Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), Irvine, Calif., a global leader
in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, has announced a
new single-chip, multi-format high definition (HD) satellite set-top box
solution that enables manufacturers to develop low cost satellite
set-top boxes (STBs) with personal video recorder (PVR) functionality.
The new Broadcom(R) satellite system-on-a-chip (SoC) is
manufactured in 65 nanometer (nm) process technology that features the
highest level of functionality, fully integrating a dual
tuner/demodulator, and the latest generation of AVC (advanced video
coding) decoder that supports multiple video formats. By reducing the
number of components required to develop satellite set-top box products,
Broadcom has reduced power consumption by more than 50% over competing
solutions, lowering system bill of materials (BOM) cost while reducing
the complexity and size of designing next generation satellite STBs with
watch-and-record capabilities.
Also unveiled was the single-chip BCM7335 satellite SoC set-top box
solution with PVR functionality that supports worldwide standards for
direct broadcast satellite (DBS) set-top boxes based on DVB-S2, DVB-S
and 8PSK, and is backward compatible with the DVB-S standards. Built
around previous generations of Broadcom digital cable and satellite STB
chips and technology, service providers that deploy set-top boxes
designed around the BCM7335 can cost effectively provide their
subscribers with advanced HD television viewing features, improved
picture quality and PVR functionality.
"The BCM7335 offers the highest level of integration in a
single chip that enables service providers to offer advanced features,
such as watch-and-record functionality, to their subscribers to enhance
the viewing experience," said Nicholas Dunn, Director of Marketing
for Broadcom's Satellite Set-Top Box line of business. "With
this new SoC, coupled with our successful 65 nanometer process
technology, Broadcom continues to fuel the technical innovation in the
satellite industry and highly integrated single-chip solutions that
reduce power, PCB size, complexity and overall system cost."
"With the expanding number of HDTV channels being delivered by
satellite pay-TV providers, it has become essential for them to continue
offering advanced STBs with robust features and improved functionality
as a differential advantage," said Michael Inouye, Research Analyst
at In-Stat. "Broadcom's BCM7335 with PVR functionality, and
higher capacities enabled by 8PSK modulation, is one of those SoCs well
suited for more efficient HD channel delivery and widespread
adoption."
The BCM7335 is Broadcom's next generation satellite set-top
box system on a single chip manufactured in the 65nm process. It
integrates a dual tuner/demodulator from the BCM4506 front-end device
and the latest generation of AVC decoders that supports multiple video
formats.
It operates on a dual-threaded MIPS(R) CPU core running at 450 MHz
resulting in over 950 DMIPS in performance. The BCM7335 is designed to
support UMA and non-UMA memory architectures, utilizing a 400-MHz clock,
32 + 16-bit wide double date rate (DDR2) memory interface for enhanced
performance and allows cost effective memory implementations.
The BCM7335 supports several interfaces for TV output on-chip that
is integrated on-chip including the HDMI, baseband composite, component
or S-Video, and incorporates Broadcom's advanced 2D graphics engine
that enables true studio-quality text and graphics, efficiently using
its memory and bandwidth.
The BCM7335 is designed using the 65 nanometer process, the most
advanced lithographic node for manufacturing semiconductors in large
volumes, provides significant benefits over 90nm and 130nm processes by
enabling lower power consumption, smaller size and higher levels of
integration. For Broadcom, the move to 65 nanometer process technology
is changing the competitive landscape because of the breadth and depth
of the communications intellectual property the company possesses.
Without a broad portfolio of market-leading solutions to integrate,
competitors are not able to take full advantage of the benefits that
these next generation processes provide.
Availability and Pricing
The BCM7335 high definition PVR satellite SoC is sampling to early
access customers. Pricing is available upon request for manufacturers of
satellite TV set-top boxes.
Broadcom also makes available to early access customers a fully
supported reference design (BCM97335) that ensures cost efficient design
and manufacturing, and faster time-to-market. The BCM97335 reference
design is a development platform for set-top box design based on the
BCM7335 and is available with complete software source code, schematics
and Gerber files, and provides detailed design information for
manufacturers of satellite TV set-top box terminals.
About Broadcom's Broadband Communications 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(R) players,
DVD recorders and personal video recorders.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global
leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications.
Broadcom(R) products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and
multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile
environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of
state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to
manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital
entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These
solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor
companies, with 2006 revenue of $3.67 billion, and holds over 2,300 U.S.
and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,100 additional pending patent
applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios
addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and
data.
Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and
research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe.
For more information, visit http://www.broadcom.com or call
949/926-5000.
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