NXTV Chooses Conexant Decoder for New Set-Top Box
Next Level Communications Chooses Conexant's Interactive
TV Decoder for Its Next-Generation Digital Set-Top Box
siliconinvestor.com
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. and ROHNERT PARK, Calif.,
Oct 30, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Companies Will Collaborate To Enable Very High Speed DSL
Web Services
Next Level Communications (Nasdaq: NXTV chart, msgs), a
leader in ATM/IP optical interactive digital subscriber line
(DSL) broadband systems, and Conexant Systems, Inc.
(Nasdaq: CNXT chart, msgs) Monday announced that they will
cooperate to develop Next Level's next-generation N3
Residential Gateway.
As part of the agreement, Conexant will supply Next Level
with interactive set-top box chips, enabling enhanced
features such as streaming video, high-end gaming, voice
and Internet access services to Next Level's customers.
Following completion of the design tests for the new N3
Residential Gateway, Next Level will begin placing orders
for volume shipments of Conexant's set-top box chip, the
CX22490 interactive TV decoder.
The N3 Residential Gateway receives very high speed DSL
(VDSL) data over the telephone network's copper local loop
and supports three concurrent MPEG-2 video streams, digital
audio and a 10 Base-T, high-speed data port for Internet
access.
The cornerstone of Next Level's strategy for the new N3
Residential Gateway line is to offer more functionality
than current generation residential gateways.
By eliminating the need for an external central processing
unit (CPU) and reducing the system's memory requirements,
Conexant's chip will also make a major contribution to
meeting the strategic price targets Next Level has
established for its latest N3 Residential Gateway.
Next Level chose Conexant's CX22490 based on its enhanced
functionality, including its accelerated 16-bit graphics
rendering, expanded graphics library and high-performance
integrated CPU. The chip also supports high-definition
television (HDTV) signal pass through and advanced broadcast
capabilities such as ATVEF, a data broadcasting protocol.
"Conexant was quick to respond to our need for a
high-performance set-top box solution that not only offered
advanced features and performance, but also met our cost
targets," said Murat Uraz, senior vice president of
engineering for Next Level.
"The synergy between Conexant's leading set-top box solution
and Next Level's unmatched system experience will establish
our next-generation N3 Residential Gateway as the industry's
premier platform for the delivery of emerging broadband
services."
"We are enthusiastic about joining forces with Next Level,
the recognized leader in telecommunications video services,"
said Dan Marotta, vice president and general manager of
Conexant's Digital Infotainment Division.
"As the most advanced solution available for delivering
interactive voice, data and video services over existing
phone lines, Next Level's N3 Residential Gateway is a
leading-edge technology for home entertainment of the
future."
A comprehensive silicon and software solution, Conexant's
CX22490 set-top box chipset delivers leading-edge
performance at affordable price points. It is the ideal
solution for the new mainstream broadcast and thin-client,
two-way interactive set-top boxes that are being enhanced
with online services and personal video recording (PVR)
applications.
Building on Conexant's previous generation interactive TV
decoder offering, this solution is the centerpiece of the
company's portfolio of next-generation set-top box
components including cable modems, silicon tuners, demodulators,
TV encoder chips and analog modems.
Conexant's CX22490 interactive TV decoder chip will be used
in one-, two- and three-stream versions of the new N3
Residential Gateway, which can support one, two or three
television sets, respectively. Each of Next Level's
next-generation set-top boxes will incorporate up to three
of Conexant's CX22490 chips, depending on the number of
video streams.
About Next Level
Next Level is a technology leader in ATM/IP optical
transport, networking and interactive DSL broadband systems
for the delivery of voice, data and video services for
communications companies. Next Level is based in Rohnert
Park, and may be contacted at nlc.com.
About Conexant Systems, Inc.
With revenues of $2.1 billion in fiscal 2000, Conexant is
the world's largest independent company focused exclusively
on providing semiconductor solutions for communications
electronics.
<snip>
For more information, visit Conexant at www.conexant.com.
<snip>
RP |
