PPC has sealed a deal to buy Colorado-based Evolution Broadband LLC and its line of home distribution and subscriber drop systems, but Evolution Digital LLC, the unit that makes cable set-tops and digital headends, will continue to operate as an independent company.

PPC, a Syracuse, N.Y.-based maker of cable connectors and filters for the cable, satellite TV, and wireless industries, anticipates adding Evolution's in-home network gear and sales channels to its own portfolio. PPC didn't disclose the financial terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the next 30 to 60 days. (See PPC Buys Evolution Broadband.)

Evolution Digital LLC will continue to focus on digital set-tops and systems that aim to help cable MSOs reclaim analog spectrum for more high-definition television channels, Docsis 3.0, video on demand, and other advanced, bandwidth-eating services. (See Evolution Digital Stays Independent .)

Evolution Digital, which has gotten traction with some small and mid-sized operators, was the first box maker to obtain a temporary waiver from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a Digital Terminal Adapter (DTA) with integrated security. (See FCC Believes in Evolution-ary DTAs, Comporium Tests Positive for DTAs, and Evolution Notches Another DTA Win.)

Since then, it has gotten two more standard-definition models stamped by the Commission, and is now trying to get the FCC's blessing on a version that can render high-definition video signals. (See Huawei Gets Box Break at the FCC and Evolution Guns for HD Box Waiver .)

Evolution Digital also has a deal in place to sell TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO) HD-DVRs to its MSO customers. (See CableLabs Blesses Evolution's CableCARD and TiVo Covers Its Cable Bases .)

Following the PPC deal, Evolution Digital will continue to be led by principal Chris Egan and president Brent Smith, and remain headquartered in Centennial, Colo.

It was not immediately known how many of Evolution's team will remain with the digital group, and how many will be heading to PPC.

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable