News

New UStec Home Network Realizes Goals of HANA Alliance (10/2/2006)

tecStream Available Through Nationwide Dealer Network

A home network now available through digital home networking leader UStec enables TVs, digital recorders, and storage devices to connect via a single 1394 cable.

The product, called tecStream, enables consumers to create a whole-house digital network that operates through a single remote control and an easy-to-use menu that pops up on networked televisions. tecStream is the first home-networking solution to include an IEEE 1394 interface designed for networking HD content from AV hard drives, digital and HD-DVD players. The tecStream product line demonstrates the digital connectivity envisioned by the recently formed High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA).

"We're encouraged because the HANA alliance should spur the consumer electronics industry to further embrace IEEE 1394," said UStec CEO Bill Thompson. "We have long viewed 1394 as the best platform for networking multiple streams of high definition video."

The UStec system, which runs over Cat5 (or better) cable, is the most powerful home networking solution on the market today. It allows homeowners to connect all of their entertainment devices - DVDs, media PCs, VCRs, PVRs -- into one converged network and control them from any television in the house. It boasts the capacity to run up to 16 independent streams of high definition video simultaneously while also providing Ethernet and phone service over the same cable with no degradation of signal quality. tecStream also encodes analog streams from legacy VCRs, set top boxes and DVD players at high bit rates to provide extraordinary picture quality.

"We created tecStream as a high bandwidth solution to take HD content and distribute it throughout the home." Thompson said. "Now that FCC-mandated IEEE 1394 connections are becoming available on cable set top boxes and on Digital TV's, tecStream will offer a simple and cost-effective solution for HD networking."

The tecStream network consists of a central 1.6 Gbps combined IEEE 1394/Ethernet switch, TS- 2500 network adapters with analog encoders, and TS-2000 network adapters for primarily A/V devices. Single Cat5 wires run from the central switch to each of the rooms where network adapters and television sets are located. Both the TS-2500 and TS-2000 modules contain IEEE 1394 ports to accommodate digital electronic equipment.

tecStream is shipping today and is available through UStec's dealer channel.

www.tecstream.com