KVH Debuts Marine HDTV Antenna with Simultaneous Tracking of 3 Satellites

At the 2009 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, KVH Industries unveiled its the TracVision HD7, calling it an advancement in maritime satellite TV design that offers boaters a Directv high-definition TV experience like they enjoy at home thanks to simultaneous reception of two Directv Ka-band satellites and one Ku-band satellite.

"With the TracVision HD7, you enjoy complete, uninterrupted access to all of the great TV entertainment offered by DIRECTV's satellites thanks to our revolutionary TriAD technology, which simultaneously delivers programming from Directv's three primary Ka- and Ku-band satellites," explained Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH's chief executive officer. "In addition, boaters will be able to enjoy full support for DVRs because no satellite switching will be required, along with our best-ever in-motion tracking. What does this mean? HDTV at sea with no compromises, now and in the future. You, your family, and your friends can watch whatever you want, when you want, on whatever TV you want, because TracVision HD7 tracks all three satellites at once, just like home."

As described by the Company, features of the 24-inch diameter TracVision HD7 include:

-- KVH's Tri-Rod Antenna Design (TriAD) technology - this patent pending

new design simultaneously receives broadcasts from three separate

Directv satellites. These signals are concentrated by the tuned

subreflector before reaching the unique tri-rod dielectric feed.

Multi-axis dynamic tracking then allows the system to stay locked on

even in the roughest seas.

-- IP-enabled Antenna Control Unit (ACU) - KVH's new Internet Protocol

(IP)-enabled antenna control unit, with its Ethernet connection, and

built-in WiFi interface, makes system setup as easy as opening a web

browser.

-- The TracVision iPhone application - For the most convenient

connection to the TracVision HD7 satellite TV, simply download KVH's

free TracVision iPhone app from Apple's iTunes App Store for your

iPhone or iPod touch. Then use it to check signal strength, switch to

secondary satellites, download and automatically install antenna

software updates, and send information directly to KVH technical

support. It doesn't get any easier!

-- Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) - TracVision HD7 includes a built-in

single wire multiswitch that supports up to eight high-definition

tuners with just a single cable and allows boat owners to run just a

single wire to a dual-tuner DVR, making installation simpler than

ever.

-- USB Flash Port - If the boat owner or dealer does not have Internet

access or the TracVision iPhone app, updating antenna information is

as simple as inserting a USB flash drive loaded with the latest KVH

software into the ACU's USB Flash Port to update the system.

-- New optional Tri-Americas Ka/Ku-band LNB - The TracVision HD7

offers an optional configuration that includes KVH's new Ka/Ku-band

Tri-Americas LNB that eliminates the need to change antenna hardware

when switching between Directv HD and Galaxy/Directv Latin America as

the boat travels from the U.S. to the Caribbean, Central America, and

South America.

-- Easy installation - Installation is simple with only one dome and the

same cabling and mounting design as KVH's TracVision 6/G6 and

M7 models so upgrading is a breeze.

-- Rock-solid in-motion tracking - The TracVision HD7 offers the best

tracking ever available in a KVH satellite TV product thanks to

enhanced tracking algorithms and a stainless steel bearing

construction to ensure outstanding performance and uninterrupted

entertainment even on sportfishers and tuna towers.

The TracVision HD7 is designed to overcome the challenge raised when Directv moved its HDTV programming to new Ka-band satellites incompatible with existing maritime satellite TV systems. Adding to the complexity, HDTV programming is broadcast on the 99 degrees W and 103 degrees W Ka-band satellites while the program guide and all non-HD channels are broadcast by DIRECTV's original 101 degrees W Ku-band satellite.

"We wanted to offer boat owners an experience just like home, which requires the ability to watch all three satellites at once, a challenge overcome by our TriAD technology," commented Brent C. Bruun, KVH's vice president of sales and business development. "Other solutions, like the use of multiple antennas or a home dish inside a 4-foot diameter dome, are impractical for most boat owners due to cost, size, and installation space.

"Antennas that only view one satellite at a time and rely on the antenna or LNB to switch among the Ka- and Ku-band satellites raise a host of other problems for boaters, including receiver lockups, reboots, or lengthy satellite searches due to expired program guides or receivers looking for the wrong satellite. And do you really want to run the risk of missing the big game because ESPN HD is broadcast on the 99 degrees W satellite and your kids want to watch Animal Planet HD broadcast on 103 degrees W? The TracVision HD7 eliminates all of these issues and allows you all to watch DIRECTV's programming, whether live or on the DVR, exactly like you do at home."

Middletown, RI-based KVH Industries is a provider of in-motion satellite TV and communication systems.

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