Amino Communications, a leading IPTV (telco triple-play applications) equipment supplier and ReadyLinks Incorporated, a Minneapolis-based broadband solutions company, announced that they have developed a new HPNA V3 adapter called the ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM Adapter. The adapter is directly compatible with Amino set-top box products, and uses existing coax or telephone wiring within the home to transport IPTV data - eliminating the need for rewiring costs, and enabling the easy installation of multiple set-top boxes. The adapter is manufactured by Readylinks and will be jointly marketed by Amino and Readylinks under Amino’s SmartFoot ^TM trademark.

Eliminating the need for new wiring lowers installation time and costs for the Telcos, while increasing customer satisfaction. The ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM Adapter allows any coax or telephone outlet to work with the Amino set-top box.

Using the adapter, multiple STBs can connect via existing wiring to an ADSL or fibre modem - thereby giving IPTV service providers greatly enhanced revenue opportunities through increased use of TV and video-on-demand services. For example, one end user can view a movie in the living room while another family member watches a different channel in their kitchen and a third person plays an on-demand TV game in the bedroom - all via existing coaxial cabling.

"Our customers asked for ways to lower installation costs, and increase the number of access points within the home for IPTV. Using the ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM Adapter provides our customers with a modular approach to the latest in home networking technology," said Karthik Ranjan, VP Marketing at Amino Communications Ltd. "By eliminating the need for rewiring a home, our customers now have the opportunity to deploy IPTV solutions faster and more economically, and as more subscribers can access on-demand services in various rooms of the house, Telcos will see average revenue per subscriber increase dramatically. We envision this as a giant step forward toward an end-user "self-install" IP STB kit."

The ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM Adapter is a compact and elegant custom accessory, which provides a secure base while connecting power and data to the Amino set-top. This eliminates the space and extra cabling typically needed to connect a separate network adapter to the set-top.

The IPTV data is transferred over existing coax or telephone house wiring using HPNA V3 protocol. With an effective data rate of 90+Mbit/s, over 20 standard definition video streams can be carried without affecting standard RF TV or telephone service.

"The ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM uses standards based advanced HPNA V3 technology to economically provide high bandwidth and Quality of Service (QOS) needed for IPTV,” said Larry Synstelien, President of ReadyLinks. “The stylish ReadyLinks SmartFoot ^TM adapter and Amino set-top box design provides a functional and elegant solution for deploying IPTV."