Chinese company readies portable Linux AV player

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Nov. 04, 2004

[Updated Nov. 5, 2004] -- Zupera Technology has used a 2.6-series embedded Linux kernel to build a handheld audio/visual player set for volume production in January. The 30GB "Zupera" will be available with a 5.7- or 7-inch LCD touchscreen display, along with software for playback of a variety of multimedia files.

The Zupera will feature a USB 2.0 interface, for rapid file download from local PCs. It will also include a CompactFlash interface that supports transferring photos directly from digital cameras.

The Zupera can be used standalone, or can be connected to a television or other output device and operated with a supplied remote control. The device can provide eight hours of music or four hours of video playback through the internal LCD, and an optional battery pack (shown at right) is also available.

The device is based on a 100MHz processor with a 32-bit sound system. It boots from 4MB of Flash, and includes 4MB of RAM as well. The device also includes an FPGA (field-programmable gate array), which handles MPEG-4 compression.

The Zupera includes a Windows Media Center Edition interface, including support for Microsoft's implementation of MPEG-4, and can be used with a variety of Windows and Macintosh desktop operating systems, Zupera says, as well as with Linux desktops.

I/O ports include USB 2.0, CompactFlash slot, and A/V I/O and headphone ports.

Additional features include a socket for tripod or in-car mounting, screen rotation, and optional 60GB or 80GB hard drives. Supported file formats are said to include:

Video formats:
- MPEG-4, including DIVX, RMP, and AVI file format
- MPEG-2, including MPG files and VOB viles (DVD disc files)
- MPEG-1, including MPG files and DAT files (VCD disc files)
Audio formats:
- MP3, WMA, WAV, CD, AC-3
Multiple video output resolutions:
- QCIF (176 x 144 PAL; 176 x 120 NTSC)
- CIF (352 x 288 PAL; 352 x 240 NTSC)
- 1/2 D1 (352 x 576 PAL; 352 x 480 NTSC)
- 2/3 D1 (480 x 576 PAL; 480 x 480 NTSC)
- D1 (704 x 576 PAL; 704 x 480 NTSC)

Zupera is based in Shenzhen, China. The company has promised to send photos "near the end of this month, following the completion of tooling mold revision."

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