NETANYA, Israel — Samsung, STMicroelectronics and Metalink have unveiled an IPTV set top box that supports high-definition TV and the 802.11n wireless LAN specification.

The three companies demonstrated the device at the CeBIT trade fair in Hanover, Germany, which takes place in March 15-21, 2007.

Samsung's SMT-H6155 is specifically designed for the delivery of HD IPTV over wireless LAN. It is equipped with ST's i7109 chipset providing the HD video decoding technology. Metalink's 802.11n WLANPlus chipset helps the platform wirelessly deliver multiple HD video streams throughout the home.

Mike Arden, Principal Analyst, Broadband and Multimedia Research at ABI Research, noted: "Together, these companies will be in a strong position to capture market share in the IPTV STB market, which will grow from 4.7 million units shipped in 2006 to 41.2 million units shipped in 2011."

Samsung holds 12.9 percent of the global set top box market, which is worth around $14.4 billion, according to a recent ABI study. STMicroelectronics holds about 48 percent of the worldwide STB decoders market, worth $845 million in 2006.

Metalink (Yakum, Israel) claims it offers the industry's first CE-grade dual-band 802.11n-compliant chipset, the second generation of the company's WLANPlus device. The company has already signed collaboration agreements with NXP, Haier, Renesas, LG and Daewoo to use the chip-set.

According to sources in Israel, ST's co-operation with Metalink began about a year ago, before Samsung joined it. Several months ago, Metalink executives told EE Times Europe they intend to take a "fair share" of the market for 802.11n draft-compliant chipsets for consumer electronics, which they expect will reach $300 million in 2007.

Christos Lagomichos, corporate vice president, home entertainment group general manager at STMicroelectronics said in a statement Monday (March 19) : "This platform demonstrates the capability of ST's advanced decoders, such as the STi71xx family, which allows the set-top box to become a core multimedia appliance in the home network, for both operator and retail markets."