DIVA Consortium Unveils a New Interface Standard for Next-Generation Interactive Digital TV and CE Networking

GUANGZHOU, China, May. 21 /PRNewswire/ --

GUANGZHOU, China, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- At the China Digital Living Forum & Showcase 2008, the formation of the DIVA Consortium was formally unveiled to the Chinese consumer electronics industry. The China Video Industry Association (CVIA) announced its support of the DIVA Consortium's efforts to create a new interface for next-generation interactive digital television and consumer electronics (CE) networking. DIVA's interface technology promises to combine uncompressed high-definition video, multi-channel audio, and high-bandwidth, bi-directional data transfer over a single cable. Once connected with DIVA, CE devices will be networked locally so they can be easily set up and controlled from any TV on the DIVA network-passing video, audio and bulk data between devices.

"We are excited that DIVA enables interactive digital TV and networking among CE devices in future digital homes," said Mrs. Weimin Bai, Secretary General of CVIA. "Combining uncompressed and compressed AV interfaces and home networking with a secure, personal domain-based content-protection technology will allow Chinese CE makers to take the lead in developing products for a fully connected interactive digital home. We are especially pleased that this next-generation interface technology is originating in China and looking forward to becoming a successful global standard worldwide."

Key DIVA Technology Features

Unlike current industry interface standards, DIVA technology combines a reliable, high-speed, bi-directional data channel with an uncompressed video and audio channel to allow users to connect, configure and control various home CE devices from their digital TVs.

DIVA technology enables an 8B/10B encoded forward channel for transporting uncompressed video up to 13.5 Gbps, which is capable of handling video transmissions well beyond 1080p resolution with deep color and high refresh rates. In addition, DIVA enables a high-speed, bi-directional hybrid data channel that can operate at up to 2.25 Gbps, and can be divided into sub-channels that transport audio, command and bulk data. The protocol for the hybrid channel can be bridged to other wired and wireless interfaces, allowing DIVA interface products to easily connect to a home network that is comprised of a variety of devices. At the China Digital Living Forum & Showcase 2008, the DIVA protocol was demonstrated working over a single CAT6 cable, with only 8 wires (four differential pairs) to show its potential for rapid and cost-effective adoption.

Major Chinese CE Companies Support DIVA

The DIVA Consortium's charter members (called the Promoters Group) include major CE and home appliance manufacturers such as TCL Corporation; Chang Hong Electric Co.; Skyworth Group; Hisense Electric Co.; Konka Group; Haier Co.; SVA Information Industry Co.; Panda Electronics Co. and Synerchip Co., Ltd.

Ms. Weisong Gao, Director of R&D at Hisense said, "DIVA technology enables compatibility with both existing wired and emerging wireless multimedia interfaces. There are a number of issues regarding inter-device communication that are difficult to resolve with today's wired interfaces. DIVA will address these concerns so home networks can be set up to seamlessly utilize both wired and wireless connections."

Dr. Weidong Huang, Senior Engineer of TCL said, "For consumer electronics manufacturers, today's digital interfaces are point-to-point connections that are limited in their ability to accommodate a network of devices. We look forward to offering the ability to connect multiple source devices to multiple displays, to monitor and control various digital home appliances from the TV in the living room, and to organize various personal and mobile entertainment devices in the same home network."

David Lee, Executive Chairman of Synerchip, and one of the chief architects of the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) notes, "By merging multimedia and data communication over a single interface, the DIVA standard is poised take digital home networking to a new level, fulfilling the promise of making DTV the center of the home entertainment network."

For more information on DIVA, please visit: http://www.diva-interface.org

For more information on the China Digital Living Forum & Showcase 2008, please visit: http://www.dtvn.cn/szjt/forum.shtml