C-Cube Next Generation Chip Enables New Services On Digital Set-Top Boxes; Chip Supports Digital Time-Shifting, Consumer Product Connectivity, and Enhanced Graphics.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2000 C-Cube Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq:CUBE) is extending its lead in enhancing set-top box (STB See set-top box. STB - set-top box ) capabilities by introducing the AViA-9600, an advanced system-on-a-chip for digital set-top boxes. This fourth generation set-top box solution from C-Cube addresses key trends in the STB market such as digital time-shifting, consumer product connectivity, and innovative display of content. The AViA-9600 integrates multiple dedicated processing units including host CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. , A/V (1) (Audio/Video) Refers to equipment and applications that deal with sound and sight. The A/V world includes microphones, tape recorders, audio mixers, still and video cameras, film projectors, slide projectors, VCRs, CD and DVD players/recorders, amplifiers and decoder, audio DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive , and graphics processor. A new advanced graphics engine was designed in collaboration with many leading service operators to support their needs for advanced display of video and graphics. The integrated 150-MHz RISC RISC in full Reduced Instruction Set Computing Computer architecture that uses a limited number of instructions. RISC became popular in microprocessors in the 1980s. CPU can act as host and supports applications including digital time-shifting and soft modem. The AViA-9600 provides both IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, www.ieee.org) A membership organization that includes engineers, scientists and students in electronics and allied fields. 1394 and USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. controllers to connect to digital cameras/camcorders, external hard drives, DTVs, and printers for viewing, editing or transmitting personal media content on the TV or through the broadband network. An IDE controller provides direct connection to hard disk drives, enabling time-shifting and data broadcasting applications. C-Cube is bringing these capabilities to all broadband networks, including cable, satellite, and terrestrial, and has partitioned its set-top box solutions so that the AViA-9600 can connect seamlessly with a variety of these networks. This enables the set-top manufacturer to develop a common set-top platform that can address any of the broadband network applications by changing the network interface. Time-Shifting: Set-Top Boxes With Hard Disk Drives C-Cube has anticipated the increased demand for time-shifting and personal video recording with the AViA-9600. In addition to integrating an ATA/IDE controller to seamlessly connect to disk drives, the AViA-9600 provides advanced copy protection of recorded and networked video. C-Cube is the first company to integrate both 5C copy protection circuitry for content security over IEEE-1394, and CPRM-based (Content Protection for Recordable Media Content Protection for Recordable Media and Pre-Recorded Media (CPRM/CPPM) is a mechanism for controlling the copying, moving and deletion of digital media on a host device, such as a personal computer, or other digital player. ) encryption for copy protection of content on the hard disk drive. Additionally, the AViA-9600 MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). decode engine is equipped with trick play modes to allow the consumer to pause, review, and fast forward recorded video. Application Oriented Graphics With STBs becoming centers of home entertainment, service providers are required to provide consumers with more intuitive electronic programming guides, as well as display web content. The AViA-9600 graphics subsystem supports these new requirements with a Display List Processor (DLP (Digital Light Processing) A data projection technology from TI that produces clear, readable images on screens in lit rooms. DLP is used in all types of projection devices, from data projectors that weigh only a few pounds to large rear-projection TVs to electronic ) architecture, offering advanced windows management capabilities. The DLP is capable of supporting a virtually unlimited number of planes and arbitrary-shaped regions, while minimizing CPU overhead. AViA-9600 Continues C-Cube Innovation The AViA-9600 supports worldwide network deployments with a programmable architecture offering DVB and DES support, and the ability to handle MPEG, DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. and DSS formats. Its powerful audio DSP delivers a complete home theatre experience by processing multiple audio formats including MP3, MPEG-2, Dolby Digital, and DTS (1) (Digital Theatre Sound) A digital audio encoding system used in movie and home theaters. Popularized by the movie Jurassic Park, the six-channel (5. . "Set-top boxes are rapidly becoming mass-market consumer electronics items as they evolve into home-entertainment hubs," said Dean Westman, vice president of marketing for C-Cube's broadband network division. "The viewer is looking for more services, more choices, and more capabilities today than ever before, and service providers are looking for more revenues from these services. The AViA-9600 was developed expressly to anticipate and satisfy these needs." More detailed product information is available online: www.c-cube.com/products.cfm. Price and Availability Samples of the AViA-9600 will be available in Q4 and production volume in Q1 2001. Pricing for the AViA-9600 in 308-BGA packaging is $22 in volume. About C-Cube Microsystems The company is a worldwide leader in digital media processing and is leading the way with new communication processors and networked consumer products. With a focus on DVD, set-top boxes and codec enabled products, C-Cube is driving the technology for the "networked digital home." C-Cube is headquartered in Milpitas, California with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information please see our web site at http://www.c-cube.com. |
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