Broadcom VideoCore® Technology Powers the Industry's Most Extensive Reference Design Platform for Developing Next Generation Portable Multimedia Players
New Development Platform Converges Leading Broadcom(R) Technologies in Mobile Multimedia, Bluetooth(R), Wi-Fi(R) and Power Management
TAIPEI, Taiwan, -- 2007 Computex International -- June 5 /-- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new reference design platform for developing next generation portable multimedia devices. Co-developed with Micro-Star International (MSI), a leading Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM), the platform integrates leading edge components from Broadcom's VideoCore(R) applications processor, Bluetooth(R), FM tuner radio, Wi-Fi(R) and power management portfolios into a single, small form factor design solution. The new reference design platform includes a full library of software applications and associated board support software to speed time-to-market for advanced portable multimedia players and other mobile devices.
With the increasing popularity of portable media players, system developers are moving quickly to add advanced multimedia features and wireless connectivity to differentiate their products in this highly competitive market. The Broadcom(R) VideoCore applications processor, which is at the heart of the reference platform, delivers a flexible multimedia acceleration solution for high performance and very low power 2D/3D graphics, imaging, video and audio processing. The flexible nature of VideoCore technology enables product differentiation with rapid porting and support for frequently changing Internet codecs and multimedia technologies. Building on these advanced multimedia capabilities, Broadcom's platform also provides an enhanced user experience, enabling wireless stereo headphones, music downloads and web browsing via Broadcom's market leading Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.
With additional functionality driving increased integration complexity, the Broadcom reference design is offered as a means of supporting rapid market introduction without compromising functionality or component selection. Broadcom's new reference design platform solves many design complexity problems via proven components designed for interoperability.
One example is the integration of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Both technologies operate within the same 2.4GHz radio frequency band, potentially introducing interference issues. With Broadcom's new converged reference design platform, the radio co-existence issues (as well as other design complexities) have been addressed in the component design process, greatly reducing development time and effort. Similarly, the platform integrates media player software applications, media codecs and the Linux(R) operating system to further simplify product development.
"Our new converged platform pulls the key mobile multimedia and communications technologies together in one integrated system that can be quickly adapted to meet the aggressive objectives of leading product developers and manufacturers," said Steve Barraclough, Director of Business Development of Broadcom's Mobile Multimedia line of business. "Since Broadcom can uniquely provide the most extensive range of proven industry-leading wireless and mobile communications components, this platform offers a reliable, no-compromise solution for developing next generation portable media products."
"We were able to develop quickly a complete media player device for our key customers within 6 months by utilizing the new Broadcom platform," said Jerry Lin, Sales Manager of MSI. "The broad array of technologies, brought together in a highly adaptable platform design, enables significant advantages in both time-to-market and product differentiation - a combination that our OEM customers appreciate."
Converged Reference Design Platform Features
Broadcom's converged reference design platform referred to as the Hawaii Platform combines the key technologies required for next generation portable music player devices and includes the following:
o Applications Processing - The BCM2820 includes a powerful applications processor based on the ARM11 architecture (widely adopted in the industry and includes an existing code base that can be conveniently leveraged to enable flexibility in design and product differentiation).
o Multimedia Processing - The BCM2820 also integrates Broadcom's VideoCore multimedia engine (currently shipping in popular portable media players worldwide). The VideoCore coprocessor provides low power consumption during video and audio encode and decode, 8 Megapixel digital photos, and television output.
o Wi-Fi - The low-power BCM4326, from Broadcom's industry-leading Wi-Fi portfolio that includes several client devices enabling high- performance 802.11b/g connectivity. Broadcom's successful Wi-Fi solutions are featured in an installed base of notebook computers and other mobile devices from leading manufacturers;
o Bluetooth/FM Tuner - The BCM2048 single-chip Bluetooth transceiver is based on Broadcom's highly successful Bluetooth architecture, which is shipping in hundreds of millions of existing mobile phones, and includes the richest portfolio of software profiles and functionality available. The chip also supports enhanced data rate (EDR), all Bluetooth 2.0 features and many Bluetooth 2.1 features. Showcasing Broadcom's integration expertise, the BCM2048 also includes an on-chip FM radio receiver, which includes high receiver sensitivity, station information enhancements through intelligent radio data service (RDS) and radio broadcast data service (RBDS) processing, and superior tuning and station search functions;
o Power Management - The BCM59001 power management unit (PMU), designed specifically to address the increasingly complex system requirements of mobile devices, maximizing battery life while ensuring that the various communications subsystems are adequately powered for optimum performance.
Availability
The new Broadcom converged co-existence reference design platform is available now in association with Micro-Star International (MSI), a leading Taiwanese ODM. Demonstrations for the Broadcom reference design, as well as ODM partner products, will be conducted this week at 2007 Computex International.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of- the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2006 revenue of $3.67 billion, and holds over 2,000 U.S. and 800 foreign patents, more than 6,000 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.
Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.
Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), the Connecting everything logo, and VideoCore(R) are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Wi-Fi(R) is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Bluetooth(R) is a trademark of the Bluetooth SIG. Linux(R) is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Broadcom Trade Press Contact
Jeremy Hyatt
Corporate Communications Manager
969-926-5971
jhyatt@broadcom.com
Broadcom Technical Contact
Walter Rivera
Product Marketing Manager, Mobile Multimedia Products
949-926-6753
wrivera@broadcom.com
