RVU Alliance Announces Major Update to RVU Specification

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quickly moving to address the technology needs of the future, the RVU Alliance announced today a major upgrade to the RVU protocol standard. The RVU 2.0 specification is under development and will be released in early 2012. RVU is the first Remote User Interface (RUI) client/server solution deployed by a major commercial broadcaster. DIRECTV released its HR34 RVU server in December 2011, which followed certification of RVU clients from Pace and Samsung.

“The RVU 1.0 standard has proven to be remarkably resilient in addressing all the needs of a client/server RUI system”

The new specification builds on RVU 1.0 by including full backwards compatibility, and includes requirements for:

Building on the High Definition capabilities of RVU 1.0 to add support for next generation User Interfaces supporting 3D and enhanced graphics capabilities
Performance and system enhancements
Expanding mobile-based UI delivery options

“The RVU 1.0 standard has proven to be remarkably resilient in addressing all the needs of a client/server RUI system,” said Henry Derovanessian, president of the RVU Alliance Board of Directors and senior vice president of Engineering at DIRECTV. “The next generation of User Interfaces promises to deliver even more advanced features to the consumer. RVU 2.0 will build on the successful implementation of RVU 1.0 and will ensure support for these advanced features to create a class-leading, future-proof solution.”

The RVU Alliance has already moved to expand the existing RVU 1.0 specification by creating a taskforce to establish WiFi interoperability guidelines for RVU video distribution in the home, expanding the capability of RVU to utilize the wireless capability in Consumer Electronics devices.

The publically available RVU standard allows a single server in the home to interface to multiple clients simultaneously, providing every TV in a household the same consistent User Interface and experience. RVU servers provide a single, easily upgradable central point in the home that enables service providers to present their UI on compatible CE devices with no additional hardware required, providing DVR features directly on that CE device. Full details of the RVU solution are available at www.rvualliance.org.

About RVU Alliance

RVU is a client/server-based technology that allows the television viewer to experience a consistent, pixel accurate server-generated user interface on various consumer electronics devices. The RVU specification uses widely implemented UPnP and DLNA technologies to enable a gateway device such as an advanced set-top box to work with non-proprietary client devices such as connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes. The specification is maintained by the RVU Alliance, founded by Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV, Samsung and Verizon, which facilitates the adoption of an open standard technology that allows service providers to expand their unique UI and user experience onto standard consumer devices without the need for proprietary equipment. For more information on the RVU Alliance please visit www.rvualliance.org.

The RVU Alliance is an Oregon-based non-profit mutual benefit corporation formed to develop a specification for the RVU technology including a full-featured “pixel accurate” Remote User Interface (RUI). Founding Promoter members are Broadcom, Cisco, DIRECTV, Samsung and Verizon. Other Promoter members are BSkyB, Cortina, Entropic Communications, Huawei, Humax, JetHead Development Inc, LG, Morega, Pace PLC, Sigma Designs, Solekai Systems, ST Microelectronics, Technicolor, Trident Microsystems and Vixs. 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. For more information about the RVU Alliance, please visit www.rvualliance.org.