Broadband Communications Sector and NDS, a News Corp company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay TV, say they will combine select products to offer cost- effective digital interactive television platforms to the global market. 

As part of the deal, Motorola will offer the NDS iTV and conditional access solutions as an optional feature of Motorola's DVi1000 and DVi3500 DVB-based interactive digital set-tops. These solutions include NDS's Open VideoGuard(TM) conditional access solution, Core(TM) middleware, XTV(TM) personal video recorder (PVR) technology and various Value@TV(TM) iTV applications. In addition, Motorola will also offer the Ikonic+(TM) Interactive Programming Guide.

According to an official release, the two companies are developing a DVB Simulcrypt capability with NDS's Open VideoGuard(TM) conditional access solution, which will enable Motorola's MediaCipher(R) conditional access technology and NDS to work together in a single system. 

The new Motorola DVi1000 set-top is an enhanced-broadcast, digital-cable platform that can be deployed at a comparable price point as an analog cable set-top, while delivering more programming channels and the subscriber benefits that come with digital cable. In addition to receiving high-quality digital cable broadcasts, subscribers with a DVi1000 set-top benefit from an expanded channel line-up, superior user interface, and telco-return for impulse pay-per-view (PPV).

The Motorola DVi3500 set-top is a low-cost, advanced-interactive DVB-compliant digital decoder with an integrated EuroDOCSIS modem. The DVi3500 digital cable set-top can be deployed at a comparable price point as a typical advanced analog cable set-top -- while delivering more programming channels and subscriber benefits.