LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 2006 International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, today announced the industry's first high definition (HD) audio/video decoder chip that is fully compliant with the emerging Blu-ray™ and HD DVD™ optical disc formats. Compliance with Blu-ray and HD DVD formats permits the recording and playback of high definition video on blue laser-based optical disc media and drives. Broadcom's latest high definition decoder chip enables a new generation of consumer electronics devices that can decode compressed HD video stored on Blu-ray or HD DVD formatted discs.
"The worldwide adoption rate of large-screen HDTV sets by consumers has increased significantly over the last year," said Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst at In-Stat. "There is now an enormous opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers and Hollywood studios to supply consumers with high- definition media players and movies. As a result, we anticipate strong movie title and media player introductions in 2006."
Announced today is the Broadcom® BCM7411D HD A/V decoder chip. The new chip supports H.264 (also known at MPEG-4 Part 10/Advanced Video Coding (AVC)) and VC-1 (SMPTE 421M), the SMPTE standard based on Microsoft® Windows Media® Video 9. Both compression standards are mandatory for Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats. The BCM7411D also supports high definition MPEG-2 decoding and provides full backwards compatibility for current DVD video titles as well as new HD DVD titles that may be authored in an MPEG-2 format. A single-chip high definition decoder, supporting all three compression standards, enables manufacturers to build a new generation of media players that support both high definition optical discs as well as existing DVD video titles.
"Our previous generation HD A/V decoder chips have been tremendously successful in the cable, satellite and IPTV set-top box markets because of our relentless commitment to meet required compliance and performance metrics," said Peter Besen, Vice President of Consumer Electronics at Broadcom. "Our ability to deliver field-proven HD decoder technology that supports all of the industry's compression standards places Broadcom in a position to become the leader of this exciting emerging market for consumer electronics."
The BCM7411D is based on Broadcom's previous generation HD A/V decoder chips, which are currently shipping in cable, satellite and IPTV set-top boxes, media centers and gateways. This fourth generation chip not only adds features that specifically address the HD optical disc player market, but also includes support for the VC-1 video compression standard.
"Broadcom has proven itself to be a leader in the broadband communications semiconductor market, and with this new high definition decoder chip, it will power a wide range of new high definition optical disc devices," said Kevin Unangst, Director of Windows Digital Media at Microsoft Corporation. "By adding support for VC-1, Broadcom is ensuring its product will meet the highest standards for performance excellence."
Also announced today is Broadcom's BCM97438 reference platform for the development of Blu-ray and HD DVD media players. The platform includes a reference board featuring the new BCM7411D HD A/V decoder chip and Broadcom's BCM7038 dual-channel HD digital video system chip, as well as a software platform that offers OEMs a wide range of integration options. Customers can interface their own navigation software solutions with application program interfaces (APIs) that provide full access to the underlying graphics, security, storage and I/O functions. Broadcom is also working with third party software vendors to offer fully integrated navigation software solutions for OEMs who want to license a complete software stack. For example, Sonic Solutions has announced availability of its AuthorScript® BD Navigator solution for playback of advanced interactive Blu-ray discs on the BCM97438 platform.
"Consumers are very excited about the ability to purchase and watch high definition movies on their large screen HDTVs," said Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer Electronics Association. "Broadcom has shown very strong technology leadership in developing the underlying silicon and software technology to make this consumer entertainment capability a reality."
Product Information
The BCM7411D is a high definition A/V decoder chip for Blu-Ray and HD DVD players. The chip supports the latest generations of video compression technologies including AVC High Profile at Level 4.1, VC-1 Advanced Profile at Level 3, and MPEG-2 Main Profile at High Level. The chip's integrated audio codec supports Dolby® Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus, DTS 5.1, DTS-HD, MLP Lossless, LPCM and MPEG audio formats. The chip also supports Thomson's Film Grain Technology, a digital compression technology that reduces the amount of bandwidth needed to store and transmit high definition video files while preserving a film's original creative look and feel.
Pricing and Availability
The BCM7411D is now shipping in volume quantities with pricing available upon request. The BCM97438 reference design is also currently available to qualified OEMs.
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 and Blu-ray disc players, DVD recorders 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®.
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 http://www.broadcom.com.
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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 Blu-ray disc and HD DVD player products such as the BCM7411D and BCM97438 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 Blu-ray disc and HD DVD player 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.
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Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, 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. AuthorScript® is a trademark of Sonic Solutions or its subsidiaries. Dolby® is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
