Based on Its Field Proven Decoder Technology, Broadcom Delivers Unprecedented Integration, Performance and Security to Cable, Satellite and IP-Network Equipment Manufacturers
"In recent years, media centers have evolved to support multiple simultaneous functions that require advanced audio/video compression, 2D and 3D graphics, powerful processing power, increased memory bandwidth, home networking and robust security technologies," said Rich Nelson, Vice President of Marketing for Broadcom's Cable and Satellite Products. "Our extensive experience in designing chips for the cable, satellite and television industries has enabled us to develop a next-generation decoder chip that meets all of the high-performance requirements of media centers."
Based on field-proven AVC decoder technology (currently shipping to leading manufacturers of set-top boxes), the new BCM7400 HD AVC/MPEG-2 decoder chip announced by Broadcom today integrates all of the back-end requirements of a high-performance digital media center into a single-chip solution. The features integrated into the BCM7400 enable a new generation of media centers that can receive broadband digital media content via satellite, cable, telephony or Internet network connections. Once the media center receives content, it can store, manage and maintain the digital rights, communicate the content or distribute the content to other media appliances in the home.
The BCM7400's next-generation features include:
* The latest generations of video compression technologies such as
advanced video coding (AVC) (the ITU and ISO joint standard), VC-1 (the
Society for Motion Picture and Television Engineers or SMPTE standard)
and MPEG-2. These video compression technologies enable systems to
support high-definition (HD) and standard definition television
programming.
* Dual audio and video HD channels that enable a single system to
simultaneously deliver HD programs to multiple televisions in the home,
and allow a user to watch an HDTV program while recording another, to
record two HDTV programs at the same time or to display different
programs on the television using picture-in-picture technology.
* Concurrent multi-threaded MIPS CPU with IEEE754 FPU and 128KB
second- level cache provides 875DMIPS capability enabling systems to
support advanced applications with a fast response time, JAVA-based
applications and 3D games.
* Integrated PVR capability that enables the simultaneous recording of
multiple channels, and then enables the user to store and play back the
content throughout the home.
* Advanced 2D and 3D graphics engine that provides unparalleled visual
content and enhances the user interface by providing improved program
guides and navigation capabilities, as well as a user friendly consumer
operating environment that is similar to personal computers.
* Integrated content security processor that provides end-to-end security
and digital rights management of media content. Cable TV downloadable
conditional access system (DCAS) is supported to enable DCAS-based
leased and retail "digital cable ready" set-top boxes. SVP security is
included for content protection in the digitally connected home between
the gateway and its attached clients.
* Integrated peripheral interfaces, such as 10/100 Fast Ethernet and USB
2.0, to connect within the home to other digital appliances or to
connect to an IP network via a DSL modem. Other networking connections,
such as a Wi-Fi(R) network, can be established through a PCI port that
is secured by digital transmission copy protection (DTCP).
Cable TV, Digital Broadcast Satellite and IP Media Center Solutions
The BCM7400 HD AVC/MPEG-2 decoder chip, when combined with other Broadcom set-top box chips, offers highly integrated media center solutions for several different applications.
* Cable TV Media Center:
The BCM3255 and BCM7400, when combined with multiple BCM3420 tuners,
provide manufacturers with a complete HD AVC, digital video recording
(DVR) cable-TV media center design that can support IP channel speeds of
up to 120 Mbps, plus two channels of HD AVC video decompression,
advanced downloadable DCAS security, up to 1600 DMIPs processing power,
and a complete home networking management package. Broadcom has
packaged this complete solution into the BCM97456 reference design to
support customers with their next-generation set-top box designs.
* Digital Broadcast Satellite and IP Media Center:
The BCM7400, when combined with the BCM4500 (DVB-S demodulator), BCM3440
(CMOS tuner) and BCM3517 (ATSC demodulator) products, provides
manufacturers with a complete HD AVC, digital video recording (DVR)
satellite reference platform. This same reference platform supports IP
set-top box applications.
Pricing and Availability
The BCM7400 is available today in sample quantities. The chip is packaged in a 1521-pin QFP and is priced at $49.50 each in 10,000 piece quantities.
Broadcom's Broadband Business Group
Broadcom offers manufacturers a range of broadband communications and consumer electronics SoCs that enable voice, video and data services over residential wired and wireless networks. These highly integrated silicon solutions continue to enable the most advanced system solutions on the market, which include digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes and media servers, broadband modems and residential gateways, high definition and digital televisions, HD DVD players and personal video recorders.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors. Our products enable the convergence of high-speed data, high definition video, voice and audio at home, in the office and on the go. Broadcom provides manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices with the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at 1-949-450-8700 or at www.broadcom.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with cable set-top box and cable modem products such as the BCM7400 include, but are not limited to, general economic and political conditions and specific conditions in the markets we address, including the volatility in the technology sector and semiconductor industry, trends in the broadband communications markets in various geographic regions, including seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are incorporated, and possible disruption in commercial activities related to terrorist activity or armed conflict in the United States and other locations; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's technologies and products in the markets for high-performance digital media center applications; delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in those markets; our ability to scale our operations in response to changes in demand for our existing products and services or demand for new products requested by our customers; intellectual property disputes and customer indemnification claims and other types of litigation risk; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders and our ability, as well as the ability of our customers, to manage inventory; our ability to retain, recruit and hire key executives, technical personnel and other employees in the positions and numbers, with the experience and capabilities, and at the compensation levels needed to implement our business and product plans; our ability to specify, develop or acquire, complete, introduce, market and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a cost-effective and timely manner; the gain or loss of a key customer, design win or order; the availability and pricing of third party semiconductor foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; our ability to timely and accurately predict market requirements and evolving industry standards and to identify opportunities in new markets; the quality of our products and any remediation costs; competitive pressures and other factors such as the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies and in achieving higher levels of design integration; the timing of customer-industry qualification and certification of our products and the risks of non-qualification or non-certification; changes in our product or customer mix; the volume of our product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party semiconductor foundries and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly facilities; the effectiveness of our expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; the risks and uncertainties associated with our international operations, particularly in light of recent events; the effects of natural disasters, public health emergencies, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received that can be shipped in a fiscal quarter; and other factors.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.
Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. MIPS(R) is a trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Wi-Fi(R) is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
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949-926-5108
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949-926-5663
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Product Line Manager
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CONTACT: Press, Laura Brandlin, Director, Marketing Communications,
+1-949-926-5108,
Email Contact, or Investor Relations, T. Peter
Andrew, Vice President, Investor Relations, +1-949-926-5663,
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+1-408-922-8391,
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