Philips is working with Intel on Intercast technology.........
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1998-03-20 , ESC-9858
Technology News From Philips
Philips Semiconductors works with Intel to develop Intercastr medium
Reference design to support Intel's Intercast technology worldwide
Philips Semiconductors, the largest European semiconductor company, has announced today a
powerful and cost effective reference design that will help manufacturers develop PC add-in boards
to decode both PAL and NTSC Intercast TV broadcasts for the growing worldwide market. The
Intercast technology was devised by Intel and has already taken off in a big way in the US with
broadcasters such as CNN and NBC. Europe is rapidly catching up with broadcasters such as
ZDF of Germany, for example, providing a twenty four-hour per day service of in-depth information
on its broadcast programs, which is transmitted to customers free of charge.
"Teletext has shown just how useful fast access to up-to-date information can be," explained
GĀnther Dengel, Managing Director of Consumer Systems at Philips Semiconductors, "while
Internet and the World Wide Web stand for interactivity and an almost infinite amount of data.
Television broadcasters have now enhanced the teletext concept so that web-like pages can be
transmitted with normal TV signals in the vertical blanking interval and be linked to the World Wide
Web. Intercast technology brings together the best of the features of Internet and Television, and
creates a medium that combines the formerly conflicting characteristics of moving images, sound and
written pages. And, it adds the ability to interact with the sender."
Philips Semiconductors has extended the existing software for its demo board, which already
supports NTSC Intercast broadcast, so that it is now possible to decode and display PAL Intercast
content. The demo kit consists of a PCI-based video capture board, an on-board tuner and
software to take the TV signals, and extract the Intercast content for display on a PC.
Philips Semiconductors is committed to support the Intercast technology and other emerging
standards, both now and in the future. To ensure this, Philips Semiconductors works closely
together with the leading companies in the PC industry. The board will be demonstrated at this
year's CeBIT.
Technical information
The DPCT7146 demo board contains a PCI video/audio capture card with integrated tuner and an
extensive range of control, debugger and application software. The card is based on Philips
Semiconductors' state-of-the-art SAA7146A multimedia audio/video PCI controller IC, which is
widely used by manufacturers of video capture boards. The SAA7146A includes a high
performance video scaler and an expansion interface.
Philips Semiconductors, a division of Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The
Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world. Philips Semiconductors'
innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the
consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major
markets around the world, and are supported by regional customer application labs.
See also this earlier press release. For further information about Intel's Intercast (in German) or in
English.
PAL = Phase Alternate Line: European colour TV system with the exception of France which uses
SECAM
NTSC = National Television Standards Committee: the colour TV system used in North America |
