News Details

BOCA RATON, Fla. & CYPRESS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2006--

Latest Set-Top Box Offers Industry's Most Advanced All-In-One

Entertainment Hub to Control Both Devices and Media, While Providing

Value-Added Revenue Opportunities for Cable Operators

Pace Micro Technology and Universal Electronics (UEI) (Nasdaq:UEIC), today announced their joint development relationship to demonstrate an innovative networked home solution at the upcoming SCTE Cable-Tec Expo in Denver, Colorado, June 21-23. Pace, a leading digital set-top box provider specializing in the development of emerging technologies across all television platforms, is working closely with UEI, a leading developer of digital media access and wireless control solutions, to deliver a revolutionary way to manage and enjoy stored digital media content.

The joint solution will combine Pace's set-top box product family with UEI's MyChannel(TM) Universal Plug-n-Play (UPnP) compliant software, allowing consumers to access and share media content, including broadcast, Internet, and PC-based media files, through their set-top box. MyChannel effectively bridges the divide between PC-based and set-top-box based entertainment that currently exists in consumers' homes. Digital cable subscribers who have a Pace set-top box deployed in their homes will be able to enjoy music, digital pictures, and movies on any of their connected devices in the home. As a result of this powerful solution, the Pace set-top box becomes the true hub of entertainment in the connected home.

At SCTE, Pace will demonstrate this solution using its flagship Tahoe Dual Tuner HD DVR set-top box. The Networked Home platform gives operators one of the most technologically advanced and consumer-friendly media control and distribution platforms to offer consumers embracing the digital lifestyle. The extensive features of this new platform enable operators to offer new revenue-generating services ranging from paid music channels to media storage -- all centrally accessed and controlled from the Tahoe HD-DVR set-top box.

Shared Content

The advanced set-top box will be able to offer a completely integrated digital home experience, including seamless integration with the built-in Digital Video Recorder (DVR) to allow sharing of external media content, such as Internet radio and podcasts, with any "networked" device in the home.

UEI's MyChannel will be fully compliant with UPnP standards and tested to comply with the interoperability standards set forth by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Building on the award-winning SimpleCenter(R) software, My Channel is based on a reliable and proven solution that will add powerful and consumer-friendly media management capabilities to the Pace Tahoe set-top box's advanced functions.

Subscriber and Operator Benefits

For the subscriber, the combined Pace/UEI solution will provide a means of controlling, accessing and sharing disparate home media and electronic devices from a central always-on hub. For the operator, it will offer a strong defense against customer churn as well as a powerful platform for delivering new revenue-generating services.

"The proliferation of smart devices in the home has created a major challenge for consumers. They have a wealth of entertainment content at their fingertips, but each device has traditionally been an island with its own controls, so consumers have no way to easily share content," said Pace Americas' VP of Technology Chris Dinallo. "Our Networked Home platform featuring UEI's MyChannel application solves the problem easily and affordably for the first time."

"Pace's Tahoe set-top box solution sets a new standard in simplicity, usability and true whole-house content sharing," said Paul Arling, chairman and chief executive officer at Universal Electronics. "UEI is the leader in delivering innovative control solutions and we are thrilled to introduce My Channel on Pace's Tahoe platform, which we believe will revolutionize the way consumers currently enjoy their digital media content."

A demonstration of the new Pace Tahoe set-top box with MyChannel can be experienced at the Pace Micro Booth #1372 and UEI's Booth #1241 during SCTE's Cable-Tec Expo at the Colorado Convention Center June 21-23.

About Pace Micro Technology

Pace Micro Technology plc (LSE:PIC) is a leading digital set-top box provider specializing in the development of emerging technologies across all television platforms. Headquartered in the United Kingdom with additional offices in France and Hong Kong, Pace's North and South American office is in Boca Raton, Fla. Please visit Pace's web site at www.pacemicro.com.

About Universal Electronics Inc.

Universal Electronics Inc., based in Southern California, develops firmware and turnkey solutions as well as software designed to enable consumers to wirelessly connect, control and interact with an increasingly complex home environment. The company's primary markets include original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in consumer electronics and personal computing, as well as multiple system operators in the cable and satellite subscription broadcasting markets. Over the past 16 years, the company has developed a broad portfolio of patented technologies and the industry's leading database of home connectivity software that it licenses to its customers, including many leading Fortune 500 companies. In addition, UEI sells its universal wireless control products and other audio/visual accessories through its European headquarters in the Netherlands, and to distributors and retailers in Europe, Asia, Latin America, South Africa and Australia/New Zealand under the One For All(R) brand name. More information about UEI can be obtained at http://www.uei.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words and expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development, ordering, delivery and market acceptance of products and technologies identified in this release; the Company's continued ability to design products in a fashion that results in its technology being accepted by the companies customers and the end users; the continued growth in the markets identified in this release to occur as anticipated by management; and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statement due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligations to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

    CONTACT: Blanc & Otus (for Universal Electronics)
             Stephanie Trussell, 415-856-5162
             strussell@blancandotus.com
             or
             HighTech PR, Inc. (for Pace Micro)
             Tammy Snook, 407-667-9355
             tammysnook@hightechpr.net
             Terry May, 904-387-3899
             terrymay@hightechpr.net

    SOURCE: Universal Electronics