Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today introduced a new
family of audio/video decoders to significantly enhance the consumer
experience of the digital home. By integrating multi-standard stereo
and a seamless interface with advanced silicon tuner solutions into the
new SAA7136 and SAA7137 decoder family, Philips is enabling Connected
Consumers to experience high-performance features, such as
high-fidelity stereo and 480p/576p component video capture, in wireless
TV, media gateways, digital media adapters and other emerging
applications, at approximately 20 percent lower prices than older
generation stand-alone analog stereo and video decoder solutions.
A number of Philips’ reference design partners, PC and consumer
electronics customers, such as Sling Media, will introduce technologies
with this solution at CES 2006. Sling Media’s Slingbox™ is a
breakthrough consumer electronics product that enables consumers to
watch their living room TV programming from wherever they are by
turning virtually any Internet-connected Windows-based laptop or
desktop PC into a personal TV. The Slingbox redirects, or
"placeshifts," a single live TV stream from a cable box, satellite
receiver or digital video recorder (DVR) to the viewer's PC-located
anywhere in the home or anywhere in the world, via the Internet.
"The ability to support advanced audio/video capabilities across a
variety of devices, from the TV, digital video recorder and set-top
box, to the home network, laptop PC, mobile handhelds and smartphones
has made the Slingbox one of the hottest consumer electronics products
for the digital home," said Bhupen Shah, co-founder, COO and vice
president of engineering for Sling Media. "Philips’ new family of
highly integrated A/V decoders will allow us to bring a single,
worldwide product to market in a streamlined form factor, helping us
lower manufacturing costs and continue to be a leader in this emerging
market."
According to In-Stat, the market for devices that require advanced
A/V decoders is expected to grow from 33 million units in 2005 to 122
million units in 2009. "Demand for high-performance video and stereo in
connected consumer applications is fueling the need for innovation and
cost improvements in devices for the digital home," said Michelle
Abraham, principal analyst, In-Stat. "PC TV tuners, cable set-top
box/DVRs, and DVD recorders all rely on A/V decoders to accurately
capture analog sources to deliver the quality experience that consumers
want, and more accessible price points gained through higher
integration will continue to drive adoption."
The new family builds on Philips' first generation A/V decoders by
incorporating a variety of advanced features, including 10-bit
analog-to-digital conversion, enhanced Macrovision®
Detection, support for 480p/576p component video capture, and
1080i/720p downscaling. Combined with a Philips Silicon Tuner, the new
decoders offer a complete world-wide front-end solution - from RF to
baseband - with just two integrated circuits. The new SAA7136, packaged
in BGA-256, and the SAA7137, packaged in SQFP-208, are supported by
Philips easy-to-use MACH-III (Mini-module Advanced Carrier Hardware) Evaluation System.
Availability
Samples of Philips' family of A/V decoder solutions are now available
to lead reference design partners and major CE and PC OEMs. Additional
information can be found at www.semiconductors.philips.com.
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today introduced a new
family of audio/video decoders to significantly enhance the consumer
experience of the digital home. By integrating multi-standard stereo
and a seamless interface with advanced silicon tuner solutions into the
new SAA7136 and SAA7137 decoder family, Philips is enabling Connected
Consumers to experience high-performance features, such as
high-fidelity stereo and 480p/576p component video capture, in wireless
TV, media gateways, digital media adapters and other emerging
applications, at approximately 20 percent lower prices than older
generation stand-alone analog stereo and video decoder solutions.
A number of Philips’ reference design partners, PC and consumer
electronics customers, such as Sling Media, will introduce technologies
with this solution at CES 2006. Sling Media’s Slingbox™ is a
breakthrough consumer electronics product that enables consumers to
watch their living room TV programming from wherever they are by
turning virtually any Internet-connected Windows-based laptop or
desktop PC into a personal TV. The Slingbox redirects, or
"placeshifts," a single live TV stream from a cable box, satellite
receiver or digital video recorder (DVR) to the viewer's PC-located
anywhere in the home or anywhere in the world, via the Internet.
"The ability to support advanced audio/video capabilities across a
variety of devices, from the TV, digital video recorder and set-top
box, to the home network, laptop PC, mobile handhelds and smartphones
has made the Slingbox one of the hottest consumer electronics products
for the digital home," said Bhupen Shah, co-founder, COO and vice
president of engineering for Sling Media. "Philips’ new family of
highly integrated A/V decoders will allow us to bring a single,
worldwide product to market in a streamlined form factor, helping us
lower manufacturing costs and continue to be a leader in this emerging
market."
According to In-Stat, the market for devices that require advanced
A/V decoders is expected to grow from 33 million units in 2005 to 122
million units in 2009. "Demand for high-performance video and stereo in
connected consumer applications is fueling the need for innovation and
cost improvements in devices for the digital home," said Michelle
Abraham, principal analyst, In-Stat. "PC TV tuners, cable set-top
box/DVRs, and DVD recorders all rely on A/V decoders to accurately
capture analog sources to deliver the quality experience that consumers
want, and more accessible price points gained through higher
integration will continue to drive adoption."
The new family builds on Philips' first generation A/V decoders by
incorporating a variety of advanced features, including 10-bit
analog-to-digital conversion, enhanced Macrovision®
Detection, support for 480p/576p component video capture, and
1080i/720p downscaling. Combined with a Philips Silicon Tuner, the new
decoders offer a complete world-wide front-end solution - from RF to
baseband - with just two integrated circuits. The new SAA7136, packaged
in BGA-256, and the SAA7137, packaged in SQFP-208, are supported by
Philips easy-to-use MACH-III (Mini-module Advanced Carrier Hardware) Evaluation System.
Availability
Samples of Philips' family of A/V decoder solutions are now available
to lead reference design partners and major CE and PC OEMs. Additional
information can be found at www.semiconductors.philips.com.
Source: Philips Press Release
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