LG Electronics Unveils Smart Set-Top Boxes to Address Growing Consumer Content Demand

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2013 /3BL Media/ – At the 2013 Cable Show today, LG Electronics unveiled a new range of energy efficient smart set-top boxes (STBs) designed to help cable operators capitalize on the Smart TV explosion, accelerate the transition to Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) and deliver the combination of live, linear TV programming and over-the-top (OTT) TV that consumers demand.

As a 2013 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year, LG Electronics is committed to helping cable operators deploy technology that helps consumers save energy. Key products in the new lineup, including the LG NetCast OTT STB and LG Google TV IPTV STB, are designed to be meet the current ENERGY STAR 3.0 specification and the future ENERGY STAR 4.0 specification. What’s more, Smart TV apps that bring cable services to LG ENERGY STAR certified connected televisions can eliminate STBs (and their energy use) altogether.

The Official Smart TV Partner of the 2013 Cable Show, LG is bringing its considerable Smart TV expertise to bear on a new line of STBs that marry proven platforms for Internet-connected devices with flexible cable-centric applications to meet consumers’ varying entertainment needs and enhance their home TV experience. The seven products effectively lower the barrier to smart TV and connected home experiences for consumers everywhere, making the latest in home entertainment and automation more widely available.

From LG’s new Ultra HD set-top box – developed to deliver “ultra-high definition” 4K content with four times the resolution of 1080p Full HD* – to STBs based on the Google TV and LG “NetCast” Smart TV operating systems, to innovative “dongle” USB STBs, LG is offering cable operators a broad array of solutions that leverage the cable industry’s unparalleled broadband capabilities.

In addition to the new smart set-top boxes, LG is also demonstrating premium cable services on LG Smart TVs and smartphones. Real-world applications include a “catch-up TV” service from Rogers Anyplace TV including a user interface optimized for the intuitive LG Magic Remote, “HBO GO” video-on-demand on the TV using a Miracast smartphone, and home monitoring/control that leverages the largest display in the home to check security cameras and adjust lighting. Smart TVs based on the LG NetCast platform and latest Google TV operating system also can deliver whole-home DVR, high-performance cloud gaming and other cable services.

“Traditional cable and smart TV capabilities are converging faster than ever, driven by consumer demand,” said Kurt Hoppe, director of Smart TV innovation and new business, LG Electronics USA. “Consumers are seeking ways to get all of their subscription-based services, cable feeds and video-on-demand in one place, and they want options that feel natural to them. With LG’s portfolio of set-top boxes and open Smart TV platforms, cable operators have a comprehensive response that will satisfy subscribers’ entertainment needs now and in the future.”

Consumer-Friendly Leaps for Industry

Among its new suite of STBs, LG’s IPTV STB with Google TV and NetCast Over-The-Top  STB stand out as new, consumer-friendly advances, both offering access to premium content such as YouTube, VUDU and Hulu, as well as traditional live TV and video on demand (VOD) services.**

LG’s Google TV based IPTV STB supports rich content services, including live TV, VOD, a Chrome web browser and access to the Google Play store, providing subscribers an efficient, all-in-one stop for their home media, incorporating content delivered via cable or satellite with the connected-TV experience that they have come to expect from next-generation connected consumer electronics products.

The LG IPTV STB can run any HD media application developed for the Android platform. With the built-in phone to TV and second TV content sharing capabilities, the television can continue to be the center of media in the home, displaying streaming content directly from other devices on the home network.***

LG wrapped the advanced processing features into an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) which includes features such as the smart channel guide and home control, allowing the television to move beyond the entertainment center and into the realm of home automation via lighting controls, energy monitoring and door or window sensor management.

LG’s DLNA compliant NetCast OTT box enables advanced media sharing capabilities; remote management, and the ability to connect to a home video gateway in order to receive terrestrial or Pay TV programming and VOD.***

Options for Every Service Provider and End-User

While the Google IPTV and NetCast OTT STBs lead the charge to combine live TV and OTT services, the LG Ultra HD set-top box represents the next step in image quality, supporting 4K x 2K / 60p decoding in an all-in-one gateway server*. The LG Ultra HD STB is designed to deliver content with four times the resolution of Full HD for the utmost in picture resolution. It also supports content sharing via DLNA, Wi-Fi and multimedia over coaxial (MoCA).

Products like the LG Android Mini Box or Android Dongle enable high-performance client STBs to become virtually invisible, receiving protected HD video streams or interacting with award-winning gaming services through cutting-edge 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology (the newest iteration of wireless home networking). The simple physical setup, TR-069 support, and user interface make it possible for subscribers to self-install and quickly start browsing video content or the web with full HTML5 support.

LG’s broad STB line-up introduced at the 2013 Cable Show includes:

• IPTV STB with Google TV based on the latest Android operating system providing cable operators’ live and video on demand (VOD) content, as well as rich content such as the Google Play app store, Google Chrome Internet browser, and YouTube, plus home monitoring and automation capabilities including energy monitoring, lighting, and home security controls.**

• Android Mini-Box/Dongle media player using the Jelly Bean 4.2.2 operating system, supporting 802.11ac Wi-Fi for viewing HD streaming content on a Full HD screen.

• NetCast OTT STB providing access to Live Linear TV, VOD, and DVR recordings as well as OTT content, all in a tiny form factor, leveraging LG’s DLNA-compliant Smart Share technology for accessing protected content over a home network.**

• Ultra HD STB offering 4K reception and playback capability using a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, HVEC 4K x 2K video compression technology, and supporting the MoCA 2.0 and DOCSIS 3.0 standards.*

• Next-Generation “OpenTV 5” combining an IP-capable STB with OpenTV 5 middleware supporting progressive download and adaptive streaming, NAGRA conditional access content protection, and wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi 802.11n) for file sharing among devices and connecting to a home gateway.

• Low-Cost MPEG 4 Cable STB with downloadable conditional access security, 256 QAM, 64 QAM and 8 VSB modulation.

• Wi-Fi Dongle allowing users with Miracast smartphones to easily mirror the phone’s screen directly onto the big-screen TV, using only a simple Wi-Fi connection.

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About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $45 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. LG Electronics, a proud 2013 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions in the United States, all under LG’s “Life's Good” marketing theme. www.lg.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

LG Electronics USA, Inc.

John Taylor

202-719-3490

john.taylor@lge.com

Cathleen Cronin

908-334-3209

cathleen.cronin@lg-one.com

*No “ultra definition” or “4K” video content is currently available.  No broadcast or other standard currently exists for “4K” or “ultra definition” television and LG’s set top boxes may not be compatible with such standards if and when developed.

**Internet connection & certain subscriptions required and sold separately for smart features. Content and services vary by product and are subject to change without notice.

***Wireless internet connection required and sold separately.