Single-Chip LSI integrates functions of Blu-ray disc players.
Press Release Summary:
Combining functions of SCOMBO/UM2P and EMMA3P, Model EMMA(TM) 3PF offers analog circuit to process signals from optical pickup, decoding circuit for encoded video/audio, and HDMI to output video/audio. It features on-board USB2.0 host controller, 64-bit 655DMIPS VR5500 CPU application processor, 32-bit 495DMIPS CPU which delivers 1,150 DMIPS, vector graphics accelerator, and still-image decoder. Unit supports BD-ROM Profile 2.0 Blu-ray disc specification.
Original Press Release:
NEC Electronics Announces the World's First Single-Chip LSI for Blu-Ray Disc Players
KAWASAKI, Japan, DUESSELDORF, Germany, August 04, 2008
NEC Electronics announced that it had developed the world's first single-chip LSI to integrate the main functions of Blu-ray Disc players. Sample shipments of the new LSI, named EMMA(TM) 3PF, will begin in September 2008.
The EMMA(TM) 3PF has the following features.
1. All of the main functions required for Blu-ray Disc players are included on one chip, including the digital conversion of analog data read from optical discs, the digital decoding of encoded images and sounds and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) for output to televisions.
2. The package area has been reduced by 50% due to the single-chip configuration, the integration of external memory and the internalization of peripheral functions.
3. The EMMA(TM) 3PF supports BD-ROM Profile 2.0, the latest Blu-ray Disc specification. This profile includes picture-in-picture playback, high quality sound, and network connections for downloading additional content.
4. The EMMA(TM) 3PF has a multi-core CPU, which delivers an industry-best 1150 DMIPS (Dhrystone MIPS), and a graphic processing accelerator.
The EMMA(TM) 3PF allows users to create compact, high performance Blu-ray Disc players. In the future, this new product will make an important contribution to the integration of Blu-ray Disc playback into all audio-visual systems.
Monthly production is expected to be 1,000,000 units from the fourth quarter of 2008.
Since introducing EMMA, the world's first MPEG-decoder LSI for set top boxes (STB) with digital broadcast receivers in 1998, NEC Electronics' semiconductor production for digital audio-visual components has focused on product expansion and sales operations in the STB, digital television and DVD recorder fields. In 2001, NEC Electronics' semiconductor operations for PC peripherals produced the SCOMBO® LSI for optical disc drives. Since then, it has continued to make improvements such as faster writing speeds and increased format compatibility while expanding its product lineup. As a result of these efforts, SCOMBO Series sold a total of 150,000,000 units as of May 2008.
Recently, new Blu-ray Disc compatible devices have entered into the digital audio-visual and computer peripheral markets. Despite being a new market, the Blu-ray Disc player market is still expected to grow rapidly. Sales are projected to triple from 2,200,000 units in 2007 to 6,800,000 units in 2008. Blu-ray Disc players require a frontend to convert analog data read from optical disk to digital data and a backend to decode the encoded digital video and audio data and output it to televisions.
In June of this year, NEC Electronics released the SCOMBO/UM2P, which has all of the frontend functions on one chip. In the past, NEC Electronics has released products designed to place the backend functions on one chip and this month it released the EMMA3P, which specializes in playback. The EMMA(TM) 3PF has these two advanced system LSI on one chip, which will help reduce the size of future Blu-ray Disc players.
The EMMA(TM) 3PF has the following main features.
1. A single chip that has the required functions for a Blu-ray Disc player
The EMMA(TM) 3PF combines the frontend functions of the SCOMBO/UM2P with the backend functions of the EMMA3P. This is the first time ever that the required functions for a Blu-ray Disc player have been integrated into one chip. The chip has an analog circuit to process signals from the optical pickup, a decoding circuit for encoded video and audio and an HDMI to output video and audio.
2. 50% reduction in package area
A unified memory architecture (UMA) integrates the chip, allowing the frontend and backend functions to share the external memory required for these functions. An on-board USB2.0 host controller has also been included. The package area is 50% smaller than the combined area of the previous products, which reduces part costs and space requirements.
3. Support for Blu-ray Disc specifications for video and audio playback
The EMMA(TM) 3PF supports the codecs used by Blu-ray Discs. Picture in picture playback of H.264/AVC, VC-1, MPEG2/1 and other video formats and the audio playback of Dolby® TrueHD, DTS-HD(TM) and other formats are possible. Support is planned for the DivX® format. The on-board Ethernet controller and digital rights management make it possible to download content via a network connection.
4. A multi-core CPU and graphics accelerator
Player startup speed and operability are greatly improved by a 64-bit 655DMIPS VR5500 CPU application processor, a 32-bit 495DMIPS CPU by MIPS Technology, a vector graphics accelerator for graphic processing and a still-image decoder.
5. Backward compatibility with existing software
The EMMA(TM) 3PF has the same LSI architecture as the EMMA and SCOMBO products, which means that users can still use applications developed for EMMA and SCOMBO products.
The EMMA(TM) 3PF provides the perfect conditions for the construction of high performance, low-cost Blu-ray Disc player systems and is expected to further accelerate the remarkable growth of the Blu-ray Disc player market.
Refer to the attached specifications for more details.
About NEC Electronics
NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) specializes in semiconductor products encompassing advanced technology solutions for the high-end computing and broadband networking markets; system solutions for the mobile handset, PC peripheral, automotive and digital consumer markets; and multi-market solutions for a wide range of customer applications. NEC Electronics Corporation has subsidiaries worldwide including NEC Electronics America, Inc. and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH. More information about NEC Electronics worldwide can be found at www.necel.com.
