Universal Electronics to Provide Control at Fingertips for SIRIUS Satellite Radio Service Anywhere Within the Home

Sept. 14, 2006-- Universal Electronics Inc. today announced a development relationship with SIRIUS Satellite Radio to provide a custom solution that would allow SIRIUS subscribers to access comprehensive information directly from the handheld media controller, while also providing seamless universal control of other traditional home entertainment devices, wirelessly, from up to 150 feet away.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio delivers more than 125 channels of the best programming in all of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering 67 music channels available nationwide. SIRIUS also delivers 61 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS looked to UEI to help design a system that could wirelessly communicate with and control the company's satellite radio service throughout the home. The solution would have to serve as an affordable accessory to enable users to enjoy content on any home audio system. It would also need to support the addition of a SiriusConnect Home Tuner, enabling users to listen to two different SIRIUS channels in different rooms of the house, all controlled from the SIRIUS Conductor handheld controller. Utilizing the Z-Wave wireless protocol, a wireless radio frequency (RF) based communications technology designed for residential control, UEI will be able to develop a truly unique and cost effective solution for SIRIUS subscribers.

UEI is working with SIRIUS on a customized solution that includes integrated hardware, software, and patented control technologies:

• SIRIUS Conductor Base: Integrates a SIRIUS tuner with a powerful 2-way RF adaptor, utilizing Z-Wave technology, which serves as the wireless bridge between the Conductor's handheld controller and any home stereo system with an available audio input.
  
• SIRUS Conductor handheld controller: A 12-device universal controller with LCD display that not only sends commands to the SIRIUS Conductor base and other home theater devices, but also receives streaming metadata from SIRIUS, such as the current song title, artist and album, and displays this information directly over the unit's back-lit LCD screen. The handheld media controller also supports the navigation features that SIRIUS subscribers have become accustomed to such as channel presets and programming category lists.
  
• A host of UEI innovation: UEI technologies include its world-class connectivity software, learning, direct set and one-touch macro capabilities, all intended to ensure compatibility, ease of use, and end-user enjoyment.
  

"Z-Wave is the market leading wireless home control technology and quickly evolving into the wireless standard for home control," says Tony Shakib, chief executive officer at Zensys, the developer of Z-Wave. "Z-Wave already has a vast portfolio of platforms for controlling systems such as lighting, home entertainment, security, air-conditioning, and appliances, but UEI has taken Z-Wave applications to the next level by delivering 2-way metadata communication within the home in an application that offers a fantastic consumer experience."

"As SIRIUS continues to expand its product lineup, it is crucial to provide our customers with a solution to help them access our content quickly, easily, and affordably," said Bob Law, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Electronics Division at SIRIUS. "UEI embraced this vision and was able to provide a fully-integrated solution that will help us extend our services into the home and allow our customers to enjoy SIRIUS' content like never before. UEI has a reputation as the leader in providing control solutions for home entertainment and was a natural choice in our decision to offer the SIRIUS Conductor solution for the home."

"Satellite radio has taken the entertainment world by storm, and it's no wonder when you look at just a sampling of SIRIUS offerings, including commercial-free music, live sports broadcasts, and celebrity talk programming," said Paul Arling, chairman and chief executive officer at UEI. "We are very excited to combine our wireless control expertise, while leveraging our industry affiliations, such as our membership in the Z-Wave Alliance, to seek out opportunities to help consumers fully enjoy the home entertainment offerings from a leader in satellite radio like SIRIUS."

The SIRIUS Conductor is expected to be available at retail in November for MSRP $149.99.

More information about UEI can be obtained at www.uei.com.

SOURCE Universal Electronics