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New Set-Top Box Chip from STMicroelectronics adds Dolby Digital, MP3 and Hard Disk Drive Support |
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 Geneva, August 29, 2000 - STMicroelectronics has reinforced the market leadership* of its STi5500 (OMEGA) family of Set-Top Box (STB) back-end decoders, of which more than 10 million units have been sold, with the introduction of a new device that offers both increased functionality and further cost reductions. The new STi5518 retains all of the features of the STi5500 and adds support for Dolby Digital and MP3 audio decoding. Additional logic has also been added to ease the connection of hard disk drives, making the device ideal for emerging 'convergence' products that offer features such as pausing and time-shifting of live TV.As with all OMEGA devices, the STi5518 integrates in a single chip: a transport demultiplex block; an ST20 32-bit system CPU; an audio/video MPEG-2 decoder; display and graphics features; a digital video encoder; and system peripherals. The STi5518 integrates DirecTV and DVB descramblers in the transport demultiplex block, allowing it to be used in both Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) and Digital Satellite System (DSS) set-top box applications. The Macrovision copy protection system is also included. The transport interface block also includes a sector processor and a CSS decryption block, and the video decoder supports sub-picture decoding. These, coupled with the Dolby Digital and Macrovision capabilities make the STi5518 also suitable for DVD-capable set-top boxes. Other new features include direct support for IR transmitter/receivers, plus a modem analog front-end (MAFE) interface, which allows a software modem to be implemented on the ST20. The STi5518 interfaces seamlessly to ST's range of single-chip front-end devices such as the STV0299 QPSK demodulator, allowing ST to offer a complete satellite solution. "The STi5518 provides a perfect match with the requirements of the low-cost digital pay-TV market," said Philippe Lambinet, General Manager of ST's Digital Video Division. "It enables the latest enhancements such as surround sound and time-shifting that are now become standard even for low-end boxes." Like all ST20-based products, the STi5518 is supported by a leading-edge software development chain which includes the well-proven ST20 ANSI 'C' software toolset, the ST20 window-based debugging toolkit, and a royalty-free high performance real time operating system (ST-Lite). Specific STB support includes an evaluation board (STi5518MBoard) and a set of royalty-free drivers. The STi5518MBoard is supplied with all the interfaces needed to emulate a set-top box environment and the drivers are compliant with the STAPI specification developed by ST to allow software compatibility across product families and product generations. Together with the hardware, this gives both rapid time-to-market and flexible product differentiation. Housed in a 208-pin PQFP package, the STi5518 is available now for sampling and volume production ramp-up is scheduled for Q4 2000. About STMicroelectronics STMicroelectronics (formerly SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics) is a global independent semiconductor company, whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on the ParisBourse and on the Milan Stock Exchange. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems. In 1999, the Company's net revenues were $5.056 billion and net earnings were $547 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com. Note For Editors According to the most recent independent market analysis (Cahners In-Stat Group, May, 2000) STMicroelectronics is the world's leading supplier of MPEG decoder ICs, with a commanding share of the set-top box decoder market of over 60%. |
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