Just finished reading the PR for DUNE HD’s upcoming Solo 4K player. WOW, there is a lot of information to be had. First off, the player itself looks fantastic. Small, lots of power, all the great stuff we’ve come to expect from DUNE HD’s “just plays” experience, and with DVB-T/T2 tuners and 2.5″ HDD for DVR support we have a great start for a complete media player. Add in Sigma Design’s VXP video processing engine (which is supposed to be amazing), and the news that they’ve made the switch to ARM which should make it easier for DUNE HD to support, as well as enabling the Android OS boot option, and it’s looking even better. Finally slather on a built-in Z-Wave HAC (Home Automation Controller), and I think you’ll have to agree that this is something to get excited about. MSRP is a reasonable $349/€349, so the only real question is when.

Dune HD and Sigma Designs Create a Novel 4K Hybrid Media Player and IoT Hub

Fremont, CA – April 08, 2016 – Sigma Designs® (NASDAQ: SIGM), a leading provider of intelligent system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for Smart TV, Smart home IoT and IP-based set-top-boxes (STBs), announced that Dune HD has selected Sigma Designs’ SMP8758 and Z-Wave technology for its new hybrid media player, SOLO 4K. Together, the two companies are addressing the full spectrum of market opportunities for the next generation of video, connected media services and smart home control.

Dune’s SOLO 4K is based on Sigma’s SMP8758 processor – an advanced processor by Sigma Designs with 4K Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) video support. The new ARM-based media processor is four times more powerful than processors used in previous Dune HD media player models, with support for:

• Playback of various audio and video content including 4KTV, up-scaled HD, HEVC format, 3D video, and 10-bit color
• High-end audio formats with high resolution up to 24-bit / 192 KHz
• IPTV and VOD content and digital TV channels from a variety of sources including USB storage devices, SATA HDD, local network, Internet
• Professional-grade “VXP” video processor for the very best picture quality

The Z-Wave Controller function is based on Sigma Designs’ ZM5304 Z-Wave module and Z-Wave Controller software stack. It supports control of the over 1500 interoperable Z-Wave devices in the market today, provides carrier-class installation and diagnostics tools, and has a complement of home automation features (including scripting).

“Sigma Designs is known for best performance at an affordable price point, a key factor in our decision regarding our chipset supplier for our home media products,” said Konstantin Dyshlevoy, president & CEO of Dune HD. “Additionally, Sigma products support a wide range of market trend requirements, from Ultra HD to Smart home control, making them the ideal one-stop partner for this ground-breaking projects”

“We are excited to be partnering with Dune on this unique product which leverages two of Sigma’s major technologies: Z-Wave for smart home and 4k media processing, said Nadav Katsir vice-president Sigma Designs. “Dune’s Solo 4K represents the next generation of home entertainment and we are pleased to be part of this early vanguard.”

Z-Wave Alliance