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To: DiViT who wrote (26071)	12/3/1997 8:39:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

Cool. The Asian problem will cause a drop in DVD prices as OEMs are forced to find new sources of revenues. Everybody needs a chip/or software solution now. BTW: Software......................... onlineinc.com Mediamatics Releases New DVD Software Decoder Joining CompCore/Zoran in DVD software decoding, Mediamatics has announced a new flexible software DVD solution complete with Microsoft DirectShow compatibility and Content Scrambling System (CSS) software for playback of Hollywood movie content. Mediamatics' DVDExpress A/V Pak is an integrated MPEG-2 and Dolby Digital AC-3 software decoder for audio and video playback that now includes critical software filters that provide a seamless user interface to the new Microsoft DirectShow Application Programming Interface (API). With DirectShow compliance, Mediamatics' DVDExpress solutions enable PCs to play a variety of DVD applications direct from the DVD drive, turning Pentium-class PCs into full-featured entertainment PCs. Mediamatics has developed two configurations of its DVDExpress A/V Pak: an all-software version targeted at high-end Pentium 266MHz MMX systems, and a hybrid hardware/software solution, co-developed with IBM Microelectronics, that uses Mediamatics software and an IBM hardware MPEG-2 video decoder for low-end non-MMX PCs. (Mediamatics, 48430 Lakeview Boulevard, Fremont, CA 95438; 510/668-4850; Fax 510/668-4860; mediamatics.com)

To: DiViT who wrote (26071)	12/3/1997 8:47:00 PM
From: Maverick	Respond to of 50808

REAL-TIME MPEG-2 ENCODER AND MOTION ESTIMATION CHIP JOINS SONY'S VIRTUOSO(tm) FAMILY LAS VEGAS, COMDEX Booth #L2225, Nov. 17, 1997 -- Sony Semiconductor Company of America (SSA), a division of Sony Electronics Inc., today announced the CXD1922Q, a real-time MPEG-2 video encoder LSI. Benefiting from Sony's years of experience developing MPEG-2 technologies, the company's new integrated circuit features the industry's widest motion search area and integrates MPEG-2 encoding, systems controller and motion estimation circuitry into a single chip. The highly integrated CXD1922Q is a low-power, high-performance chip targeted toward low-cost solutions in consumer product, video server storage media, communications and digital versatile disk (DVD) authoring applications. "With the introduction of DVD, digital broadcasting and other new systems, the use of the MPEG-2 compression standard to store and transmit massive amounts of high-quality video has increased," said Vishwanath Nayak, director of marketing for consumer a/v/d division, SSA. "The CXD1922Q offers the most cost-effective MPEG-2 encoding solution ever offered in the semiconductor marketplace." "Because MPEG-2 video compression requires complex computational horsepower, previous products did not address lower-end markets. Until now, several LSI chips were required to implement MPEG-2 encoding, which was cost-prohibitive to most users," said Nayak. The CXD1922Q uses an advanced adaptive motion estimation algorithm developed by Sony for efficient video compression processing. The chip offers a search range of -288 to +287.5 horizontal pixels and -96 to +95.5 vertical pixels, at half-pixel accuracy, allowing high-quality encoding of rapidly moving scenes and video taken with fast camera movements. The CXD1922Q also supports dual prime encoding for applications which require short delay times. The Sony CXD1922Q supports MP@ML and SP@ML with image sizes up to 720x480 at 30fps for NTSC applications and up to 720x576 at 25fps for PAL applications. Full D1 resolution, single-pass encoding at 15Mpbs for I, P and B frames and 25Mbps for I frame is incorporated as well. The chip provides support for constant and variable bit rates, and automatic 3:2 pull-down inversion when required. With the use of 0.4 micron CMOS technology, original cell designs and an internal PLL with multiclock generation system, the CXD1922Q achieves high integration and low power consumption. The internal encoding controller allows functions such as timing, complex motion control and bit-rate control to be handled within the CXD1922Q for high-quality images and host independent operation. The CXD1922Q, packaged in a 208-pin QFP, supports a 16-bit controller host interface, accepts a 4:2:2 YUV CCIR656 (8-bit) parallel video input and outputs an MPEG-2 video elementary stream. The chip requires just 32Mbit of SDRAM and is rated at 1.2W for power consumption. Customer sampling of the Sony CXD1922Q is scheduled for January 1998, with an initial sampling price of $600. Manufacturing is expected to begin in second quarter of 1998.

To: DiViT who wrote (26071)	12/3/1997 8:50:00 PM
From: Maverick	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

REAL-TIME MPEG-2 ENCODER & MOTION ESTIMATION CHIP from Sony, part II SSA, based in San Jose, Calif., is a leading manufacturer and supplier of integrated circuits. Since 1983, Sony has designed and engineered products for the US semiconductor market. The company is a technology leader in the development of semiconductor solutions for newly-emerging and cutting-edge high performance markets in multimedia, communications and workstation cache memory. Currently it offers a diverse array of innovative products ranging from memory to multimedia, communications, networking and wireless ICs. Vertically integrated for fast product development and production, Sony is positioned to respond quickly to customer needs. The company includes a state-of-the-art design center in San Jose and wafer fabrication facilities in San Antonio, Texas.