Feb. 26, 2002 – Eindhoven, Netherlands, and Geneva, Switzerland – Philips, an provider of Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) software solutions, and STMicroelectronics have signed an agreement to develop solutions for applying MHP technology in set-top boxes and digital television sets.

Both parties will develop and market pre-integrated solutions of the Philips MHP 1.0.x software platform and ST’s OMEGA family of single-chip digital set-top box decoder platforms. These solutions for building advanced digital set-top boxes and integrated digital televisions are aimed to cut back development and production times for consumer electronics manufacturers seeking to build MHP-compliant digital TV receivers.

DVB-MHP is the new open standard for interactive digital television across Europe and Asia, and provides a standardized platform on which software and content can be developed. MHP also forms the basis for the Open Cable Specification in the US. Philips Softworks, a business unit of Philips Digital Networks, has successfully developed and implemented an MHP 1.0.1-compliant software ‘stack’ offering full interactive digital television functionality, the companies said.

ST and Philips will offer the Philips MHP 1.0.x software platform technology running on devices from ST’s range of set-top box decoders.

The reference systems combine hardware and software that are integrated for operation and will make use of both companies’ existing technologies.

Under the agreement, ST will work with Philips to jointly market MHP reference systems based on ST’s OMEGA range of set-top box decoders. The focus of the two companies is currently demonstration models for the STi5512 and the STi5514 single-chip decoders using ST’s STAPI (ST Application Programming Interface) driver suite. It is scheduled to be available early in 2002. The complete MHP reference system in product quality follows in mid -2002. A high-end solution including both ST’s ST40GX1 and STi5514 chips is also being considered.