News

Arcadyan Ships First Digital Media Receiver for European Market (17/12/2003)

Arcadyan Technology Corporation, the joint venture between Accton Technology Corporation of Taiwan (TAIEX:2345) and Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI), announced today the first shipments of the Digital Media Receiver with embedded 802.11a/b/g featuring PAL support for the European market. The Digital Media Receiver is an adapter device that wirelessly links personal computers, the Internet and existing audio/video products in the home.

The Digital Media Receiver for Europe is one of a number of implementations built on Arcadyan's robust Wireless Home A/V Platform. The original version was the first A/V device to earn the UPnP(TM) mark from the UPnP(TM) Implementers Corporation (UIC). Like its predecessor, the new PAL and NTSC compatible version features an embedded 802.11a/b/g MiniPCI card, the UPnP(TM) mark, worldwide Wi-Fi certification, WEP security and MPEG-2 video, next to the support for various audio and picture standards. Specifically designed for the European market, the device also has an enhanced language offering including French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch.

"Europe's quick roll-out of broadband is changing the behavior of European consumers with regard to their digital content," noted Engelbert van Pelt, Arcadyan COO. "We are seeing an increased need to provide solutions to help people enjoy their digital pictures, music and movies in the living room."

The device is designed for OEM customers and provides an easy-to-customize solution for consumer electronics, cable, PC and retail customers. Arcadyan chose to design the platform using the Philips Nexperia Media Processor to ensure the highest quality multimedia processing while maintaining reliable multifunctional networking management. The Nexperia Media Processor supports MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 decoding, as well as control and user-interface functions on a single chip.

"Arcadyan's new media receiver provides consumers with an easy way to wirelessly link the PC with the home entertainment center. Consumers will be able to easily display digital videos, photos and Internet content on their television," stated Jens Jensen, vice president, Consumer & Multimedia Marketing, Philips Semiconductors.

Arcadyan plans to ship the Digital Media Receiver through various OEM channels including PC, retail, consumer electronics and set-top box companies that sell end consumer products for the Digital Home throughout Europe. The device's streamlined form factor is an add-on device to home audio/video clusters. Also available for high-end consumer electronics companies, the Wireless Home A/V Platform also includes the Digital Entertainment Receiver which features a component-like form factor and LCD display designed for high-end consumer electronic companies. Future versions will be differentiated per customer based on industrial design, feature-set and user interface.

www.arcadyan.com