at http://www.myhava.com.