NEC Electronics Launches World's First DVD Codec with Integrated Digital Set-Top Box Features

- Highly integrated system LSI chip for next-generation DVD recorders -

KAWASAKI, Japan, SANTA CLARA, Calif. and DUESSELDORF, Germany - 16 Apr 2003

NEC Electronics Corporation and its subsidiaries in the United States and Europe, NEC Electronics America, Inc. and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH., today announced a new audio-visual (AV) codec, the uPD61171, which integrates digital set-top box (STB) and digital video disk (DVD) recording functions in a single chip. The newly developed product features fully integrated back-end functions of DVD/hard disk drive (HDD) recorders, providing cost and space savings by realising AV compression/decompression, graphics and video encoding, all on one chip.

Equipped with a newly designed stream processor that analyses compressed data for storing, reading and editing, the uPD61171 offers multi-standard data processing, including DVD video and digital video broadcasting (DVB), and supports major industry-standard protocols related to digital recording. Software control of the stream processor also allows customised processing such as high-speed data conversion between HDD and DVD drives. Powerful enough for data processing of three simultaneous streams, the chip enables users to enjoy various record and replay functions including time-shift, record, and playback of different channels.

The new codec incorporates a dual-CPU architecture using the world's highest- performance CPU core for DVD recorders. Two 225-MIPS CPUs are integrated in the chip; one is assigned for audio decompression, while the other provides processing power for user applications, including high-quality graphical user interfaces (GUI) and networking.

In the uPD61171, two advanced technology attachment (ATA) ports are employed for up to four HDD/DVD drive connections. This dual-ATA feature, with the above-mentioned stream processor capability, supports complicated functions such as time-shifting playback with HDD while reading-from/writing-to a DVD drive.

"As the price reduction in DVD recorders continues, demand for highly integrated system LSI devices is growing rapidly," said Shigeo Niitsu, general manager, 2nd System LSI Division, NEC Electronics Corporation. "As well as cost optimisation, function-rich devices integrating digital STB functions are required for differentiation among leading-edge digital consumer electronics manufacturers.""

NEC Electronics also offers MPEG2 AV encoders, the uPD61051 and uPD61052, for use in HDD/DVD recorder products. The company's product line-up also includes the world's first MPEG2 AV decoder with IDE controller, the uPD61130. More than 10 companies have selected NEC Electronics' encoder/decoder devices for their HDD/DVD recorders or STB products and introduced them to the market. Using its product-proven technology, NEC Electronics now has successfully developed the DVD recorder LSI codec with digital STB functions, the uPD61171.

The solution kit for the uPD61171, also available now, consists of a reference board and reference driver software. The reference board employs the uPD61171, uPD64011A video decoder, and uPD72893A IEEE1394 link device with DV codec. Available reference application software includes DV-MPEG conversion and digital STB functions. This solution kit comprises all the necessary hardware and software required for time-sensitive development of the latest DVD-recorder technologies.

Pricing, Packaging and Availability

Engineering samples of the uPD61171, as well as the software development tools, will be available beginning April 17. The device is packaged in 449-pin plastic BGA and will be commercially available in Q3 2003. NEC Electronics plans to produce 200,000 pieces per month in 2004.

Specifications for the uPD61171

Video encode/decode:
MPEG2 (MP@ML/SP@ML), MPEG1

Encoder picture size, frame rate
Horizontal: 720/704/640/544/480/352/320 pixels
Vertical: 480/240 (NTSC), 576/288 (PAL/SECAM) lines
Frame rate: 29.97 (NTSC), 25.0 (PAL/SECAM)

Audio encode:
MPEG1 audio Layers 1/2, Dolby Digital

Audio decode:
MP3, MPEG2-AAC, WMA, Dolby Digital

MPEG system multiplex/de-multiplex/format conversion
MPEG2 TS/PS, DVD-VR/Video, VideoCD, DVB, ARIB
Bit rate: 1 Mbps-15 Mbps
Encryption: CPRM, DES
Decryption: CSS, CPRM, DES, DVB, Multi2

Interfaces
Video input/output: ITU-R BT.656 8-bit
Audio input/output: PCM audio, IEC60958
Host I/F: Parallel/PCI
External memory: 512M/1Gb DDR266, 32-bit bus
Analog video output: 6-ch, 10-bit DAC, 54 MHz sampling

Power consumption / VDD
I/O: 3.3 ±0.3V (2.5V SDRAM)
Logic: 1.5 ±0.15V
Power consumption: TBD

Package
449-pin PGBA, 27 mm x 27 mm

About NEC Electronics Corporation

NEC Electronics worldwide specializes in semiconductor products encompassing advanced technology solutions for the high-end computing and broadband networking markets; system solutions for the mobile handsets, PC peripherals, automotive and digital consumer markets; and platform solutions for a wide range of customer applications. NEC Electronics Corporation has 24 subsidiaries worldwide including NEC Electronics America, Inc. and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH. In addition to marketing, selling and supporting NEC Electronics products to customers in their respective regions, NEC Electronics America and NEC Electronics Europe also operate local manufacturing facilities in Roseville, California, and Ballivor, Ireland, respectively. Additionally, NEC Electronics America is the North American sales and marketing channel of NEC AM-LCD and PDP modules, and NEC Electronics (Europe) is the sales and marketing channel in Europe for these products. Additional information about NEC Electronics worldwide can be found at http://www.necel.com. NEC Electronics Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l), one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions.

Sunrise Electronics is the only dedicated franchised distributor in the UK electronics market and provides a high level of technical design support to customers for the whole range of NEC semiconductor products including microprocessors, microcontrollers and ASICs as well as memory and colour LCD panels. The field sales team is technically qualified to ensure total support from design concept through to purchasing.

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