[After Acorn ] [Companies ]
Pace are designers and manufacturers of set top boxes (STBs). Pace orignally produced upgrades (e.g disc drive) and games for the BBC Micro. When Acorn was split up Pace bought RISC OS to use in their STBs as NCOS and subsequently licensed RISC OS to Catle for the Iyonix, before finally selling RISC OS to Castle Technology.
Bush Internet was a joint venture between Alba (80%) and Virgin (20%); created specifically to sell simple "one button connect", low cost, mass market Internet devices aimed at the average person in the street. The various devices they jointly launched included, Internet enabled TV and external set top boxes which enable a colour TV to become Internet connected. Pace designed the Internet Surf Set for Bush. Its OS is based on NCOS from the Acorn Network Computers. It has an IR Keyboard, remote control and a built-in 33.6k modem. In simple terms you plug it in (modem, TV, power) switch on and select connect to the Internet and off you go surfing! Unfortunately it was not a great success.
Here are some pictures and further details of the Bush Internet Surf Set .
The Pace DSL4000 is a digital set top box which was launched in 1999. The DSL4000 is based on set top box technology bought from Acorn/Element 14. It was used by Kingston Communications in UK and other telco/cable companies worldwide.
Here are some pictures and further details of the Pace DSL4000 .