Saltaire, West Yorkshire, 15 February 2006: Pace Micro Technology plc (pic.l), the leading dedicated innovator of technology solutions for the payTV industry, will be showing its latest innovations for digital television at CABSAT 2006 from 7 to 9 March in Dubai.
High definition (HD)
High definition television (HDTV) is a relatively new development for the Middle East but it is growing in popularity as the demand for superior quality pictures and sound meets the availability of HD-Ready equipment and programming.
Pace is demonstrating two of its most technically advanced HD products at CABSAT 2006:
- The DS810 - the world's first DVB-S2 H.264 HD set-top box, which is now being commercially deployed in Europe
- The Pace HD-DVR - a combination high definition digital video recorder which enables viewers to view and store their HD content to watch whenever they want
Personal Video Recorder (PVR)
IMS Research* estimates that there will be 1.6 million PVR households across the Middle East and Africa by 2010, with more than 10% of these offering HD PVR functionality.
Pace is a world leader in PVR technology - and has deployed PVR set-top boxes for BSkyB in the UK, Premiere and Viasat in Europe, and FOXTEL and Sky New Zealand in Australasia. Pace has also recently won business to supply Sky Italia in Italy with their latest PVR set-top box, which will be on show at CABSAT 2006.
Pace has also taken the PVR one step further and made it mobile. With Pace's PVR2GO, viewers can watch their chosen content not only when but also where they want. This is the world's first payTV mobile PVR and offers operators a new way to reach customers and reduce churn.
Multiroom
Once a household has converted to digital television, the next logical move is to make it available throughout the rest of the home. Pace's Multiroom works by linking television sets around the home to one main set-top box, which acts as a server. With this system, every room with a TV can receive the same service as in the main hub (usually the lounge) - including high definition and PVR services - without the need to equip each with expensive equipment.
IPTV
IPTV is an up and coming platform in the Middle East. For operators or telcos looking to launch an IPTV service, Pace has developed the IP215. This is the world's first set-top box to perform the H.264 decode in the hardware, resulting in an end product that offers a reliable, high quality service, at lower cost.
Pace can be found in Hall 8, Fujairah Rooms B&C at CABSAT 2006.
* IMS Research, January 2006: The Worldwide Market for Digital Video Recorders
About Pace Micro Technology
Pace Micro Technology plc (pic.l) 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.