DS2 first to show working G.hn prototypes for home networks

Valencia, SPAIN, 12 January 2010 – DS2, a leading technology innovator and global supplier of high-speed powerline and coax communications silicon, announced today another milestone has been achieved in the development of G.hn silicon with the first live demonstration of G.hn prototypes at the HomeGrid Forum’s CES 2010 suite. DS2 also demonstrated that their G.hn prototypes support DS2’s existing UPA technology, continuing DS2’s commitment to ensure backward compatibility with their large installed base of UPA systems.

G.hn is the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) next generation home networking standard. It defines very high-speed home network operation over coax, powerlines, and phonelines by the same silicon. The G.hn standard guarantees interoperability by defining a single DLL/PHY technology for home coax, phoneline, and powerline networks, enabling consumers to connect any device using any wire, anywhere in the home.

Insights to the G.hn Live! demonstration at CES
The DS2 G.hn Live! prototype demonstration ran continuously through CES, providing optimised networking over power, coax and phone lines, exchanging data at throughput that far exceeds today’s home network technologies over any medium. The demonstration consisted of the prototypes sequentially connected with coax, powerline, and phoneline and a high data rate feed of multiple content streams sent across their links, to both a PC and a HD TV. The HD content streamed was at full 1080P to ensure the G.hn service was being tested with a service that requires top performance, Quality of Service, and bandwidth. The G.hn coax link operated at over three times the best performance possible with today’s legacy coax networking technologies. The phoneline performance was over four times that seen with today’s technologies. The powerline performance was also over three times what is possible with today’s legacy technologies. And, using the advanced forward error correction and Quality of Service mechanisms of G.hn, the powerline demonstrations were error-free while operating over live power lines subjected continuously to the extreme RF interference generated within the CES itself. Given the type of real world performance demonstrated, a G.hn home network will be able to stream more HD movies anywhere in the home, with even more bandwidth available for other applications than any other home networking technology available.

“Bandwidth requirements in the home network are increasing dramatically due to the way we use and share content and the number of intelligent and energy management devices connected to the home network. At CES 2010, DS2 successfully demonstrated G.hn throughput speeds that support a vast number of simultaneous HD movie streams1. G.hn, with its greater than three times throughput speeds, offers the speed and interoperability to dramatically transform the digital home,” said Jorge Blasco, President and CEO of DS2.

DS2 also demonstrated interoperability of its current Universal Powerline Association (UPA) based powerline technology with the G.hn prototypes, confirming that DS2’s G.hn chips will provide backwards interoperability with today’s installed base of UPA devices. To show the ease of UPA interoperability, after a G.hn powerline link was established between two prototypes, one of the prototypes would be disconnected and replaced with a UPA device from one of the many DS2 UPA partners. The remaining prototype would “auto-sense” the change from G.hn to UPA, quickly establish a link with the UPA device, and achieve a throughput rate the same as achieved by a link between two UPA devices.

“2010 will be the year G.hn captures the market and begins to replace the many disparate technologies that do not interoperate or perform as G.hn does,” commented Mr. Blasco. “To invest in 2010 in legacy technologies without a firm path forward to convert to G.hn seems an unwise decision,” he added.

DS2 reiterated their announced availability of G.hn-based silicon during Q3 2010, with quantity shipments in Q4.

<sup>About DS2
DS2 is the leading technology innovator and a global provider of high-speed semiconductor solutions for Powerline Communications and other wire-line network communications products. DS2 invented high-speed Powerline Communications delivering the first 200 Mbps Powerline Communications IC to enable quality multimedia home networking, networked entertainment and broadband access applications to and throughout the home, office, or building, and to and throughout urban and rural communities. Enabling the hidden multimedia network behind the power outlet is the purpose of DS2. Our mission is to engage our customers at the vanguard of innovation by creating the most advanced and sustainable powerline, coaxial and phoneline communications solutions.

Contacts                  
Ann Whyte
DS2
Tel:+ 34 96 136 60 04
ann.whyte@ds2.es

Manuela Whittaker
IBA – PR for DS2
Tel: +44(0)1780 721433
mwhittaker@iba-international.com</sup>

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