UWB chipset supports 1394 expansion

Specification provides interoperability, content protection and guaranteed quality of service for high definition and multimedia devices networked throughout the entire home.

Pulse-Link's CWave ultrawideband (UWB) MAC/PHY technology will support a new industry specification developed by the 1394 Trade Association to provide interoperability, content protection and guaranteed quality of service for high definition and multimedia devices networked throughout the entire home.

"Pulse-Link has addressed a significant technical challenge for streaming premium content around the home", says James Snider, Executive Director of the 1394 Trade Association.

"The 1394 TA is pleased to see Pulse-Link delivering a solution for the market".

"By combining the high datarate performance and end-to-end QoS of the CWave MAC/PHY with the digital rights protection inherent in 1394, we were able to define a solid specification for products to be developed".

Digital piracy has been a primary concern for content and service providers with the emergence of video streaming.

1394, which includes Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP), is the only approved security output connection for set-top boxes.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that 1394 connections be included in all new cable and satellite set-top boxes as a means of protecting digital content.

The High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA), a cross-industry organisation comprised of leading content providers, service providers, consumer electronic manufacturers and information technology companies, chose 1394 as a method for whole-home distribution of premium content because of its DTCP security as well as its guaranteed Quality of Service and automatic device discovery capabilities.

"What this means for consumers is that they will see products and services from different manufacturers that work seamlessly together, providing a simplified user experience and the ability to share HDTV and Multimedia content throughout the home", states John Santhoff, Pulse-Link founder and CTO.

"Increased content consumption also provides substantially increased value propositions for cable operators and other service and content providers".

Devices enabled with Pulse-Link's CWave UWB chipset allow HD content located anywhere in the home to be shared across the existing in-home coax backbone with wireless connectivity in each room for networking of set-top boxes, HDTVs, DVRs, DVD players, gaming consoles, media centre PCs, and other multimedia equipment.

CWave supports 1394, Ethernet and HDMI connections from a common chipset and provides end-to-end Quality of Service, while still preserving content protection mechanisms.

Unequaled data carrying capacity also enables interactive "trick play" capabilities (pause, fast-forward, fast-rewind) and menu navigation throughout the home.

"This represents the first industry standard for UWB-over-coax, and culminates years of pioneering work", states Bruce Watkins, President and Chief Operating Officer for Pulse-Link.

"Combining our CWave technology's unique ability to deliver more than 400Mbit/s of application throughput over coax throughout the home with the guaranteed quality of service and content protection inherent with 1394 technology is an obvious marriage".

"We are happy to provide R and D assurances to our IP to enable other semiconductor companies to deliver products in accordance with this standard, and see this as the beginning of several other standards that we will enable with CWave technology in 2008".

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