Las Vegas -- Arris Group is taking the wraps off a hybrid media gateway -- capable of streaming IP video to devices within the home and delivering nearly 1 Gigabit per second of downstream Internet -- based on the Reference Design Kit (RDK) middleware from Comcast.
The vendor’s MG2402 gateway, designed for Comcast’s advanced Xfinity X1 service, will be on display here at the 2013 International CES in Intel’s booth.
The device is based on Intel’s Puma 6 Media Gateway chip set and DOCSIS 3.0 processor. It features a hybrid video architecture supporting QAM and IP-delivered video, with eight QAM tuners to support traditional MPEG/DVB video.
Comcast is expected to conduct field trials of the MG2402 in the first quarter of 2013. The MSO in mid-2012 launched the Xfinity X1 service, which provides personalization features, integrated search, Web-connected content and other apps.
“We congratulate Arris on the introduction of their new media gateway,” Steve Reynolds, Comcast’s senior vice president of premises technology, said in a statement. “This device will work with the millions of IP-enabled consumer devices capable of displaying video and will help operators, consumer-electronics companies and developers innovate at an even faster pace in today’s rapidly-changing multiscreen TV environment.”
Previously, Arris has offered its own Moxi middleware and guide (from its acquisition of Digeo) and has a project under way with NDS -- now part of Cisco Systems -- to integrate NDS middleware into its media gateways. Arris executives have said the NDS project, on behalf of an unidentified operator customer, is not affected by Cisco's acquisition of NDS or Arris's pending deal for Motorola Mobility's Home unit.
Arris’s MG2402 can transcode up to four live TV or DVR streams simultaneously, using the transcoding chip from Zenverge.
On the DOCSIS side, the gateway is capable of bonding up to 24 downstream channels, to deliver up to 960 Megabits per second to the home. It includes dual-band concurrent Wi-Fi for in-home coverage as well as support for the MoCA 2.0 home-networking specification.
In addition, the gateway incorporates HD Voice support with an integrated DECT base station, and includes Zigbee support for home automation and security.
“The MG2402 delivers the vision of an open standards, fully converged home, in one simple, easy-to-manage device,” said Derek Elder, Arris senior vice president and general manager of the Touchstone CPE division. “This announcement represents the continuing evolution of our market-leading Media Gateway vision as we help define the future of the truly connected home.”
Arris, based in Suwanee, Ga., is in the process of acquiring the Motorola Home division from Google, in a deal worth $2.35 billion. The deal, announced last month, is expected to close by the second quarter of 2013.
