Broadcom to Provide MPEG-4/AVC Chipsets in EchoStar's DISH Network Satellite Receivers
LAS VEGAS, 2006 International CES, Jan. 5 - Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, today announced that EchoStar Communications Corporation and its DISH Network satellite TV service have selected Broadcom(R) MPEG-4/AVC chipset solutions for two MPEG-4-specific set-top box products currently in volume production.
The first product incorporating Broadcom technology is the DISH Network ViP 211, which is DISH Network's first ever MPEG-4/AVC set-top box launched in December 2005. This product supports both high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) video in both the future format of MPEG-4/AVC as well as MPEG-2 for legacy services. The second product, announced today at CES, is EchoStar's flagship ViP 622, which is an MPEG-4/AVC set-top box with dual HD decoding that is capable of supporting multiple televisions within the home and that also incorporates digital video recording (DVR) capabilities.
One of the key advantages for EchoStar in migrating to the Broadcom MPEG-4/AVC set-top box technology is that it helps reduce the required bandwidth for delivering digital video content over its satellite network. By implementing Broadcom's field-proven MPEG-4/AVC technology, EchoStar is able to offer more programming and services (such as high-definition) to its customer base.
"Broadcom has been a key technology provider to EchoStar in many areas," said Mark Jackson, President of EchoStar Technology. "After working together with Broadcom on many projects in the past, we knew that we could rely on it for our launch of MPEG-4/AVC set-top box technology, which is a key technology to our future strategic goals."
"Broadcom continues to invest significant resources in the set-top box market and specifically in MPEG-4/AVC high-definition technology," said Daniel A. Marotta, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group. "We see the landscape changing to a broad adoption of MPEG-4/AVC solutions and are pleased to drive this technology forward by being the first to deploy our MPEG-4/AVC chipsets in a key network like EchoStar's."
Over the last five years, Broadcom and EchoStar have enjoyed a successful development partnership. All set-top boxes shipped by EchoStar during this time have been based upon communications technology (known as 8PSK/Turbocode) that was developed by Broadcom to enable set-top boxes to communicate with satellites more efficiently and at higher rates. In addition, Broadcom and EchoStar have made numerous set-top box announcements surrounding the multi-TV set-top box architecture that is being deployed in select DISH Network DVR set-top boxes. These latest MPEG-4/AVC product additions represent the future advancement of set-top box technology at EchoStar.
Broadcom's Broadband Communications Business Group
Broadcom offers manufacturers a range of broadband communications and consumer electronics SoCs that enable voice, video and data services over residential wired and wireless networks. These highly integrated silicon solutions continue to enable the market's most advanced system solutions, which include digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes and media servers, broadband modems and residential gateways, high definition and digital televisions, HD DVD players and personal video recorders.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors. Our products enable the convergence of high-speed data, high definition video, voice and audio at home, in the office and on the go. Broadcom provides manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices with the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at 1-949-450-8700 or at www.broadcom.com.
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Broadcom Press Contact
Laura Brandlin
Director, Marketing Communications
949-926-5108
lbrandlin@broadcom.com
Broadcom Investor Relations Contact
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949-926-5663
andrewtp@broadcom.com
Broadcom Technical Contact
Joseph Del Rio
Product Line Manager
408-922-8391
delrio@broadcom.com
Source: Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Broadband
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