Product category:
Reference Designs
News Release from: National Semiconductor | Subject: Linux for SP1SC10 reference platform
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 22 June 2001
Linux simplifies set-top box development
National Semiconductor has released a Linux digital video software solution for its Geode SP1SC10 reference platform for the development of advanced set-top box products.
National Semiconductor has released a Linux digital video software solution for its Geode SP1SC10 reference platform for the development of advanced set-top box products National has formed a technical partnership with Century Embedded Technologies, a division of Century Software, to lay the groundwork for fast and easy Linux development for multimedia programming
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 5 Jan 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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National has developed a full set of Linux software drivers, and Century's WebMedia software provides the tools and environment for developers to build applications and customised user interfaces.
"The open source Linux environment reduces costs, allows access to new applications and patches, and provides a stable and secure platform", said Dave Pederson, set-top box business unit director at National Semiconductor.
"Linux software is seen by many developers as an ideal solution for the next generation set-top box products.
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We have entered into this technical partnership with Century Software to ensure that the best tools and highest level of technical support is available to developers in the Linux community".
"A whole new dynamic has been created in set-top box technology by combining National's engineering prowess in multimedia processor development with Century's skills as a software developer and integrator", said Gregory Haerr, founder and CEO of Century Software.
"The Geode processor's x86 architecture is unique in the set-top box arena and provides the ideal power and performance for a Linux-based system".
Century Embedded Technologies will provide all technical support for National's set-top box original equipment manufacturers, distribution partners, development partners and customers.
This will include software ports to popular embedded Linux distributions including Red Hat, Debian, Hard Hat, SuSE, Caldera, Embedix and others.
Century will create and deploy a variety of development environments for the desktop and maintain open-source projects based on National's set-top box hardware and software technologies.
The Linux operating system has a large base of support in the software community.
It is an open source platform that doesn't require licensing fees, so there have been and will continue to be a wide array of software packages designed to run on the operating system.
According to Strategy Analytics, interactive digital television is expected to reach 625 million viewers by 2005.
"As broadcasters of digital video programming add Internet-based services, such as streaming media, interactive content and e-commerce applications, the technical requirements of the set-top box will increase dramatically", said Pederson.
"The performance of the Geode processor and the flexibility of a Linux-based platform provide the adaptable development environment demanded by our customers".
National will begin shipping Linux software upgrades to its existing base of Geode SP1SC10 customers in mid-June.
All future versions of the reference platform will ship with Linux tools preloaded.
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