Pace achieves world's first qualified device for new Energy Star® program in the US

Pace Digital Transport Adapter (DTA) device to be ENERGY STAR launch product

IBC2008, Amsterdam, Stand 1.B21 — Pace plc (LSE:PIC), the leading developer of digital TV technologies for the payTV industry, is to lead the way in energy-efficient products in the USA with the first device to be qualified under the new ENERGY STAR Program.

ENERGY STAR is voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Products that earn the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the US government. In place since 1992, the programme now covers more than 50 product categories. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will put in place new requirements for television converter boxes with the Digital Transport Adapter in January 2009.

Pace’s DTA (Digital Transport Adapter) DC50X adapter, which is expected to be deployed by Comcast to its customers in the USA, will be the first product qualified under the new program.

An ENERGY STAR compliant device like the DTA must consume no more than 70kWh in one year during both operation and standby. Pace’s DC50X DTA consumes just 4W/h in use, and has a total energy usage per year of less than 35KWh. Even with such a reduced energy consumption footprint, the device still supports full digital video decode to help enable cable operators to transition to a digital service offering. The DC50X has an optimized industrial design making it one of the smallest set-top boxes in the world, thereby minimizing the amount of materials and energy used in manufacture.

Mike Pulli, President of Pace Americas, commented: “Pace was the first set-top box signatory of the original ENERGY STAR programme in the United States in 2000 (and the only manufacturer to have numerous products comply with the ENERGY STAR specification). We have achieved the same feat again, with the newly launched programme.

“One of the big opportunities for our industry is enabling the transition to digital while managing the impact of deploying such a large number of electronic devices on the environment. Pace is committed to reducing our environmental impact across all aspects of our business – from products to our operations and supply chain – but it is with our products that we can have the greatest impact.”

Pulli added, “The small form factor of the box and its low energy consumption are two key factors in achieving our aim to be the leading developer of low environmental impact (LEI) products.”