IGEL presents first SoC thin client with exceptional multimedia performance

The UD2-LX MultiMedia is an economical and efficient multiprotocol SoC thin client with outstanding multimedia characteristics. The technical highlights: Support for Citrix HDX and Microsoft Remote FX along with multimedia acceleration.

IGEL Technology, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of thin clients, is now shipping the first evaluation units of its new UD2-LX MultiMedia – a compact and cost-effective system-on-chip (SoC) thin client for virtualized desktops and Server Based Computing environments. The SoC hardware platform from Texas Instruments allows this multiprotocol thin client to provide high multimedia performance with low power consumption. This particularly economical model combines high performance with IGEL’s well-proven software solutions – starting with its IGEL Linux operating system and extending all the way to the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) remote-management software, which comes standard with IGEL devices. The market launch of the UD2-LX MultiMedia is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

The IGEL UD2-LX MultiMedia, which fits in IGEL’s current smallest housing, features a system-on-chip (SoC) platform based on a Texas Instruments 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. The SoC also integrates a digital signal processor (DSP) in order to accelerate protocols such as Microsoft RemoteFX and Citrix HDX. As a result, the UD2-LX MultiMedia features multimedia performance comparable to that of the top models in the thin client sector. Examples of this high performance include the capability to display full-screen HD video as well as render complex graphical content such as Windows Aero effects and PowerPoint presentations as well as rich media by means of Flash Player.

Superb Technology with Superb Future Readiness
By leveraging the high performance and energy efficiency of ARM systems, the UD2-LX MultiMedia actually uses the least power of all the devices in IGEL's product range. In fact, it uses only 7 W in idle mode and less than 1 W in sleep mode. Its display has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1200. Like all other IGEL devices, it also offers a dualview option. To ensure a high degree of future readiness, IGEL has succeeded in taking the features of its Universal Desktop models, which support a great variety of applications, and implementing them on the new platform. At this time, these include the transmission protocols Microsoft RDP including RemoteFX, Citrix ICA including HDX, and VMware View by means of RDP or PCoIP. However, the last protocol is not available with multimedia acceleration. In addition, a local Firefox browser, a Java runtime environment as well as a PDF reader and a local media player are all integrated in the Linux-based device firmware.

“With the IGEL UD2-740 LX, we’ve succeeded in taking a major technological step,” stated Dirk Dördelmann, the Head of Research & Development and a Managing Director at IGEL. “The new hardware platform not only offers our customers increased performance but also an opportunity to further cut their investment and operating costs whilst maintaining their flexible open desktop policy.”

“We're very pleased that IGEL has decided to use the DM8148 application processor from Texas Instruments in its new UD2-740 LX,” stated Ms. Kim Devlin-Allen, a thin client business manager at TI, who explained that “the DM8148’s powerful DSP VDI coprocessor ensures a rich, responsive desktop experience that also allows playback of HD multimedia content and use of several HD displays – and all that with only one SoC.” Devlin-Allen added that “with its combination of IGEL’s expertise in thin clients and TI’s expertise in technology for real-time processing and multimedia playback, the UD2-LX MultiMedia offers a new class of thin client that does not require a cooling fan and consumes less power while at the same time attaining the performance of much more expensive platforms.”

Price and Availability
The market launch of the UD2-LX MultiMedia is scheduled for the third quarter of 2012 with a planned introductory price of 239,- € plus tax. Evaluation units can be ordered online immediately.
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High-performance, efficient and future-ready: the new IGEL UD2-740 LX, which combines ARM and DSP hardware from Texas Instruments with well-proven IGEL software.

FACTFILE:
A world leader in thin client solutions, IGEL Technology helps organizations improve the agility, efficiency, and security of their virtual desktop and application delivery systems. IGEL produces one of the industry's widest range of thin clients, based on Linux and Microsoft Windows, allowing customers to access a broad spectrum of server-based infrastructures and applications. IGEL also offers a powerful and intuitive management software for easy deployment and administration of thin clients throughout any size organization. Partnerships with industry leaders like Red Hat, Citrix, VMware, and Microsoft ensure that IGEL provides the most up-to-date technology and trustworthy security to clients in industries that include Healthcare, Education & Research, Public Sector, Financial, Insurance, Retail, Logistics, and Manufacturing. IGEL has offices in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore and is represented by partners in over 50 countries worldwide. To learn more, visit www.igel.co.uk