Pace Achieves Production Approval for DIRECTV® Next Generation "Genie" Server and Client

BOCA RATON, Fla. --(Business Wire)--

Pace (LSE: PIC), a leading global developer of advanced technologies for service providers, today announced the recent approval for production of DIRECTV's next generation HR44 "Genie" Media Server and C41 "mini Genie" device. These innovative new products are developed in compliance with the RVU protocol, as managed by the RVU Alliance (www.rvualliance.org).

The introduction of this next generation RVU server and client architecture supersedes the successful deployment of Pace manufactured HR34 Genie server and C31 mini Genie throughout the United States in 2012. This also follows numerous other Pace High Definition set-top box developments for DIRECTV all based on the highly successful Common Driver Interface (CDI) standard. Pace's experience in using CDI has decreased the development time for complex HD, HD-DVR and client/server set-top box solutions to less than a year.

"The innovation and success of the HR34 and C31 Home Media Center products across our network in 2012, affords great anticipation as we introduce our next generation Genie solution," said Romulo Pontual (News - Alert), executive vice president and CTO for DIRECTV. "This represents a significant advancement in home media content distribution. With Pace, we continue to partner on innovative products and solutions for our subscribers."

The DIRECTV "Genie" system is based on the RVU protocol, which is in turn based on DLNA and part of the DLNA Premium Video guidelines. This allows the streaming of HD video content via a highly secure connection to the C41 clients, or other compatible CE devices. It also provides a consistent UI across all connected platforms.

RVU offers a proven, deployed standard allowing broadcasters to keep their brand experience intact on every TV in the home. t delivers a pixel perfect user guide and high quality video to every client in the home, significantly reducing the amount of software testing required as new features are delivered.

"The RVU platform is designed to simplify everything from the development, integration, and deployment of the system," said Tim O'Loughlin, president, Pace Americas. "This translates into a seamless home installation with a great user experience."

As the processing power in Home Media Servers increases year after year, the ability to consolidate the user guide, applications and video storage centrally, and securely, provides broadcasters a more efficient way to offer added value services. Such services include Pandora, Facebook (News - Alert) and YouTube, alongside linear TV. The simplification of the eco-system benefits everybody with shorter development times, more exciting functionality, and higher customer satisfaction.

DIRECTV launched their "Genie" Whole Home system to subscribers across the United States in 2012.

About Pace

Pace (LSE: PIC) creates technologies, software, hardware and services for the broadcast and broadband industries. Pace solutions empower cable, telco and satellite operators to simply and cost-effectively innovate at the speed they want, in the way they want for their subscribers. Pace has built up its experience and expertise over 30 years and this is recognized by a customer base of over 160 operators around the globe.

Headquartered in the UK, Pace operates in markets across the world, and employs around 2300 people in locations that also include the USA, France, India and China. For further information, visit: www.pace.com.

About RVU Alliance

RVU is a client/server-based technology that allows the television viewer to experience a consistent, pixel accurate server-generated user interface on various consumer electronics devices. The RVU specification uses widely implemented UPnP and DLNA technologies to enable a gateway device such as an advanced set-top box to work with non-proprietary client devices such as connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes. The specification is maintained by the RVU Alliance, founded by Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV, Samsung and Verizon (News - Alert), which facilitates the adoption of an open standard technology that allows service providers to expand their unique UI and user experience onto standard consumer devices without the need for proprietary equipment. For more information on the RVU Alliance please visit www.rvualliance.org.

The RVU Alliance is an Oregon-based non-profit mutual benefit corporation formed to develop a specification for the RVU technology including a full-featured "pixel accurate" Remote User Interface (RUI). Founding Promoter members are Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV, Samsung (News - Alert) and Verizon. Other Promoter members are BSkyB, Entropic, Humax, JetHead Development Inc, Pace PLC, Qualcomm-Atheros, Sigma Designs, Sky Brasil, ST Microelectronics, Technicolor (News - Alert) and Trident Microsystems. The RVU Alliance complements and benefits existing industry interoperability initiatives and underscores its founders' commitment to the sharing of digital content in the connected home. For more information about the RVU Alliance, please visit www.rvualliance.org.