Media processor chip decodes simultaneous HD video streams

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Aug. 18, 2005

Sigma Designs is sampling a media processor chip for IPTV set-top boxes and high-definition DVD players. The SMP8634 supports Linux, and is claimed to be the first system-on-chip processor to support multi-stream decoding of any format, including up to two simultaneous high-definition streams, along with full-screen graphics.

About a year and a half ago, Sigma claimed to be the marketshare leader in IP set-top box and high-definition DVD chips, having shipped "about a million" DVD/IP-STB SoCs (system-on-chips) designed to run its custom uClinux distribution.

According to Sigma, the SMP8634 integrates a complete complement of next generation capabilities suitable for most consumer products. Key features include:

Video decoding of H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), VC-1 (WMV9), MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2) with multiple streams, up to the equivalent of two high-definition streams.
High performance graphics acceleration with bit-BLT, raster operations, vector font rendering, JPEG decode acceleration and line drawing functions.
Audio decoding capability for Dolby Digital, WMA, WMA Pro, AAC, and MPEG audio layers I, II and III (MP3) and other audio standards.
Content security management with on-chip secure processor, flash memory, and DRM engines for high speed payload decryption of AES, DES, triple-DES, RC4, CSS, DVB-CSA and Multi-2.
Advanced display processing capabilities, including multi-plane architecture with advanced scaling, motion adaptive de-interlacing, and image composition with pixel-based alpha blending and colorimetry and image control features.
An array of video output options including HDMI/HDCP digital video, plus analog component and separate NTSC/PAL encoder with analog composite and S-video outputs.
Single-chip solution with on-chip CPU, unified memory controller, Ethernet 10/100 controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, IDE controller and general purpose IO.

Sigma says it supports the SMP8634 with a multimedia software library for handling real-time video/audio/graphics, board support packages for Linux and Windows CE, and sample applications for streaming media, DVD navigation, and hard-disk playback.

SMP8634 Block Diagram
(Click image for larger view)
Sigma contends that the IPTV industry is rapidly moving toward advanced set-top boxes that support both VC-1 and H.264, two new video codec standards that provide more than twice the compression efficiency of the venerable MPEG-2. These advanced codecs enable network operators to deliver high-quality video services, such as high-definition broadcasts and video-on-demand (VOD) over bandwidth limited broadband networks.

Samples of the SMP8634 are available immediately. Production availability is expected to begin in November, acording to Sigma.

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