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To: Steve Reinhardt who wrote (41793)	6/7/1999 1:05:00 PM
From: Don Dorsey	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

Philips Semiconductors Announces World's Fastest Integrated MPEG-2 Transport RISC Processor; The SAA7219 Delivers Digital Watch-and-Record Functionality SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 1999--Philips Semiconductors today announced the SAA7219, the world's fastest MPEG-2 transport RISC processor designed to process compressed audio, video and data streams for set-top box applications. The SAA7219 is also the first device to deliver a watch-and-record feature, enabling OEMs to build digital receivers that process two channels on the same multiplex stream using a single MPEG transport chip. The SAA7219 enables end users to watch one digital channel while simultaneously recording another through the IEEE1394 interface. This new feature is a major step toward the full watch-and-record capability available in today's analog systems. "In an extremely competitive market where product life cycles are as short as six months, our hardware and software STB reference designs guarantee quick time-to-market," explained Rob Groen, international product marketing manager for the Philips Semiconductors' STB Concept in Caen, France, where the SAA7219 was designed. "As a sophisticated MIPS-based transport MPEG2 source decoder, the SAA7219 demonstrates our commitment to provide a smooth upgrade path from existing designs, as we continue to provide higher integration and flexibility in STB platforms." The SAA7219 Features and Performance Drawing from the company's expertise in advanced RISC processing and based on MIPS(R) cores, the SAA7219 is the fastest integrated device of its kind on the market. This chip effectively delivers more than double the speed of its predecessor, the SAA7214, resulting in much quicker response times, faster on-screen graphics rendering and support for a software modem. Designed for the consumer digital receiver market, the SAA7219 is incorporated into Philips Semiconductors' STB5860. This is the latest in a series of integrated hardware and software reference designs for STBs, which is part of Philips Semiconductors overall STB Concept announced two years ago. The SAA7219 features a Philips Semiconductors' 32-bit PR3930 MIPS CPU and retains all the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB), set-top box and digital TV controller task functionality of the predecessor chip. It offers MIPS16 code compression of up to 40 percent compared to the original 32-bit code, reducing system memory requirements hence cost. Enhanced Functionality Major performance enhancements over previous generations have been achieved through an increased cache size (4 K/8 K), double CPU speed (81 MHz) and a true 32-bit architecture achieving 162 Mbps peak SDRAM transfer rate. These enhancements, plus better graphics and software functions, make the SAA7219 almost four times faster than it's predecessor on graphics performance benchmarks. In addition, the chip integrates a multiply accumulate (MAC) unit that can be used, for example, to implement a software modem function. A V.22bis soft modem can run in parallel while processing an MPEG stream, eliminating the need for an additional modem chip and decreases cost for the end user. The SAA7219 hardware and software Application Program Interface (API) offers full support for the industry standard interactive software and operator standards. A low-power sleep mode also allows the chip to sustain set-top box stand-by functionality, eliminating the need for a separate controller. The SAA7219 performs real-time DVB and Multi2(1) descrambling and stream demultiplexing, with parsing of Transport Stream, Production Engineering Specification hardware program and proprietary software streams. Descrambling is in line with the European DVB Super Descrambler Mechanism algorithm. It integrates tightly with the SAA7215 companion chip, which performs audio, video and graphics decoding and digital video encoding. Versions of the SAA7215 support various broadcast standards, including a full multistandard device (PAL/NTSC/SECAM), with or without Macrovision copy protection. Low-cost systems can be built with SAA7219 and companion chip SAA7215 using only 32 Mbits of SDRAM, using the Unified Memory Architecture scheme featured in the SAA7215. All the SAA7219's technological advantages, combined with an attractive cost structure, support Philips Semiconductors' aim to be the supplier of choice for customers and broadcasters in the digital broadcast market. Pricing and Availability The SAA7219 is initially priced at $12 in quantities of 100,000. Evaluation boards and sample quantities are available now and will be shipping in quantity during Q399. About Philips Semiconductors Philips Semiconductors, a subsidiary of Philips Electronics North America Corporation and an affiliate of Royal Philips Electronics, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the eighth largest semiconductor supplier in the world (according to Dataquest's 1998 ranking by sales). 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 systems labs. Additional information on Philips Semiconductors can be found on the home page at www.semiconductors.philips.com or by calling 800/447-1500 ext. 1777. 1) Multi2 is the security algorithm standard mandatory for the Japanese market.