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Firecomms OptoLock® Built into
IPTV Set
Top Box Reference Design by STMicroelectronics
Other Topics:
IPTV
Solid-State Video Server
Firecomms
December 18, 2008
Cork, Ireland - Firecomms announces that its OptoLock® interconnect
technology has been built into the STMicroelectronics STi7105
reference design for an IPTV set top box. An easy-to-use, low-cost
housing for instant termination of bare Plastic Optical Fiber (POF),
OptoLock will enable the quick and easy connection of POF in home
networks directly to the STB. |
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"This decision by
STMicroelectronics to include OptoLock in its reference design
demonstrates the inroads that POF has made in the home networking
arena," says Hugh Hennessy, Firecomms' vice president of sales and
marketing. "With more and more device makers including POF ports
directly in IPTV and other devices, consumers will soon be able to
realize all the advantages of this do-it-yourself networking
technology."
"Our development kit exploits several of the most popular
interconnect solutions to enable a quick and easy installation of a
set top box," says Jean-Michel Goiran, IPTV Set Top Box business
development manager at STMicroelectronics.
OptoLock is ideal for 100 Mb Ethernet
applications with stringent quality of service requirements such as
IPTV gateways, set-top boxes, and hubs. The design of OptoLock
enables the fiber to be cut and terminated to the exact required
length on site, allowing even the most novice consumer to quickly
and easily terminate the bare optical fiber.
Firecomms leads the development of
devices that drive POF, a low-cost optical alternative to copper
cabling. Due to its ease of use, large core tolerances, and low
costs, POF is enjoying significant growth in a wide range of
applications. Created for consumer, industrial, and automotive
applications in which plastic fiber can be used more easily and at
lower costs than copper or glass fiber, POF is now used in millions
of small area networks, such as those in cars, and is rapidly
gaining ground in home network and point-to-point interconnections.
The POF market is estimated to be worth over $1 billion per year
beginning at the end of 2009.
About Firecomms Ltd.
Firecomms, a compound semiconductor
company, develops high-speed light sources in visible-range
wavelengths. Firecomms' lasers and LEDs provide the groundwork that
will revolutionize optical data communications for small area
networks, such as in-car networks and home networks. Firecomms'
low-power visible lasers unleash the potential for advances in
medical devices, barcode scanners, and optical storage devices.
The Ireland-based company leverages its ten years of photonics
research experience, optical expertise, and extensive IP portfolio
to develop cost-effective solutions for applications in which the
use of glass fiber optics is prohibitively expensive. Additional
information about Firecomms is available at www.firecomms.com.
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