ITV

Tag: multimedia platform

  • Broadcom announces VideoCore mobile multimedia processor support for Microsoft Windows Media Video

    Broadcom announces VideoCore mobile multimedia processor support for Microsoft Windows Media Video

    MUMBAI: Broadcom Corporation has announced that its VideoCore mobile multimedia platform now supports Microsoft Windows Media Video. Microsoft’s implementation of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer’s 421M video compression standard is popularly referred to as VC-1.

    With integrated Windows Media Video support, Broadcom’s VideoCore mobile multimedia technology will enable new mobile TV services that will be rolled out in 2006. Support for VC-1 on the Broadcom VideoCore family of processors means that these devices are ready to be incorporated into next generation cell phones and portable media players designed to receive DVB-H and other forms of mobile TV content.

    “Windows Media Video is a key technology in the evolving mobile TV environment. Ensuring support for VC-1 broadens the range of applications and end devices we can enable with our VideoCore processors, which are emerging as the multimedia solutions of choice for advanced mobile media players,” said Broadcom director marketing Multimedia Mobile Multimedia business unit Robert Swann.

    “The Windows Media platform offers efficient content delivery capabilities that are key to making broadcast TV on mobile handsets a reality. Broadcom is providing an optimized video solution for handset manufacturers who are building new business models for mobile TV. By supporting VC-1, Broadcom’s family of VideoCore processors will be capable of delivering the highest quality mobile video experience to consumers,” said Microsoft Corp director of Windows Digital Media Kevin Unangst.

    Mobile TV has attracted considerable interest as a new service offering for mobile devices, extending the recent trend toward video viewing on portable devices into the realm of live, broadcast television. ABI Research estimates there will be as many as 104 million users of mobile TV technologies by 2009, a trend that Broadcom technology is helping to enable.

    Based on Broadcom VideoCore technology, the BCM2702, BCM2722 and BCM2724 chips support a complete range of standards for multimedia applications, including VC-1 and H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) video codecs, and a complete range of audio codecs such as AAC+, WMA and BSAC. This flexibility and programmability make the processors ideal for any mobile TV standard being deployed and make a truly worldwide multi-standard mobile TV receiver possible.

    In addition to supporting a broad range of technologies, VideoCore processors provide industry-leading power performance with the capability to decode both VC-1 and H.264 video while consuming less than 150mW. This unrivalled performance for a programmable solution will allow for extended mobile TV viewing times and battery life when compared to conventional software-based products.

    VideoCore features a power-efficient, two-dimensional digital signal processing (DSP) architecture that is particularly effective at low-power multimedia processing. By being fully programmable, VideoCore technology enables developers to program and re-program different applications in software rather than requiring new chip designs for each new product.

  • Astro Q1 net profit doubles to $ 151.24 million

    Astro Q1 net profit doubles to $ 151.24 million

    MUMBAI: Astro All Asia Networks plc’s net profit has doubled to RM39.8 million ( $ 151.24 mn) in the first quarter ended 30 April 2005 on strength of higher subscriber growth.

    Consolidated revenues rose 21 per cent to RM473.2 million ($180 bn) during this period. The pay-television business registered a gain of 65,000 subscribers, bringing the total to 1.76 million.

    The continuing growth in profitability and cash flow in its existing business would provide strong support as the group extended its multimedia platform and content businesses into the region, Astro chairman Datuk Badri Masri said.

    Astro also announced a $4.25 million (US$1 = RM3.80) investment for a 51 per cent stake in All Asia Television Broadcast Ltd. Hong Kong’s Yes Television will hold the remaining stake in a venture that would distribute two 24-hour football channels in the Asian region.

    The venture will broadcast GOALTV 1 and 2, which carry the official channels of English Premier League’s top football clubs, namely Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Astro will begin the broadcast in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia later this year.

    In December 2004, Astro and South Indian media major Sun TV had entered into a $ 25 million agreement for the establishment of a joint venture to originate, aggregate and distribute television programming and channels for global audience. Also proposed in the deal were a Bengali channel for distribution in India, South East Asia and other markets within the Bengali diaspora., and a Tamil channel in Malaysia on the Astro platform. While the Bengali channel Surjo is targeting a September launch, the Tamil channel Sun TV will be launched in July.