AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – Microsoft Corp. and Sigma Designs Inc. have announced the availability of a new class of system-on-chip (SOC) that will enable the production of low-cost, high-definition-capable devices optimized for the Microsoft TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform.
The new SMP8634 media processor from Sigma Designs will enable set-top box and consumer electronics manufacturers to create a range of products for broadband service providers to deliver IPTV services to the home, say the two companies.
The announcement was made this weekend at IBC2005, the International Broadcasters Convention, in Amsterdam.
Microsoft and Sigma Designs have worked closely together to extend the processing functionality of Sigma Design’s open standards-based SMP8634 media processor to achieve a feature set that delivers the full power of the Microsoft TV platform. This innovative SOC is capable of delivering multiple channels of high-definition (HD) video and on-screen graphics, powerful multimedia processing, powerful content security, and support for a full range of peripherals such as USB 2.0, IDE, Ethernet and HDMI. Support for the VC-1 and H.264 (MPEG-4) video codecs is also built in, further reducing costs for set-top box manufacturers.
The SOC can be embedded inside a range of consumer electronic devices to enable consumers to choose from a variety of IPTV-ready receivers such as TV sets, set-top boxes, digital video disc players and gaming consoles. These offerings create more “on ramps” to the connected digital home, enabling great stand-alone IPTV experiences that are ultimately "better together" when connected to other compatible devices and services, says the press release.
"Platforms based on Sigma’s SMP8634 and Microsoft IPTV Edition offer the dual benefit of achieving a dramatically new user experience and significantly lowering the cost of IPTV-ready receivers," said Ken Lowe, vice-president of strategic marketing at Sigma Designs. "Ultimately, high-definition content will help IPTV come alive for consumers as a clearly differentiated service."
"The combination of Sigma’s new SOC and the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform will bring significant benefits to set-top manufacturers, IPTV service providers and consumers alike,” added Phil Corman, director of worldwide partner development for the Microsoft TV Division.
Sigma’s SMP8634 media processor integrates a complete complement of next-generation capabilities for a single-chip system-on-chip (SOC) solution with powerful multimedia processing, robust content security system, and a full complement of peripherals. Its decoder engines support video decoding of H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media Video 9 (Microsoft’s implementation of VC-1, the proposed SMPTE standard), MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2) with multiple streams, “up to the equivalent of two high-definition video streams,” says the company.
High-performance graphics acceleration, multi-standard audio decoding, advanced display processing capabilities, and HDMI/HDCP output round out its multimedia core. Content security is ensured through a dedicated secure processor, flash memory, and a range of digital rights management (DRM) engines for high-speed payload decryption. The SMP8634’s 300-MIPS host CPU, 3.2 GB/second unified memory controller, Ethernet 10/100 controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, and IDE controller provide for a single-chip solution for most set-top boxes and consumer players.
Microsoft also used the conference to re-state and announce new partner support for its IPTV software platform with hardware partners like Linksys-KiSS, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta, Tatung Co. and The Thomson Corp. all of whom have confirmed support for the Microsoft TV platform with a range of new set-top boxes.
