The Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA) Association announced its formation and mandate to establish interoperability specifications and certification testing programs for manufacturers of wireless speakers and related CE devices.
For more information visit: www.wisaassociation.org
Unedited press release follows:
Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA) Association Launched to Promote Interoperability and Certification Program for Wireless Audio Connectivity
Aperion Audio, DEI Holdings, Hansong Electronics, Klipsch Group, Meiloon Industrial Co., Pioneer Corporation, SHARP Corporation, Silicon Image and Summit Semiconductor Agree to Form Advisory Board
2012 International CES
SUNNYVALE, Calif.–The Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA™) Association was launched today to advance the adoption of wirelessly transmitted high-definition (HD) surround-sound audio in the home theater environment by establishing the industry’s first interoperability specification and certification testing programs for manufacturers of high-performance wireless speakers, DTVs, Blu-ray Disc players, and other consumer electronics (CE) devices. Aperion Audio, DEI Holdings, Inc. (parent company to Polk® Audio and Definitive Technology), Hansong Electronics Co., Klipsch® Group, Inc., Meiloon Industrial Co., Pioneer Corporation, SHARP Corporation, Silicon Image and Summit Semiconductor signed Letters of Intent to join the WiSA Association as Advisory Board members to promote interoperability of interference-free, wireless surround-sound audio across a wide range of consumer electronics devices.
The WiSA certification and test program addresses an industry need to develop and deliver HD wireless audio products for the home while ensuring interoperability between any manufacturer’s CE devices such as speakers, DTVs, Blu-ray Disc™ players, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, and mobile devices. Consumers will be able to outfit their home entertainment system with WiSA-certified speakers and components from any participating vendor with the assurance that the devices will interoperate with each other and provide the highest standard in wireless HD surround sound audio.
“Consumers are looking for a reliable, high-quality wireless audio experience that offers seamless interoperability between products from multiple brands,” said Jim Venable, president of the WiSA Association. “With the interoperability testing and certification programs created by the WiSA Association, manufacturers will be able to bring products to market that provide consumers with a wireless audio experience of exceptional performance and ease of use.”
Initially, the WiSA Association’s interoperability testing and certification program will be aimed at products offering interference-free, uncompressed HD audio over the 5 GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) frequency band. This is a portion of the spectrum that is largely unused compared to the lower-frequency Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands, which are becoming increasingly crowded with signals from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® devices, cordless phones, and other radio emitters in the home. By operating in the U-NII spectrum, WiSA-certified products will be designed to avoid the interference, signal loss, and generally unpredictable behavior reported by many users of legacy wireless speaker connections. A wide range of WiSA-certified products are expected to be available, addressing the high-end of the market as well as entry level products and delivering 16 or 24-bit audio and up to 96 kHz sampling rate in configurations ranging from stereo to 7.1 surround sound and beyond. The WiSA Association’s interoperability testing and certification program will also ensure easy set-up and configuration, with the goal of enabling consumers to set up a 7.1 home theater system in less than 30 minutes on average.
Opportunities to participate in the WiSA Association exist for Members and Associate Members. Companies and organizations interested in joining the group are welcome to contact the Association. The application to join and information about membership fees can be found at www.wisaassociation.org.
Members
Members are companies that manufacture and promote WiSA-certified products. They agree to perform compliance and interoperability testing, and to abide by the WiSA trademark and logo usage guidelines. Members pay an annual fee of US$5,000.
Associate Members
Associate Members are trusted vendors of WiSA-certified products, such as branded resellers, who agree to sell compliant products. Associate Members may display the WiSA logo signifying their membership in the Association and indicating that they sell WiSA-certified products. Associate Members pay an annual fee of US$3,000.
The WiSA Association will offer product demonstrations during the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 10-13, 2012 in suite 31-219 at The Venetian Hotel. For appointments, please contact info@wisaassociation.org.
Advisory Board Member Quotes
Aperion Audio
“The Aperion Audio team has been working diligently with Summit Semiconductor for the past 18 months and we’re proud to be the first speaker manufacturer to have product in the market,” said Jim Hillman, CEO of Aperion Audio. “We look forward to working closely with the WiSA Association as an Advisory Board member to promote the interoperability certification program and ensure consumers have a choice of wireless audio solutions that work together seamlessly.”
DEI Holdings, Inc.
“DEI Holdings Inc., parent company to Polk Audio and Definitive Technology, is pleased to be part of the Advisory Board for the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association,” said Stu Lumsden, VP of Engineering, Polk Audio. “We look forward to supporting the Association in its efforts to standardize the interoperability between speakers and CE devices based on the new WiSA interoperability specification.”
Hansong Electronics
“As a world leader in speaker electronics manufacturing, Hansong Electronics is looking forward to participating as an Advisor Board member in the WiSA Association,” said Helge Kristensen, Vice President, Hansong Electronics. “Ensuring interoperability with wireless speakers for the home will be a key factor in the long term success of quality wireless audio technology.”
Klipsch Group, Inc.
“Klipsch provides a Live Music Experience through high fidelity playback speaker systems, especially as they apply to new technology formats,” said Mark Casavant, Sr. VP of Product Development for Klipsch Group, Inc. “Wireless technology is changing the way our electronics communicate with one another making home entertainment more appealing to a wider variety of consumers. Klipsch is positioned as it has been through the decades as a part of the quality experience, and our collaboration with the WiSA Association is vital to our research and development. People choose ease of use and Klipsch is determined to lead with products that deliver the power, detail and emotion of the live experience.”
Meiloon Industrial Co.
“Meiloon is a leader of acoustic system manufacturing and is proud to be part of the Advisory Board for the WiSA Association,” said Michael Wu, director of R&D for Meiloon Industrial Co. “We are looking forward to providing the best wireless solutions to our customers.”
Silicon Image, Inc.
“Driving interoperable HD connectivity is central to our strategy,” said Camillo Martino, chief executive officer, Silicon Image, Inc. “Being a WiSA Association Advisory Board member supports our efforts to develop and foster the delivery of highly reliable HD content in the home, both wired and wirelessly.”
Summit Semiconductor
“We are eager to participate on the WiSA Advisory Board in support of its mission to solve interoperability challenges that have plagued the industry for years,” said Brett Moyer, chief executive officer, Summit Semiconductor. “The WiSA Association will help bridge the gap between speaker manufacturers and suppliers and will accelerate the adoption of wireless speakers in the home.”
About the WiSA Association
Established in 2011 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, the Wireless Speaker & Audio (WiSA) Association is an industry group dedicated to bringing reliable, high- performance interoperable wireless audio products to the consumer. The Association is responsible for developing specifications and performing testing and interoperability certification of WiSA-certified products, Association administrative management, and outbound marketing campaigns to promote the broad adoption of WiSA interoperability. WiSA, LLC, the agent for the WiSA Association, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Image, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIMG). For more information about the WiSA Association, visit www.wisaassociation.org.