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RVU Alliance Forming to Accelerate Development Of Remote User Interface Technology

Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV and Samsung Founding Alliance to Promote New RUI Optimized For Thin Client CE Devices

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug 03, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV and Samsung are forming an alliance to develop a specification for a full-featured "pixel accurate" Remote User Interface (RUI) that will form the core of the new RVU technology. The RVU Alliance complements and benefits existing industry interoperability initiatives and underscores its founders' commitment to the sharing of digital content in the connected home.

Highlights/Key Facts:

• RVU Alliance's pixel accurate RUI technology will provide an identical user experience on all RVU-based thin client CE devices throughout the connected home, including digital TVs (DTVs), digital media adapters (DMAs) and set-top boxes (STBs).
• Refinements to the user experience can be deployed in the home with a single update in the RVU-based media server appearing on all subscribing thin client CE devices.
• RVU technology is expected to accelerate the availability of service provider content throughout the connected home. A server-controlled, common user experience helps enable the rapid introduction of new features and applications that typically accompany commercial content.
• One important industry interoperability initiative is the Digital Living Network Alliance^SM (DLNA(R)), of which RVU Alliance founders are promoting members.

• The RVU Alliance is an Oregon-based non-profit mutual benefit corporation with membership participation at Founding Promoter, Promoter and Contributor levels. For more information about the RVU alliance, visit www.rvualliance.org.

Supporting Quotes:

Rômulo Pontual, DIRECTV's chief technology officer:

"We believe both consumers and service providers will embrace consumer electronic equipment with RVU technology because it enables a high quality digital entertainment experience throughout the connected home.We are committed to the RVU technology and are planning to deploy it in media servers and clients beginning early in 2010."

Martin Manniche, chief technology officer for Cisco Consumer Business Group.

"Cisco's vision is to enable people to live a connected life that is more personal, more social and more visual.The RVU technology represents an excellent step towards achieving that vision in the home entertainment environment."

Rich Nelson, Vice President of Marketing for Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group:

"As consumers look for new ways to connect, share and enjoy commercial content throughout the home, Broadcom is committed to enabling connectivity for an enhanced digital entertainment experience. By supporting RVU technology on set-top box, digital TV and Blu-ray system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions, we are enabling a consistent look and feel on connected devices in the home."

Thomas Rhee, Samsung's SVP of Digital Set Top Box

"With the addition of RVU technology, device software integration process is simplified for consumer electronics manufacturers such as Samsung. We're excited about the RVU RUI and how this technology has DLNA as its foundation."

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV), the nation's No. 1 satellite television service, presents the finest television experience available to more than 18 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels - more quality HD channels than any other television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed all national cable companies for nine years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungmobileusa.com.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything^(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2008 revenue of $4.66 billion, and holds over 3,450 U.S. and over 1,350 foreign patents, more than 7,350 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.

A FORTUNE 500(R) company, Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.

SOURCE: DIRECTV

DIRECTV, Inc
Robert Mercer, 310-964-4683
rgmercer@directv.com
or
Broadcom
Dana Brzozkiewicz, 949-926-6367
danabrz@broadcom.com
or
Cisco
Karen Sohl, 949-823-1578
ksohl@cisco.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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