[opendtv] Re: H.264 chip ready for market

Turns out that the Conexant chip only decodes H.264 and is a companion chip
to their MPEG decoding solutions. 


-- Keith Jack
   author "Video Demystified"
   new 4th edition now available!
  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Manfredi, Albert E
> Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 10:00 AM
> To: OpenDTV (E-mail)
> Subject: [opendtv] H.264 chip ready for market
> 
> Note the 130 and 90 nm process used for all these chips.
> 
> Bert
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------
> H.264 decoder chips begin to hit the market By Junko Yoshida 
> , EE Times November 29, 2004 (10:26 AM EST)
> URL: http://www.eet.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=3D54200808
> 
> TOKYO - Conexant Systems Inc. has begun sampling a new chip 
> capable of decoding advanced video coding technology based on 
> the H.264 video codec, the company announced Monday (Nov. 29).
> 
> The video compression technology, designed for 
> high-definition video transmission and storage applications, 
> is a key driver for satellite TV, IP set tops and 
> high-definition DVD recorders scheduled for launch in 2005.
> 
> Service providers and consumer system companies have been 
> eagerly awaiting H.264 chips as a catalyst for 
> high-definition video products and broadcast services.
> 
> While Conexant (Newport Beach, Calif.) is claiming the 
> industry's first H.264 decoder ICs, it also has plenty of 
> company as it aims for the lead in the emerging market.
> Rivals include Broadcom, STMicroelectronics and Sigma 
> Designs. These competitors are reportedly either "already 
> sampling" or "ready to sample" H.264 chips.
> 
> Citing pent-up demand, Christos Lagomichos, general manager 
> of ST's Home Entertainment Group, called initial demand for
> H.264 chips "incredible." Lagomichos said ST began sampling 
> its own H.264 decoder chips earlier in the current quarter.
> 
> Leveraging its June acquisition of Amphion Semiconductor Ltd. 
> (Belfast, Northern Ireland), Conexant has rolled out a family 
> of H.264 chips based on Amphion's high-definition
> H.264 hardware video decoder core.
> 
> The first two chips to be sampled in early December include
> high- and standard-definition versions of fully-compliant 
> H.264-only decoders. Both chips are fabricated using a 
> 0.13-micron process technology.
> 
> Conexant's H.264-only decoders are stand-alone chips, not 
> integrated into Conexant's own MPEG-2-based SoCs for set-top 
> boxes or other digital consumer systems. Jeff Crosby, vice 
> president of Broadband Media Processing for Conexant, said, 
> "By providing the H.264 function in this separate IC, it can 
> be married with our SoCs, which are optimized for the 
> different segments."
> 
> Conexant is planning to integrate the H.264 and multiformat 
> decoder capabilities into SoCs that are scheduled for 
> sampling at the end of 2005, Crosby said.
> 
> ST is claiming a leg up on its competitors, with a highly 
> integrated H.264/MPEG-2-based set-top IC that takes advantage 
> of ST's proprietary 0.09-micron process technology. "Our 
> competition today is only capable of providing a two-chip 
> solution - main set-top box device and companion coprocessor 
> for H.264 video decode," ST's Lagomichos stressed. "ST is not 
> doing a companion device, but going straight to a single 
> 90-nm chip for the most cost-effective H.264 complete set-top 
> box solution."
> 
> ST's H.264 decoding solution is built around "our own unique 
> advanced ST2xx family VLIW Processors and some dedicated 
> hardware acceleration," added Lagomichos.
> 
> Meanwhile, Conexant's CX2418X family of H.264 chips are based 
> on the ARM926EJ-S core integrated with H.264 hardware 
> engines. Syntax parsing and control firmware are hosted by 
> the on-chip ARM9 microcontroller.
> 
> Conexant is currently sampling its high- and 
> standard-definiiton versions of stand-alone H.264-only 
> decoder ICs, with volume production scheduled for the second 
> quarter of 2005. The chips are priced at $20 each in 
> quantities of 10,000.
> 
> Copyright 2003 CMP Media
>  
>  
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
> 
> - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration 
> settings at FreeLists.org 
> 
> - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 
> the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
> 
> 


 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:

- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at 
FreeLists.org 

- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word 
unsubscribe in the subject line.

Other related posts: