Sigma Introduces media processor optimized for mainstream Blu-ray players

[Grubert]

Press release

SMP8642 Blu-ray Solution Offers Leading Performance in a Cost-Effective Implementation
Tuesday January 6, 2009, 6:00 am EST

LAS VEGAS & MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sigma Designs (Nasdaq:SIGM - News), a leader in digital media processing system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for consumer electronics, today announced the availability of its new SMP8642 media processor SoC, designed for mainstream Blu-ray players. Product demonstrations are available at this week’s CES 2009 Show, Thursday, January 8 through Saturday, January 10 at Sigma’s Digital Living Demo Room set up inside a hospitality suite located at the Las Vegas Hilton, Suite #2992. The SMP8642, coupled with Sigma’s proven Blu-ray Profile 2.0 software suite, provides the highest performance interactive experience while at the same time offering a cost-effective architecture for competing in today’s player market.

“Sigma has been a pioneer in media processor system-on-chip solutions for Blu-ray players,” said Ken Lowe, vice president of strategic marketing at Sigma Designs. “We see a great deal of opportunity in offering an optimized solution with industry leading performance, a cost-efficient architecture, and the most proven Blu-ray software suite available.”

Sigma’s SMP8642 media processor integrates a wide complement of advanced capabilities for a system-on-chip (SoC) solution with powerful multimedia processing, robust content security system, multiple on-chip CPUs, and a range of on-chip system peripherals. Its combination of on-chip processors yield an impressive increase in overall performance. The SMP8642 silicon is also complemented by one of the most robust software suites available, featuring Sigma’s field-proven multimedia library, secure operating system, OS support environment, and Blu-ray software suite with Profile 2.0 (BD-live). As a result, the SMP8642 provides an ideal solution for the 2009 generation of mainstream Blu-ray players while remaining software compatible with the SMP8644 to enable OEMs to easily design a family of different price/performance offerings.

From a media processing standpoint, the SMP8642 offers a full complement of advanced decoder engines with high definition video decoding, including H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media® Video 9, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2), and the new AVS standard. High-performance graphics acceleration, multi-standard audio decoding with 3 on-chip DSP engines which can decode all audio standards including DTS-HD MA 7.1, advanced display 12-bit xvYCC processing capabilities, and HDMI 1.3 12-bit deep color output with CEC round out its multimedia core. Powerful content security is ensured through a dedicated secure processor, on-chip flash memory, and a range of digital rights management (DRM) engines for high-speed payload decryption. The SMP8642 also features a full complement of system peripherals, including a dual Ethernet controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, NAND flash controller, IR controller, a dual SATA controller, and SD Card interface.

Taking performance to the next level is accomplished by combining significant increases in CPU speed, memory bandwidth, and architectural efficiencies. The SMP8642 is a multi-core media processor that features a 667 MHz main CPU along with a 333 MHz second CPU for a total processing power of 1840 DMIPs and a Caffeine Mark of 5649. This enables crisp user interaction and a wider range of application-based features which enhance the “future-proofing” of this platform.

The second MIPS processor, called the IPU, manages real-time interrupt operations and is available to offload burdensome system tasks such as networking, and graphics to further optimize main CPU utilization. A third MIPS processor, called the XPU, manages all system security functions including decryption and key generation. The SMP8642 also features two 32-bit DDR-2 memory controllers which supports double-data-rate memories up to 667 Mbps as well as an improved arbitration engine to maximize the efficiency of accesses. To meet the new low-power requirements for consumer products, the SMP8642 features several standby modes, including full sleep and wake-on-LAN.