Pace Completes Certification of Industry's First RVU Compliant Client Solution

BOCA RATON, Florida, August 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- C30 Client Will Enable Whole Home Client/Server Solution

Pace (LSE: PIC), a leading developer of technologies, products and services for global broadband and broadcast markets, has announced that its C30 RVU Client solution has been certified by the RVU Alliance. The Pace C30 set-top box is the first device to go through the RVU Alliance certification program, which is run by the independent University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory. The certification marks a major milestone in the development of whole home client/server technology for the US payTV industry, and in the adoption of the RVU standard.

The Pace C30 RVU Client is an optimized, small footprint set-top box solution which works in conjunction with an RVU server to provide HD content and DVR capabilities to consumers via a consistent, feature rich user interface.  The publically available RVU technology standard allows a single server in a household to serve multiple clients simultaneously, providing every TV in a household with the same user experience.  Pace developed the C30 solution in cooperation with JetHead Development, to form part of the next generation DIRECTV whole home platform, targeted for release at the end of this year.

Mike Pulli, president, Pace Americas, said: "Pace's US market success has been built on our ability to work closely with payTV providers to help them stay one step ahead of consumer demand.  Whole-home solutions are a prime example of the innovation happening in the US and their rapid deployment is a high priority for customers such as DIRECTV.  The RVU certification of our Pace C30 allows us to meet this need and provide a client device that can integrate smoothly within operators' whole home platforms to deliver a superb, seamless viewing experience around the home."

"The certification of the Pace C30 RVU client is clearly a major achievement in the development of the RVU client/server architecture," said Henry Derovanessian, president of the RVU Alliance and senior vice president of DIRECTV.  "The accomplishment is testament to the Alliance's commitment to bringing RVU complaint products to market, and also to the validation of the independent certification process, which ensures interoperability in the RVU ecosystem."

"JetHead is pleased to partner with Pace in offering the first certified RVU Client solution," said Ben Payne, vice president, Engineering, at JetHead. "The RVU Alliance has developed a specification that is fully compatible with the latest technologies, including 1080p video, 3D-TV, and DTCP-IP content protection. JetHead's turn-key software solution, together with Pace's first class platform, allows operators like DIRECTV to extend their full user experience onto a low-cost thin-client set-top box."

The C30 will be compatible with RVU servers from payTV service providers, including the DIRECTV HR34 Home Media Center, which is undergoing field trials now.

RVU is a client/server-based technology that allows the television viewer to experience a consistent, pixel-accurate server-generated user interface on various consumer electronics devices.  The RVU specification uses widely implemented UPnP and DLNA technologies to enable a gateway device such as an advanced set-top box to work with non-proprietary client devices such as connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes.

Pace, DIRECTV and JetHead Development are members of The RVU Alliance, founded by Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV, Samsung and Verizon, which facilitates the adoption of an open standard technology that allows service providers to expand their unique UI and user experience onto standard consumer devices without the need for proprietary equipment.  For more information on the RVU Alliance please visit http://www.rvualliance.org.

About Pace

Pace (LSE: PIC) creates technologies, software, hardware and services for the broadband and broadcast industries.  Pace solutions empower cable, telco and satellite operators to simply and cost-effectively innovate at the speed they want, in the way they want for their subscribers.  Pace has built up its experience and expertise over 25 years and this is recognized by a customer base of over 160 operators around the globe.

Headquartered in the UK, Pace operates in markets across the world, and employs around 2300 people in locations that also include the USA, France, India and China.  For more information on Pace, please visit http://www.pace.com.