Proving that set-top box development is far from a dead issue, Sigma Designs has entered into a joint venture agreement with VietSilicon Technology Joint Stock Company, a Vietnamese multimedia firm, to "develop and market high-performance set-top boxes for digital televisions, smart energy products and home connectivity solutions."
The deal will combine IPTV semiconductor technology with VTC's local content and network in Vietnam to "meet Vietnam's increasing demand for high definition set-top boxes and smart energy solutions," said Thinh Tran, Sigma Designs' CEO in a news release.
The JV is more evidence that set-top boxes, dreaded by some, hated by most, are still relevant. In-Stat in its latest research said that set-top revenues even showed a slight bump in the fourth quarter of 2010 ($5.7 billion versus $5.3 billion a year ago) caused by the "significant migration from standard definition to high definition in the more advanced markets like North America and Asia/Pacific," said Norm Bogen, In-Stat's vice president of digital entertainment.
For more:
- see this news release
- and this news release
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