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Broadcom Complete Blu-ray/HD DVD SoC Solution

PostPosted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:17 pm
by Ian
Now we just need a company to develop an all in one optical unit. Then MAYBE we'd finally get a hybrid player.

http://www.broadcom.com/press/release.p ... ource=home

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced the industry's first complete system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution that combines both Blu-ray™ and HD DVD optical disc formats into a highly integrated, single-chip design. Building upon its successful first-generation Blu-ray/HD DVD SoC solution, Broadcom has developed a next-generation universal player SoC that not only significantly surpasses current chip technology in integration and performance, but will further the advancement of high definition media players. The new Broadcom® SoC has an advanced feature set, coupled with a software stack that is compliant with both Blu-ray and HD DVD specifications, providing OEMs with a complete platform for future generation media players that support both disc formats, as well as other home entertainment and network applications.

Blu-ray and HD DVD are the next generation of optical disc formats for recording, rewriting and playing high definition video and digital data. According to In-Stat market research, the worldwide adoption rate of large-screen HDTV sets by consumers has increased significantly over the last year, providing an enormous opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers and motion picture studios to supply consumers with high definition media players and high definition movies. The potential mass adoption of the Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats represents a key transition in the home entertainment market complementing the ever expanding consumer preference for high definition content.

"To further the widespread adoption of high definition DVD media players, it is imperative to have cost-effective, complete silicon solutions, like Broadcom's, that support both Blu-ray and HD DVD disc formats. These innovative chips will help OEMs deliver solutions that meet the price points required for mass adoption by consumers," said Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst at In-Stat. "The complexity involved in combining these two disc formats onto a single-chip semiconductor solution for media players exemplifies Broadcom's technical ability and commitment to offering time-to-market and cost-effective solutions for this new market opportunity."

Announced today is the Broadcom BCM7440 Blu-ray/HD DVD SoC that offers OEMs a high performance single-chip media player design, which integrates a multiple-core MIPS® architecture, a multi-stream HD video decoder, dedicated graphics engines, DSP-based audio processors, a security processor, DDR2 interfaces, integrated video and audio outputs and a complete array of system and network connectivity interfaces. The BCM7440 is supported with a complete reference design, the BCM97440 and software stack, which includes support for all Blu-ray and HD DVD profiles.