Boxee tag teams with Sigma Designs to get its cloud streaming into Smart TVs

Right down to its name, Boxee has always been about the set-top boxes, but now it's teaming with system-on-chip specialist Sigma Designs to get its streaming services inside Smart TVs. According to the pair, that'll give panel makers an easy way to integrate Boxee's cloud-based DVR, Web Servies, TV channels like ABC, NBC, CBS or PBS, social networking and on-screen programming. For its part, Boxee has been playing catchup with the likes of Roku and Google, and after baking its hardware and services into Sigma's UXL SoC, will no doubt be keen to enlist as many TV manufacturers as possible to its flavor of cloud streaming entertainment. It'll be showing the new chip in action later this week at CES 2013 where we'll try to get our hands on it, but meanwhile, check out the PR after the break.

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Sigma Picks Boxee to Take Digital TV to the Next Level

Creates First Cloud-Based DVR, OTT and Premium Platform for Television OEMs

LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan 07, 2013 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Sigma Designs(R) SIGM +0.38% , a leading provider of System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions for home entertainment, connectivity and converging multimedia delivery, today announced they have teamed up with Boxee, the New York based software company that pioneered the Cloud DVR to develop a new cloud-based entertainment solution on Sigma's UXL processor. Sigma and Boxee are working together to make it plug and play easy for manufacturers to embed Boxee's state-of-the art software with Cloud-based DVR, Internet applications and unique social TV guide inside their next generation televisions.

"We're teaming up with Sigma to create a solution that makes it easy for TV manufacturers to embed Boxee into their sets with zero touch," said Avner Ronen, CEO of Boxee. "We expect Sigma's UXL platform will be the easiest way for manufacturers to create a Smart TV experience that's delightful to use, and robust enough to be relevant for years to come."

Contrary to the simplistic application integrations that have been done in the past, the Sigma UXL processor enables TV manufacturers to add best in class TV and DVR functionality to their range of Smart TVs without the need for in-house development resources. OEMs and ODMs are expected to benefit from a turnkey, zero-touch solution resulting in quicker time to market for less money.

Boxee's innovative software supports premium broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, Univision and other broadcast networks as well as a revolutionary Cloud-based DVR. Boxee's unique Cloud DVR allows consumers to record unlimited shows and movies, store them in the cloud, and access them at home or on the go from their TV, computer, tablet and mobile devices. Boxee's solution also has easy access to top-tier Internet applications, which can be customized by each manufacturer.

"Sigma and Boxee are clearly dedicated to developing innovative DTV solutions and by partnering together to create this new solution we are moving the market towards making the television the intelligent hub within the home," said Mustafa Ozgen, vice president and general manager of Sigma's home multimedia business unit. "By layering Boxee's software on Sigma's UXL hardware platform we can help our TV customers be first-to-market with a fully embedded smart DTV which also offers their revolutionary Cloud DVR."

CES Information See Sigma's UXL platform first-hand at CES in Las Vegas: on Tuesday, January 8th through January 11th, 2013 at the Las Vegas Hotel, Suite 2921.

Key Features:

-- Full turn-key solution
-- Zero touch integration
-- No retail maintenance
-- Boxee's award-winning interface
-- TV Channels + Internet Apps + DVR in one device
-- Social TV discovery with Facebook integration
-- World's first Cloud DVR with unlimited recordings
-- Integrated second-screen experience with DVR playback from anywhere
-- Fast time-to-market

About Sigma Designs Sigma Designs, Inc. SIGM +0.38% is a world leader in connected media platforms. The company designs and builds the essential semiconductor technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's leading IPTV set-top boxes, DTV, connected media players, residential gateways, home control systems and more. For more information about Sigma Designs, please visit www.sigmadesigns.com . Sigma Designs, Secure Media Processor, and the Sigma Designs logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sigma Designs, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are believed to be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Boxee, Inc. Boxee, Inc. is helping people fall in love with TV all over again. We believe TV should be personal and delivered on your schedule. That's why we created the world's first cloud DVR that allows you to record an unlimited amount of TV programs to the Internet, and then watch on your TV, computer, iPad... pretty much anywhere. Boxee also lets you watch shows from broadcast TV channels and shows & movies from online services like Netflix, VUDU and YouTube. Boxee is made with love in NYC. Learn more at www.boxee.tv

Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements about the anticipated features and benefits of the solution being designed and produced by Boxee and Sigma, as well as Sigma's products and solutions. Actual results may vary materially due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, general economic conditions, including the rate of adoption for set top boxes in general and Sigma's UXL processors, Sigma's ability to deploy and achieve market acceptance for Sigma's products in its target markets, the ability of its SoCs to compete with other technologies or products in these markets as well as other risks that are detailed from time to time in Sigma's SEC reports, including its quarterly report on Form 10-Q as filed October 27, 2012. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Sigma undertakes no obligation to publicly release or otherwise disclose the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements that may be made as a result of events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.