BRCM: Broadcom Announces the Industry's First Complete Blu-ray/HD DVD System-on-a-Chip Solution for Media Player Development

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced the industry's first complete system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution that combines both Blu-ray™ and HD DVD optical disc formats into a highly integrated, single-chip design. Building upon its successful first-generation Blu-ray/HD DVD SoC solution, Broadcom has developed a next-generation universal player SoC that not only significantly surpasses current chip technology in integration and performance, but will further the advancement of high definition media players. The new Broadcom® SoC has an advanced feature set, coupled with a software stack that is compliant with both Blu-ray and HD DVD specifications, providing OEMs with a complete platform for future generation media players that support both disc formats, as well as other home entertainment and network applications.

Blu-ray and HD DVD are the next generation of optical disc formats for recording, rewriting and playing high definition video and digital data. According to In-Stat market research, the worldwide adoption rate of large-screen HDTV sets by consumers has increased significantly over the last year, providing an enormous opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers and motion picture studios to supply consumers with high definition media players and high definition movies. The potential mass adoption of the Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats represents a key transition in the home entertainment market complementing the ever expanding consumer preference for high definition content.

"To further the widespread adoption of high definition DVD media players, it is imperative to have cost-effective, complete silicon solutions, like Broadcom's, that support both Blu-ray and HD DVD disc formats. These innovative chips will help OEMs deliver solutions that meet the price points required for mass adoption by consumers," said Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst at In-Stat. "The complexity involved in combining these two disc formats onto a single-chip semiconductor solution for media players exemplifies Broadcom's technical ability and commitment to offering time-to-market and cost-effective solutions for this new market opportunity."

Announced today is the Broadcom BCM7440 Blu-ray/HD DVD SoC that offers OEMs a high performance single-chip media player design, which integrates a multiple-core MIPS® architecture, a multi-stream HD video decoder, dedicated graphics engines, DSP-based audio processors, a security processor, DDR2 interfaces, integrated video and audio outputs and a complete array of system and network connectivity interfaces. The BCM7440 is supported with a complete reference design, the BCM97440 and software stack, which includes support for all Blu-ray and HD DVD profiles.

"Broadcom is simplifying the development of next-generation Blu-ray and HD DVD products with a proven, complete single-chip solution that offers OEMs both a time-to-market advantage and cost-effective design," said Peter Besen, Vice President, Consumer Electronics, Broadband Communications Group, of Broadcom. "Our broad portfolio of intellectual property cores for multiple applications, such as cable TV, satellite, IP set-top boxes and Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® and Ethernet networking, enables us to offer more than just a stand-alone high definition DVD silicon solution. We are providing a platform for the future that allows OEMs to easily and cost-effectively deliver products that can also support the evolution of whole home entertainment connectivity."

"Consumers have expressed interest in adding high definition disc players to their home theater and personal movie entertainment systems, but are cautious about adopting the 'wrong' format," said Richard Doherty, Research Director of The Envisioneering Group. "We have found that four out of five American consumers have expressed knowledge of and/or interest in the availability of consumer products and PCs which could play both HD DVD and Blu-ray media. Broadcom's complete Blu-ray/HD-DVD solution is best positioned to drive the wide adoption of the kinds of high-performance, dual-format products consumers want."

"Broadcom's product vision for a universal Blu-ray/HD-DVD solution solves one of the thorniest issues facing consumer electronics manufacturers in the high definition DVD market today," said Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer Electronics Association.

The BCM7440 incorporates the decoding, processing and memory functions for both Blu-ray and HD DVD media players, eliminating the need for manufacturers to build two different hardware platforms. The chip supports the wide variety of mandatory audio and video compression standards required for Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats, including H.264/AVC, VC-1 , MPEG-2, Dolby® Digital Plus, Dolby Tru-HD and DTS-HD. The BCM7440 also provides full backwards compatibility for current DVD video titles as well as DVD-R, DVD-VR and audio CDs.

Product Information

The BCM7440 is a highly integrated SoC that offers the following advanced features for Blu-ray and HD DVD media players:

* Single-chip HD SoC solution supports Blu-ray, HD DVD and universal
high definition players.
* Highest performance platform with multiple processors, dual decoders
and dedicated graphics engines assures robust applications
performance.
* Robust and proven universal optical disc (UOD) software stack reduces
development risks and supports all Blu-ray and HD DVD profiles.
* Complete hardware and software reference design dramatically reduces
OEM/ODM development time.
* Fully integrated SoC enables lowest cost implementation.

Pricing and Availability

The BCM7440 is shipping in sample volume quantities to early access customers with pricing available upon request. The chip is packaged in a 761-ball BGA.