Verizon will test two Motorola set-top boxes for FiOS TV later this year that use as much as 30% less power than current models, while the DVR model will double the amount of storage capacity.
The telco will begin trials of the two new models, the Motorola QIP7232 DVR and QIP7100 HD set-top, in select FiOS TV markets later this year. The set-tops are hybrid QAM/IP devices that deliver linear channels over RF and video-on-demand over IP.
The QIP7100 consumes 30 watts while the QIP7232 consumes 25 watts, according to Motorola data sheets. The older QIP6416 DVR, by contrast, has a power dissipation rating of 35 watts.
The QIP7232, the DVR model, includes a faster 400-MIPS processor, more memory and a 320-Gigabyte hard disk, enough to store up to 160 hours of standard-definition video or up to 40 hours of HD. The 6416 has a 160-GB hard drive.
"The new green Motorola set-tops are an outgrowth of Verizon's efforts to create our own industry-leading energy-efficiency standards and to grow our business responsibly," Verizon chief sustainability officer James Gowen said in a statement. "These set-tops will provide a better viewing and multimedia experience for our customers, while helping them lower their energy consumption and utility bills."
In addition, the new Motorola QIP set-tops use materials that do not contain lead, cadmium, mercury or other substances that could contaminate the environment. Packaging for the new set-tops will be 100% recyclable and made from 75% recycled cardboard.
