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Broadcom Becomes Only Silicon Vendor to Combine Best-in-Class Wi-Fi(R) and Video Platforms to Accelerate the Next Generation of Connected TVs, Blu-ray Players and Set-Top BoxesLAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- 2009 International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that it has become the first silicon vendor to integrate market leading Wi-Fi(R) and video chipset platforms, paving the way for the next generation of connected digital televisions (DTVs), Blu-ray Disc(R) players and cable/satellite/IPTV set-top boxes (STBs). As a top supplier of both Wi-Fi and digital video solutions, Broadcom is providing consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers with a series of "video over Wi-Fi" reference designs that provide a superior video experience over a wireless connection. With the growing popularity of in-home networks and the increasing availability of Internet-based video, many CE vendors are adding Wi-Fi to provide easy access to digital content on video products throughout the home. By providing CE manufacturers with video platforms that offer fully integrated Wi-Fi hardware and software, Broadcom is eliminating the need for complicated systems integration efforts. As a result, Broadcom's customers can deliver connected products that use Wi-Fi to bring entertainment applications such as iTunes(R), BD-Live(R) and Netflix(R) to a large screen. 802.11n is currently the only wireless technology with sufficient bandwidth, coverage and quality of service (QoS) for multimedia applications. Broadcom has optimized its 802.11n technology and video over Wi-Fi designs to overcome the technical challenges of using wireless protocols for IPTV, providing the industry's first integrated carrier-grade solution for IP set-top boxes. When combined with DLNA(R) functionality, Wi-Fi-enabled devices provide consumers with a transparent way to access and share media between TVs, PCs, cell phones and other devices throughout the home. "Broadcom is the only chipmaker that can combine best-in-class technologies to deliver an end-to-end platform for wireless video distribution," said Bill Bunch, Director of Broadcom's Wireless Media line of business. "We've made it simple for our customers to add video over Wi-Fi capabilities to consumer electronics products while taking advantage of the high performance processors, 3D graphics and MPEG-4 high definition (HD) capabilities native to Broadcom's DTV, Blu-ray Disc, set-top box and IPTV platforms." "We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Broadcom on our next generation Blu-ray Disc platform featuring Netflix streaming(BD390)," said Mr. Tae-Ki Shin, Vice President from LG Electronics. "With the ability to stream superior quality video simultaneously over Wi-Fi, now more than ever, customers can easily enjoy premium content on their Blu-ray Disc players." Optimized for IPTV Broadcom's new video over Wi-Fi reference designs provide better wireless performance to support the most demanding video applications, including IPTV. Today's Wi-Fi networks have difficulty handling the special kind of multicast traffic and protocols used by IPTV carriers worldwide, resulting in frequent video glitches that consumers find unacceptable. Broadcom has optimized its 802.11n solutions to deliver enough bandwidth to support at least three HD streams and four standard definition (SD) streams, while maintaining robust performance throughout the home. To reduce throughput variation and packet errors, Broadcom employs a combination of advanced PHY techniques including maximum likelihood decoding, rate and antenna selection algorithms and packet error correction technology. Its Wi-Fi solutions also help to avoid performance-degrading interference by using the extra channels available in the 5 GHz band. These unique hardware and software features are now available on five of Broadcom's IP/satellite/cable set-top box designs, as well as its digital TV and Blu-ray platforms. "Adding Wi-Fi to video display products provides convenient access to media content located throughout the home and enables consumers to leverage broadband connections for IPTV services on devices that are not located near a DSL or cable modem," said Kurt Scherf, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Parks Associates. "As video equipment manufacturers strive to keep up with demand for these wireless features, it makes sense for them to choose solutions that integrate proven connectivity technologies into their existing platforms." Broadcom's video over Wi-Fi reference designs provide the flexibility to build a variety of wireless-enabled video products by combining 802.11n components and HD video/audio system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions. In addition to mixing and matching silicon components, manufacturers can leverage the software from Broadcom's most popular 802.11n reference designs (BCM94323U USB adapter, BCM94322MP Mini PCI adapter, and BCM94717 family of access point, video bridge and MII adapters) in the following consumer video platforms: -- Digital TV platforms that include the recently announced BCM3549 and BCM3556 solutions and combined platforms resulting from the AMD digital television acquisition, such as the complete 120 Hz advanced video coding (AVC) connected TV platform; -- Blu-ray Disc player platforms including the BCM7440 and BCM7601; and -- Cable, satellite and IP set-top box platforms with Broadcom's highly-integrated SoC solutions. Availability Broadcom's video over Wi-Fi reference designs are sampling to early access customers. Pricing is available upon request. About Broadcom Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R). Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 3,000 U.S. and over 1,300 foreign patents, more than 7,500 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia. Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at http://www.broadcom.com. Cautions regarding Forward Looking Statements: All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with video over Wi-Fi reference designs include, but are not limited to: -- the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's video over Wi-Fi technologies for consumer electronic applications; -- trends in the consumer electronics market in various geographic regions, including seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are incorporated, and possible disruption in commercial activities related to terrorist activity or armed conflict in the United States and other locations; -- the gain or loss of a key customer, design win or order; and -- competitive pressures and other factors such as the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products. Additional factors that may cause Broadcom's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the list that can be found at http://www.broadcom.com/press/additional_risk_factors/Q42008.php. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R) and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Blu-ray Disc(R) and BD-Live(R) are trademarks of the Blu-ray Disc Association. NetFlix(R) is a trademark of NetFlix, Inc. DLNA(R) is a trademark of the Digital Living Network Alliance. Netflix(R) is a trademark of Netflix, Inc. Wi-Fi(R) is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Broadcom Trade Press Contact Molly Mulloy Public Relations Manager 949-439-5397 [email protected] Broadcom Investor Relations Contact T. Peter Andrew Vice President, Corporate Communications 949-926-5663 [email protected] SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless http://www.broadcom.com |