New Micronas digital decoders target set-top box market (0419)

Freiburg, Germany, November 08, 2004 - Micronas (SWX Swiss Exchange: MASN, Frankfurt: MNSN, Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX), a pioneer in the field of single chip decoders for hybrid TVs, today unveiled the MDE 95xyD product family of DVB decoders targeting the booming DVB set-top box (STB) market. The new MDE 95xyD single-chip DVB-compliant MPEG-2 decoder for free-to-air, pay-TV and personal video recorder (PVR) set-top boxes, provides a range of features that are easily deployed thanks to the Micronas Integrated Consumer Television Operating System (MICTOS). A special version with digital RGB outputs fulfils the increased picture quality requirements of the fast growing flat panel IDTV market. Versions with security features make this chip family ideally suited for pay-TV applications.

The latest generation of DVB decoder ICs significantly simplifies the design of STBs, including optional PVR functionality. At the same time, Micronas provides the system designer with an extensive support environment, including an easy-to-handle, flexible and reliable software structure and reference designs that enable short time-to-market.

Architecture
The new system on chip platform integrates a MIPS-compatible 32-Bit processor with a configurable unified memory interface. This processor is engulfed by a transport stream interface unit with both parallel and serial inputs, a transport stream demultiplexer, an embedded DVB descrambler, and MPEG-2 audio/video decoders. A dedicated graphic accelerator engine supports the CPU. A variety of different interfaces, including ATA for hard disk connection, UART for modem support and an interface for CI modules turn the MDE 95xyD series into a scalable all-in-one solution for free-to-air, pay-TV and PVR STBs. IDTV applications based on the MDE 95xyD family benefit from a version, which supports an RGB digital interface, and a progressive/double scan OSD output, utilizing Micronas' extensive experience in CRT and FPD TV circuit design. In combination with several flexible power-down modes, low power consumption enables STB designs that meet the stringent power consumption requirements, requested by both regulatory authorities and consumers.

Software
Robert Neumann, Manager Marketing Digital Video Broadcast at Micronas, explains: "Customer feedback has shown that the delivery of only drivers with an MPEG decoder leads to time - and resource - consuming STB designs. To shorten time-to-market and relieve our customers of the complexity and intensity of hardware related programming, the MDE 95xyD family comes together with MICTOS, a complete package that integrates drivers, a real-time kernel and a control layer."

According to Neumann, MICTOS abstracts the details of audio/video transport stream decoding with a defined application programming interface for the application level and middleware. Micronas and Micronas' partners provide further software modules, including various types of middleware, an over-the-air software downloader, an MHEG-5 engine and a CI-stack for pay-TV applications, to build a digital STB, PVR or IDTV.

System Design
The MDE 95xyD devices may be combined with other Micronas ICs for easy implementation of various cost-effective architectures. A DVB compliant terrestrial STB may easily be realized by combining the MDE 9518D with Micronas' fourth generation of the COFDM demodulator DRX 397xD. Adding a hard drive to the STB turns the system into a PVR, permitting one channel to be viewed while simultaneously recording the same or another channel onto the disk (time shifting/background recording). A DVB-compliant IDTV can be realized by combining both ICs with an analog TV chassis design, based, for example, on the widely deployed VCT 49xyI single-chip TV solution.

Summary
The MDE 95xyD family is a powerful, scalable platform for the cost-effective implementation of STBs and IDTVs. Extensive software support and comprehensive reference designs decrease both the development effort and time-to-market. Different members of the family focus on uncompromising cost-effectiveness, advanced security features and RGB digital outputs, making this platform the ideal choice for free-to-air and pay-TV STB and IDTV designs.

Availability
The members of the MDE 95xyD family come in a QFP208 or BGA352 package. Engineering samples and reference designs are available now and volume production is scheduled for the beginning of 2005.

Two reference designs based on MDE 95xyD, MICBOX D and MicModule D, will be unveiled to the public at this year's electronica trade show in Munich, Germany.