Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Micronas USA | Subject: DeCypher 8100
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 04 October 2005
Decoder SoC enables new classes of A/V
products
The DeCypher 8100 is a multistream high-definition audio/video system-on-chip decoder with integrated digital rights management and networking support.
Wischip International describes the DeCypher 8100 as a breakthrough multistream high-definition audio/video system-on-chip (SoC) decoder with integrated digital rights management and networking support The DeCypher 8100 is a flexible and scalable single-chip solution that will enable OEM consumer electronics customers to develop next-generation IP set-top boxes and high-definition television sets and Blu-ray (BD)/HD-DVD products at a lower cost with faster time to market
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 6 Jun 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The key enabling drivers for these emerging high-definition consumer products, as well as high-quality IP-TV broadcasts and video-on-demand services, are advanced compression technologies to reduce the bandwidth requirements needed to deliver high-definition content.
Furthermore, as next-generation digital media becomes pervasive in the home, there will be an increasing demand to integrate the various home entertainment devices.
This functionality requires the powerful media processing and networking capabilities incorporated in the DeCypher 8100.
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"Consumer electronics vendors must overcome some significant challenges in order to make high-definition content ubiquitous in the home", said Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst with In-Stat.
"With MPEG-1/2/4 video compression technology, the bandwidth requirements are much too high".
"There are also multiple content protection schemes that do not interoperate, inhibiting the widespread release of premium content".
"Plus, connecting devices in the home to view, share and distribute content is cumbersome".
"Wischip's DeCypher 8100 represents a new class of streaming media decoder that tackles each of these significant problems head on".
The DeCypher 8100 reduces the bandwidth required for high-definition digital video by a factor of two to three when compared with today's MPEG-2 compression standard.
This is achieved by supporting advanced codecs such as H.264 (AVC) High Profile (ITU/ISO standard) and VC-1 Advanced Profile (SMPTE standard).
The DeCypher 8100 also incorporates MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile; MPEG-2 and MPEG-1 codecs for backwards compatibility.
The system-on-chip can simultaneously decode a single high-definition and standard-definition stream or any combination of four standard definition streams.
The DeCypher 8100 also supports audio decoding for Dolby Digital, WMA, WMA Pro, AAC and MPEG audio layers I, II and III (MP3) and other industry-standard audio algorithms.
Security and digital rights management for current and emerging needs are provided through a dedicated security subsystem.
The security subsystem incorporates a dedicated processor and hardware acceleration for cryptographic functions such as CSS descrambling, DES/3DES, AES, RC4, Microsoft Janus/Cardea, and Microsoft Block Cipher.
Additionally, the security subsystem also incorporates OTP and an NRSS-A interface for renewable conditional access.
As a highly integrated SoC, the DeCypher 8100 combines a real-time IP streaming, network-ready architecture to transmit and receive high-definition content between devices.
To simplify content accessibility, the new decoder supports connectivity via UPnP, DLNA and PlaysForSure.
In addition, the DeCypher 8100 is the first working solution capable of receiving and processing streaming, high-definition H.264 (AVC), VC-1 and MPEG-1/2/4 content using the latest networking technology.
"The DeCypher 8100 represents a major breakthrough in technology that will dramatically impact the high-definition consumer electronics market", said Jim Mannos, PhD, President and CEO of Wischip.
"Our new SoC decoder provides a 'one-stop' development platform that enables designers to deliver highly differentiated products to distinguish themselves from what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive market".
Wischip will provide software development kits (SDKs) for turnkey reference design platforms based on the DeCypher 8100.
These reference designs will enable OEM consumer electronics vendors to quickly and cost-effectively develop new classes of high-definition audio/video products.
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