Today, consumers can only enjoy their multi-media content on the TV to which the digital video recorder (DVR), set-top box (STB), DVD/Blu-ray Disc™ player or game console is directly connected. With LiquidHD technology consumers can flexibly enjoy their content throughout their home by pausing a movie, television program or video game on the TV in the living room and then resume it on a different TV or laptop with a single press of a button on the remote control.
"LiquidHD technology is poised to deliver the consumer electronics network for whole home HD distribution," said Brian O'Rourke, principal analyst at In-Stat. "Silicon Image has addressed the problems facing home CE networking by adding the intelligence to CE devices so they can automatically discover each other and securely share media content over commodity IP networking gear. The LiquidPixels remote user interface technology in LiquidHD is an important solution for set top boxes, Blu-ray players, DVD players and other sources to project their user interface to the TVs on the consumer electronics network in the home."
“With the fast changing home networking marketplace, we are looking at emerging technologies like LiquidHD to provide for our customers a rich and flexible entertainment environment that leverages our already successful broadcast and on-demand content to be distributed within the home,” said Bill Warga, vice president of technology at Liberty Global Inc.
“Silicon Image’s technology comes at the right time as the number of TVs and other consumer-facing devices capable of receiving video over an IP network continues to grow,” said Tony Werner, chief technology officer at Comcast. “While Silicon Image's technology could be used to enable multi-room DVRs, its real benefit could be its ability to help get cable providers’ content and applications to multiple consumer devices.”
LiquidHD technology is a suite of protocols that runs over commodity IP networks such as Ethernet, Coax like MoCA, powerline like HomePlug and wireless like WiFi (802.11n). Key components of the LiquidHD technology include:
- LiquidDiscover: Automatic discovery and authentication of all LiquidHD-enabled devices in the home - just plug it in and the TV automatically discovers your LiquidHD source devices;
- LiquidMedia: High-definition, high-fidelity media streaming from live and stored sources;
- LiquidPixels: Pixel accurate, low latency and low bandwidth remoting of any source device’s user interface to any LiquidHD display device. Includes a single remote control at each display to control all source devices on the LiquidHD network;
- LiquidControl: Secure control and communication between all devices;
- LiquidPlay™: Comprehensive security and content protection architecture built on a robust hardware solution. Enables consumers to move and play their legally obtained content on any LiquidHD device they own. Also protects CE devices from malevolent attacks by securing the control commands and LiquidPixels remote user interface.
“LiquidHD technology is the natural next step to the HDMI™ standard and is likewise designed from the ground up for easy, low cost integration into every TV and CE device,” said Steve Tirado, president and chief executive officer at Silicon Image, Inc. “LiquidHD’s rich networking support incorporated in every TV will lead to significant simplification and enrichment of the user entertainment experience in addition to a reduction in cost to service providers.”
LiquidHD technology is also energy efficient in that it allows all LiquidHD-enabled devices to revert to very low power standby mode when not in active operation. Once the consumer is ready to use a LiquidHD device across the network, a simple click on the remote control will result in full activation and instant access. This convenient and energy saving measure also benefits consumer electronics manufacturers as it meets the U.S. Energy Star rating and European regulations on low-power CE devices.
LiquidHD technology also enables significant enhancements to retail and hospitality applications.
“LiquidHD has the potential to create a game-changing technology for retail media systems and distributed ad placements in stores,” said Scott Francis, chief technology officer at PRN Corporation (Premier Retail Networks by Thomson). “The ability to target HD advertising to an individual screen or group of screens is exactly what advertisers want. LiquidHD could significantly increase the value of in-store advertising across TV displays worldwide.”
Silicon Image plans to partner with industry leading service operators
and consumer electronics companies to form an industry consortium that
supports and fosters the LiquidHD technology standard for broad market
adoption. For more information on LiquidHD please visit
www.liquidhd.com .
