Tzero Unveils New Ultra Wideband Chipset for Home Entertainment Networking

Tzero Unveils New Ultra Wideband Chipset for Home Entertainment Networking

New ZeroWire™ Solution Delivers Wired and Wireless Performance More Than 2X Greater Than Competing Technologies

Tzero Technologies today announced its new ZeroWire chipset (TZC7200), the first WiMedia® standards-based, ultra wideband (UWB) semiconductor solution optimized for real-time delivery of high-definition video, wirelessly and over wires. The ZeroWire chipset enables service providers to create networks for distributing entertainment content throughout the entire home using existing coax cable. The chipset also gives consumer electronics manufacturers the ability to create new classes of wireless video devices – HDTVs, digital video recorders, and more – that are easier and less expensive to install.

“The home entertainment market is rapidly moving to high-definition digital content. Service providers are creating the networks to deliver it. Consumer electronics companies are building products to store and display it. But neither group has had an effective way for distributing and connecting that content around the home, until today,” said Mike Gulett, president and CEO of Tzero. “Now, Tzero’s ZeroWire chipset gives both CE manufacturers and service providers a standards-based solution that can cover the whole home with high definition by using a combination of wired and wireless links. No other chipset can provide this capability.”

Solutions for Service Providers and CE Manufacturers

ZeroWire opens the doors for service providers to expand next-generation broadband and IPTV services. It delivers the performance and sustained throughput to support multiple high-definition video streams. Because it works over existing coax cabling, it significantly reduces the cost of installation.

“As part of our effort to design a robust industry standard solution for delivering high-definition content around the home, Tzero has been a key partner for Samsung,” said Dr. Heemin Kwon, executive vice president of Samsung. “Tzero has worked closely with us to extend ultra wideband wireless technology to support an open standard that works over existing in-home coax cabling. Combined with HANA technology, these future set-top boxes will enable carriers to create the first complete whole home high-definition A/V networking solution, which will allow consumers to share their media and devices across the home without sacrificing quality.”

Consumer electronics manufacturers using ZeroWire can develop wireless video products including: wireless high-definition TVs, projectors, Blu-Ray and HD DVD players, game consoles, media adapters, and media center PCs. With ZeroWire, flat panel TVs can be placed anywhere without tearing open walls to run cabling, and video recorded in one room can be seamlessly accessed from another.

ZeroWire Capabilities

The ZeroWire chipset is optimized for wireless and wired networking of entertainment content around the home. Capabilities include:
Performance for multiple high-definition video streams with PHY data rates of up to 480 Mbps over coax for whole-home coverage and wirelessly within rooms. The sustained data rates are more than double that of MoCA-based products and more than 10x that of WiFi solutions including those using 802.11n.
Multiple interfaces for easy incorporation into a range of devices through PCI, transport stream and host bus interfaces.
Broad protocol support for network connectivity and application integration including IP, UDP, TCP/IP, multicast and unicast.

ZeroWire is comprised of both a Radio Frequency IC (RFIC) as well as a baseband and media access control system-on-chip. It is WiMedia compliant and provides full WiMedia networking support for seamless sharing of entertainment content.

“Tzero uses a completely standards-based ultra wideband to deliver solutions for distributing high-definition throughout a home,” said Ben Bajarin, analyst with Creative Strategies. “With major players such as Bluetooth 3.0 and Wireless USB also employing WiMedia standards, Tzero is in good company, enabling wired and wireless home entertainment networks with devices that are guaranteed to interoperate.”

Availability

The Tzero ZeroWire chipset is available immediately. For more information, go to www.tzerotech.com or call 408-328-5000.

About Tzero Technologies, Inc.

Tzero Technologies is the leader in high-definition video distribution. The company’s advanced ultra wideband semiconductors enable connections between a range of A/V components — HDTVs, set-top boxes, digital video recorders and more — without new wires. Founded in 2003, Tzero is backed by tier-one venture partners, including August Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Miven Venture Partners, OVP, USVP and VentureTech Alliance. Tzero is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Contacts

for Tzero
Layla McHale, 408-981-6394
lmchale {at} pacbell(.)net