Sigma Designs Unveils Industry's Most Advanced Ultra-Thin Set-Top Box Design

Reference design combines media processing, home networking and home control technologies to create a new class of high-performance, ultra-thin set-top boxes

MILPITAS, Calif., June 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Sigma Designs, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGM), a leading global networked media platform company, plans to release the industry's most advanced platform reference design, which integrates a gateway into the set-top box and will bring new vitality to the set-top box market. The set-top box using Sigma Designs' new reference design can stream 1080p Internet high-definition content over powerline networks, which will add more impetus to the growing set-top box market. The entire set-top box device is about the size of a human hand.

“Service providers want to reduce costs while improving the user experience,” said Thinh Tran, chairman and CEO of Sigma Designs. “With Sigma’s ultra-thin set-top boxes, customers of telecom companies, cable TV companies, and IPTV and IP video companies can install their own set-top boxes, significantly reducing deployment costs. More importantly, this high-performance solution provides more reliable service quality, a lightweight form factor that consumers love, and the ability to control a wide range of interoperable home control products.”

Sigma Designs' ultra-thin reference platform is different from existing set-top box products. This revolutionary, self-installable, ultra-thin design requires no power cord and plugs directly into an AC outlet. It uses Sigma's award-winning ClearPath-enabled HomePlugAV technology to support home powerline networking. The platform uses a state-of-the-art media processor to decode multiple HD IPTV signal streams and connect to HDTVs via a simple HDMI connector.

The new system also integrates Z-Wave radio frequency technology to provide the most advanced remote control capabilities. The ultra-thin set-top box with Z-Wave technology can be placed behind the TV or in a cabinet without affecting the control function. The new system can control not only the TV, but also more than 500 available Z-Wave devices, including lights, door locks, thermostats, etc. It is also the first design to integrate full functionality and necessary processing power to meet customers' most common needs for controlling connected home devices.

Sigma Designs will supply this fully integrated ultra-thin set-top box reference design to service providers and their set-top box equipment providers. Customers will be able to quickly enter the market with a turnkey solution, and Sigma will provide direct support to customers through a single protocol and contact point.

The new ultra-thin reference platform is the first in a series of solutions Sigma has developed to support the needs of the growing all-in-one set-top box market. Its core technologies include:

• SMP8670 media processor

SMP8670 is a highly integrated, high-performance, low-cost media processor for thin clients, which can be optimized for running set-top box applications and graphic-rich environments such as Adobe AIR for TV and Adobe Flash Player. The platform features high-quality audio and video decoding, powerful audio and video processing capabilities, and common peripheral interfaces, combined with software architecture to support rapid product development and low production costs. The new solution is 40% faster and 30% less power than Sigma's previous thin client solution, greatly improving the responsiveness of the new advanced user interface. In addition, the architecture also provides advanced content protection capabilities, supports a variety of digital rights management (DRM) and conditional access (CA) solutions, and supports Android, Windows CE and Linux systems.

• Supports ClearPath(TM) HomePlugAV technology

Sigma's ClearPath-enabled HomePlugAV technology is a breakthrough home networking technology that delivers carrier-grade high-definition video, voice and data streams over the home's existing power lines. Sigma's award-winning platform uses three conductors (live, neutral and ground) to improve transmission performance and double the transmission speed. It is also the only MIMO (multi-input and output) solution currently available. Sigma's ClearPath-enabled HomePlugAV technology complies with the universal HomePlugAV standard and can deliver three types of signals, such as DVR, HDTV and 3D TV, to all power outlets in the home, even in multi-phase buildings, across surge protectors and EMI filters.

• Z-Wave(R) technology

Z-Wave technology is an advanced home control and energy management technology. Today, more than 500 interoperable products produced by more than 170 manufacturers around the world support Z-Wave technology, far surpassing other competing technologies. Leading manufacturers of lamps, thermostats, curtain controllers, door locks and other products have developed a large number of solutions. This is why manufacturers such as ADT, Schlage, Verizon, Vivint and others use home services based on Z-Wave technology.

For more information on the new ultra-thin reference designs, visit http://www.sigmadesigns.com .

About Sigma Designs

Sigma Designs is a global leader in networked media platforms. It designs and develops key semiconductor technologies that are the foundation of the world's leading IPTV set-top boxes, networked media players, home gateways, home control systems and more. For more information about Sigma Designs, please visit www.sigmadesigns.com .

SigmaDesigns, ClearPath, Z-Wave, and the SigmaDesigns logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of SigmaDesigns, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.