Sarnoff Corp. has designed a silicon based system for DTV sets and set-top boxes that includes a transport parser, a 24-bit audio decoder, a 32-bit DDR SDRAM controller, a display processor, an on-screen display, a de-interlacer, and a digital video encoder.
The 24-bit audio decoder uses digital signal processing (DSP) to efficiently decode Dolby Digital (AC-3) 5.1 channel surround sound. The video system is capable of decoding all 36 ATSC input formats and displaying the video at either HDTV resolution (1080I or 720P) or standard resolution (480I or 480P).
Bill Mayweather, Sarnoff Silicon Strategies Business Director, explained, "By July 1, 2007 sets as small as 13 inches will be affected by this mandate. It is unlikely makers will put HD displays in sets this small, so the ability to display HDTV at standard resolutions is crucial. We offer this feature today." He claimed, "This is the most comprehensive silicon IP solution currently available from a single supplier. It gives TV manufacturers multiple options for adding digital TV capabilities to their sets. It also offers superior image quality, a hallmark of Sarnoff technology since the dawn of color television."
The silicon intellectual property (IP), which includes Verilog source code and test benches, firmware, extensive documentation, and engineering support is available for immediate delivery, according to the Sarnoff Corp. press release Sarnoff Silicon IP Offers TV Makers Complete Digital/HDTV Decoding Solution To Meet FCC Mandate.
