Following Samsung’s own Chipset Development, MStar Becomes First Independent TV Chipset Vendor to Plan Support for TVkey

• MStar EMC TV System on a Chip (SoC) will integrate the new TVkey technology 
• Solution will enable consumers to receive premium 4K pay-TV channels directly on supported televisions with a simple TVkey USB dongle
• MStar integration of the new technology offers TV manufacturers the fastest route to support TVkey in their future products

Las Vegas, Nevada – CES – January 4, 2017 - NAGRA, the digital TV division of the Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) and the world's leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, and MStar Semiconductor, Inc., a leading global semiconductor company for display and digital home solutions, announced today MStar’s plan to adopt the TVkey direct-to-TV security technology in its EMC SoCs for 4K Ultra HD HDR televisions, pending finalization of the new TVkey licensing body. 

The MStar EMC TVkey integration will enable pay-TV service providers to deliver high-value premium content directly to supported TVs without a dedicated set-top box while still meeting strict MovieLabs standards for Enhanced Content Protection. The MStar EMC is a high-end 4K Ultra HD HDR TV chipset series and enables pay-TV operator applications and branding using an HBBTV2.0 HTML5 TV vendor-independent application SDK for both Android TV and Linux OS.

“We are pleased to be working with MStar to bring the TVkey Direct-to-TV technology to a wider range of new televisions,” said Maurice van Riek, Senior Vice President, Head of Content and Asset Security for NAGRA. The TVkey technology was developed as a result of a NAGRA and Samsung partnership. “MStar’s adoption of the technology enables TV manufacturers to sell more TVs, pay-TV service providers to reduce subscriber acquisition costs and pursue new business models like skinny bundles and free trials, and ultimately gives consumers a great 4K UHD pay-TV experience with a lower barrier to entry.”

“We see TVkey as an important element of our future chipset strategy in terms of content security,” said Wayne Tsai, Marketing Director at MStar Semiconductor, Inc. “Our adoption of the TVkey technology ensures robust content protection for 4K Ultra HD content, and ultimately benefits everyone from us to the end-consumer.”

About TVkey
TVkey is a next-generation, low-cost content protection solution for delivering 4K-UHD content directly to TVs while meeting all critical security requirements from premium content providers. The solution is comprised of TVkey security elements embedded in television sets that communicate securely with a low-cost TVkey USB dongle, containing operator-controlled CAS and DRM. An advanced operator user experience can be supported with a TV vendor-independent SDK, based on standard HBBTV2.0/HTML5. The TVkey solution was designed by NAGRA and Samsung, and a TVkey corporate licensing body will soon allow other TV vendors, TV chipset vendors, module and security vendors to integrate TVkey as a licensable solution. TVkey is supported on Smart TVs from Samsung from 2017 onwards.

About NAGRA
NAGRA, a digital TV division of the Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S), provides security and multiscreen user experience solutions for the monetization of digital media. The company provides content providers and DTV operators worldwide with secure, open and integrated platforms and applications over broadcast, broadband and mobile platforms, enabling compelling and personalized viewing experiences. Please visit dtv.nagra.com for more information and follow us on Twitter at @nagrakudelski.

About MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
MStar Semiconductor, Inc. (“MStar”) is a world-class leader in Application Specific ICs (“ASIC”) with a focus on consumer electronic products and communication applications. Since the inception in 2002, MStar has established a strong brand and leadership position in LCD controller, analog and digital TV and set-top box by fully leveraging its core expertise of cutting-edge design capabilities, continuous innovation and premier customer-focused services. Headquartered in Taiwan, MStar has a comprehensive global footprint of international R&D and customer support centers to provide a full range of total solutions for various consumer electronic applications. For more information, please visit www.mstarsemi.com.

Contacts:

Ivan Schnider
Marketing Communications
+41 21 732 09 40
[email protected]

Christine Oury
Marketing Communications
+1 415 962 5433
[email protected]