Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Broadcom Corp | Subject: Media PC solutions
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 05 June 2007
Chipset and boards cut media centre
costs
A novel range of media PC solutions enables flawless playback of high definition (HD) video content across the widest range of PCs in the industry.
By lowering CPU utilisation, and integrating seamlessly into Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP environments, Broadcom's media PC solutions enable mainstream PCs featuring integrated graphics to play back high definition content from either a Blu-ray Disc or HD DVD, as well as from HD downloaded or broadcast content The new Broadcom media PC solutions are available in three add-in card formats (including desktop PCI Express, PCI Express mini-card or ExpressCard 34), and as a chipset solution for PC motherboard applications
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 19 Oct 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Additionally, intensive CPU processing to reconstruct data is required for HD download and broadcast content.
As a result, PCs/laptops capable of playing HD content can be very costly, typically ranging in price from US $2000 to $3500.
To address the growing consumer demand for high definition content playback on cost effective mainstream PCs (typically in the price range of US $999 to $1499), Broadcom has announced its media PC family of products.
Leveraging Broadcom's widely deployed and field proven technologies in the high definition set-top box and consumer HD DVD and Blu-ray player markets, Broadcom's media PC technology provides the highest quality video playback of multiformat (VC-1, H.264 and MPEG-2) HD content for the mainstream PC market.
With total power consumption of approximately 2W, Broadcom's media PC solutions help extend battery life on notebook PCs, enabling full-length movie playback.
"In-Stat predicts that the market for HD DVD and Blu-ray enabled PCs is expected to grow to 15 million by the end of 2008", says Chris Kissel, Semiconductor Research Analyst for In-Stat.
"Pushing high definition content to consumers is critical to the success of the PC as the entertainment hub for the home".
"As studios begin to offer new movie titles as soon as they are released on HD DVD or Blu-ray discs, we believe that media PC technologies such as Broadcom's low power, cost-effective solutions will help accelerate HD proliferation into the mid-range PC segment".
"In comparison to other solutions in the market, our media PC technology excels when system cost, power consumption, CPU utilisation and fan noise are key factors", says Greg Young, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's High-Speed Controller line of business.
"By leveraging our robust and proven HD video cores, as well as our outstanding collaborations with leading technology providers such as Microsoft, Intel, AMD, Corel and CyberLink, Broadcom is poised to establish significant market leadership in the media PC space by providing the highest quality, lowest power HD video playback solutions for mainstream PCs".
"Broadcom's media PC technology is designed to enable high performance HD DVD playback on Windows Vista-enabled PCs", says Amir Majidimehr, Corporate Vice President of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft Corp.
"By supporting the new A/V infrastructure in Windows Vista, and as a fully compliant solution in support of the SMPTE VC-1 codec, Broadcom's media PC technology provides a more protected environment while enabling an excellent high definition playback experience with virtually any class of PC hardware".
"We constantly strive to enhance the high-definition experience delivered by Intel chipsets with GMA 3000 series integrated graphics and the Intel Core Duo and Core 2 Duo family of processors, therefore we are excited to enable support for Broadcom's media PC products", says Richard Malinowski, General Manager of the Intel's Chipset Group.
"Our combined efforts not only yield superb video playback but also significantly lower the price point of high definition capable PCs".
"Having collaborated with Broadcom on its media PC technology, we are pleased that CyberLink's PowerDVD solutions can now leverage Broadcom's proven quality high definition multistandard (VC-1, H.264, MPEG-2) hardware decoder technology in the PC environment to deliver the ultimate user experience when playing back high definition content such as HD DVD and Blu-ray", says Alice H Chang, CEO at CyberLink.
"We are very pleased to fully support Broadcom's new media PC technology with the release of our newest InterVideo WinDVD 8 solution", says Blaine Mathieu, Vice President and General Manager Products and Strategy, Digital Media at Corel Corporation.
"As a result of our collaboration, PCs equipped with Broadcom's media PC technology will have superior high definition video playback, real-time interactive content and longer battery life when playing full length HD DVD and Blu-ray content on notebook PCs".
Broadcom's media PC solutions are available in three add-in card formats that include the BCM970012NB for PCI Express mini-cards; the BCM970012PQ for PCI Express desktops; and the BCM970012IC for ExpressCard 34.
The new technology is also offered as a chipset that includes the BCM70010 and the BCM70012.
All products are in full production today and priced at under US $40 each in high volumes.
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