Tensilica Ports RealVideo Codec To 388VDO Video Engine

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tensilica®, Inc. announced that it has ported the RealVideo codec from digital entertainment services company RealNetworks®, Inc. (RNWK) to the 388VDO Video Engine, increasing the versatility of this popular video chip subsystem. The RealVideo codec expands the applicability of Tensilica's 388VDO video processor to products that efficiently display Internet content on everything from mobile devices to extended standard definition DTV.

The RealVideo codec is fully compliant with RealVideo 9 and 10, so users can experience high-quality video from numerous sources in China. By using new technology that employs rigorous analysis to decompose and compress video content as well as more sophisticated image segmentation and motion analysis, it provides the same quality video at 80 percent lower bit rate than MPEG-2, 75 percent lower bit rate than HDTV, 45 percent lower bit rate than MPEG-4 (ASP), 30 percent lower bit rate than WMV 9, and 15 percent lower bit rate than H.264.

"RealVideo is an important video standard in China," stated Dr. Xu Dong, president and COO, PowerLayer Microsystems. "RealVideo on Tensilica's 388VDO enables our customers to add entertainment features to their TV products based on our PLM3000 chips for Connected TV or other products."

"We're seeing increasing demand among our mobile phone and consumer electronics customers, such as PowerLayer Microsystems, for RealVideo compatibility," stated Larry Przywara, Tensilica's director of mobile multimedia. "Because RealVideo can be used at much lower bit rates than other standards, it is a very efficient vehicle for video delivery on a wide range of devices spanning cell phones to IPTV."

Tensilica's 388VDO Video Engine is fully programmable and Tensilica provides full software support for RealVideo in addition to H.264 Main Profile decode, MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile decode, VC-1/WMV9 Main Profile decode, MPEG-2 Main Profile decode, and MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile encode.

Availability

The RealVideo decoder is available now.

About Tensilica

Tensilica, Inc., is the recognized leader in customizable dataplane processors. Dataplane Processor Units (DPUs) consist of performance intensive DSP (audio, video, imaging, and baseband signal processing) and embedded RISC processing functions (security, networking, and deeply embedded control). The automated design tools behind all of Tensilica's application specific processor cores enable rapid customization to meet specific data-plane performance targets. Tensilica's DSPs and processors power top tier semiconductor companies, innovative start-ups, and system OEMs for high-volume products including mobile phones, consumer electronics devices (including portable media players, digital TV, and broadband set top boxes), computers, and storage, networking and communications equipment. For more information on Tensilica's patented benchmark-proven DPUs visit www.tensilica.com.

About PowerLayer Microsystems

PowerLayer Microsystems, Inc., with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shenzhen, is a private fabless IC company specializing in the research, production, sales and support of video/audio chips for HDTV. It holds various key patents with regard to coding, modulation technology for HDTV and STB. The company has many years of experience in IC development. For more information about PLM3000 and other SOC products with superior video quality and IP content provisioning, please visit www.plmhinc.com

Editors' Notes:

• Tensilica and Xtensa are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
• Tensilica's announced licensees include: ADDMM, Afa Technologies, ALPS, Aquantia, Astute Networks, Atheros, AMD (ATI), Avision, Bay Microsystems, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Brocade, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, CMC Microsystems, Conexant Systems, Design Art Networks, DS2, EE Solutions, Epson, ETRI, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hudson Soft, iBiquity Digital, Ikanos Communications, Intel, Juniper Networks, LG Electronics, Lucid Information Technology, Marvell, NEC Laboratories America, NEC Corporation, NetEffect, Neterion, Nethra Imaging, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), NuFront, NVIDIA, Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., Panasonic Mobile, Penstar, Plato Networks, PnpNetwork Technologies, PowerLayer Microsystems, SiBEAM, Silicon Optix, Sony, STMicroelectronics, Stretch, TranSwitch Corporation, Triductor Technology, u-Nav Microelectronics, UpZide, Valens Semiconductor, Validity Sensors, Victor Company of Japan (JVC), WiLinx, WiQuest Communications, and XM Radio.

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