Pace's DS810 - first to achieve Premiere HD certification
Saltaire, West Yorkshire, 6 December 2005: Pace Micro Technology plc (pic.l), the leading dedicated innovator of technology solutions for the payTV industry, has become the first supplier to achieve set-top box certification from Premiere for Europe's first high definition payTV service. Premiere, who have begun their high definition rollout using Pace's DS810, are leading European payTV in the move to high definition broadcasting.
The Pace DS810 that has been selected and certified by Premiere, is the world's first DVB-S2 MPEG-4/H.264 high definition (HD) set-top box for commercial deployment. This set-top box uses advanced MPEG-4/H.264 HD hardware decoding to deliver superb quality pictures while making the most efficient use of available broadcasting bandwidth. It comes packed with new technologies such as DVB-S2, which improves bandwidth efficiency by up to 30%, and HDMI with HDCP for secure connectivity to HD-Ready displays.
Premiere is initially transmitting three high definition channels with sports, movies and documentaries. Therefore to ensure an effective transition to high definition, the Pace DS810 is a multiformat decoder, allowing viewers to watch both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 HD programmes, as well as existing standard definition (SD) programmes, at the best possible quality.
The DS810 is the third Pace set-top box to achieve Premiere certification. Earlier this year the TDS460 personal video recorder passed through the certification process, with Pace's DS210 achieving certification in March 2004 to support the initial launch of Premiere's digital services.
Sandy Barblett, regional director EMEA at Pace comments: "Premiere has turned European high definition into reality. High definition delivers a truly exceptional viewing experience and German viewers will now be able to watch the 2006 World Cup, using Pace technology, just as clearly as if they were at the match!"
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About Pace Micro Technology
Pace Micro Technology plc (LSE: PIC) is a leader in digital television technology. The Company's primary focus is the development of innovative set-top box solutions for operators, broadcasters, telecommunications companies and retail markets worldwide.
Pace's head office is in Shipley West Yorkshire, with further offices in the USA, Hong Kong, Germany and France.