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Tag: broadcom

  • Broadcom’s Internet of Things WICED Platform Now Offers Full HomeKit Support

    Broadcom’s Internet of Things WICED Platform Now Offers Full HomeKit Support

    homekit-breadcom

    Broadcom has announced that its Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED) SDK now offers full HomeKit support. As the first company to meet HomeKit technical specifications for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Smart, Broadcom expands its Internet of Things (IoT) portfolio offerings.

    Broadcom’s WICED platform enables developers and OEMs to take advantage of the growing Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. By helping companies create IoT products that are HomeKit compliant, Broadcom is said to reduce time-to-market and improve the consumer experience.

    Broadcom’s WICED platform can also connect endpoints through a process known as bridging that delivers the benefits of HomeKit through a hardware module. This allows a product like a Bluetooth Smart light bulb to connect to a smart plug containing Broadcom’s WICED module, creating a bridge from the light bulb to the user’s HomeKit-supported app on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

    HomeKit offers a set of common protocols making it easier for customers to control HomeKit-enabled accessories using Siri or iOS applications. HomeKit is built on a secure foundation with end-to-end encryption which provides customers a secure connection between their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and HomeKit-enabled accessory.

    Key Features:

    • Support for 802.11ab/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Smart
    • Compact design to support multiple microcontrollers (MCUs) and systems-on-a-chip (SOCs)
    • Low memory footprint
    • Integrated development tools
    • Reliable interoperability and integrated security
    • Upgradeable over wireless connections

    Availability
    Broadcom’s WICED SDK and hardware module with HomeKit support are available now.

  • Broadcom Announces New Android Platform to Enable Mass Market Smartphones

    Broadcom has announced a new baseband platform that provides simultaneous HSDPA modem connectivity and Android-based applications processing.

    According to the company, the new Broadcom BCM2157 dual-core baseband processor delivers high-end smartphone features on more affordable 3G Android handsets: this includes mobile hot-spot, multi-touch screens, innovative media and applications processing, "and other capabilities that will help handset makers drive these features to a larger tier of users."

    The BCM2157 baseband processor platform includes the following features:

    • 3G HSDPA modem supports 7.2 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream connectivity and worldwide roaming.
    • Built-in support for HVGA displays, multi-touch screens, 5 megapixel digital cameras, 3G dual SIM/dual standby, and other key smartphone capabilities.
    • Dual-core ARM processors for dedicated modem support and superior application processing (500MHz).
    • Broadcom’s complete connectivity suite, featuring Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and NFC solutions, including InConcert technology that makes these various technologies work better together.
    • Support for mobile hotspot functionality, allowing the handset to share the 3G connection with up to 8 simultaneous devices or users via Wi-Fi.

    The platform is based on mature technology, building on the proven architecture of the BCM2153 and is now sampling to early access customers with first commercial launches expected in Q1 2011.

    "The smartphone continues to influence the cellular industry, with defining features like multi-touch screens and the ability to run applications now enriching lower cost handsets. We’ve maximized the functionality of our new Android-processing baseband platform to enable our partners to deliver the most popular features in more affordable designs," said Scott Bibaud, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Broadcom’s Mobile Platforms Group

  • Broadcom First to Ship True Single Chip Blu-ray Solution

    Broadcom today announced that it is the first silicon provider to ship a true single die Blu-ray Disc chip.

    According to the company, the BCM7630 offers an “unprecedented level of integration” combining optical front-end and back-end video decoding and display technologies in a single die solution.

    In addition it supports internet streaming applications including Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, BD-Live, Vudu, CinemaNow movie services and others.

    Also announced today is the BCM7632, which supplements the capabilities of the BCM7630 by adding support for the playback of 3D Blu-ray movies. It also provides additional support for 3D Blu-ray Disc players in stereoscopic full 1080p resolution

    Broadcom says internet streaming over Wi-Fi is fast becoming a mainstream requirement. The BCM7630 and BCM7632 support Broadcom’s market-leading Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions providing manufacturers with a system solution that features integrated wireless support, as the company claims.

    The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions can also be used for remote controls.

    "Blu-ray Disc players are poised for continued growth in the coming year, and our next generation Blu-ray solutions will help bring to market a new line of players for 2010 that meet consumer demand for connected applications such as Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, Vudu and CinemaNow," said Dan Eiref, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom.

  • Broadcom Offers Open Source HD Voice

    Broadcom announced that it is offering its BroadVoice family of voice codecs royalty-free and without any licensing fees.

    “As a direct response to customer demand for advanced, high-quality voice solutions and development tools”, Broadcom is releasing its wideband and narrowband BroadVoice codecs in both floating-point and fixed-point C code as open source software under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), version 2.1, as published by the Free Software Foundation.

    According to the company, by eliminating the royalties and licensing fees (required by competitive solutions), Broadcom is driving a cost effective transition to HD VoIP applications by enhancing the quality of voice transmissions enabling a higher quality audio experience.

    The availability of BroadVoice source code, under an open source software license, provides the industry with maximum flexibility in how it can be deployed and has the potential of addressing a wide range of next generation voice-related applications.

    "We are seeing an increase in the number of requests for HD voice support from service providers who want to differentiate their telephony services from their competition. By offering high performance and highly efficient BroadVoice voice codecs royalty-free, we are enabling manufacturers and service providers to transition to HD VoIP as a means to significantly improve their customers’ audio experience,"said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group.

    Broadcom developed the BroadVoice family of voice codecs with two variants including a 32 kb/s version called BroadVoice32 for wideband (HD) speech sampled at 16 kHz, and a 16 kb/s version called BroadVoice16 for narrowband telephone-bandwidth speech sampled at 8 kHz.

    The company claims BroadVoice advanced voice codecs reduce the latency, complexity and bandwidth usage on a wide range of wideband and narrowband voice applications including voice-over-cable, voice-over-DSL, Ethernet IP phones, Wi-Fi VoIP phones and software-based VoIP client solutions. Additionally, for VoIP applications, distortion and echo are also reduced.

    BroadVoice is available on Broadcom’s cable, DSL and VoIP system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions.

    When standardized by SCTE and ANSI, the BroadVoice16 and BroadVoice32 codecs are called BV16 and BV32, respectively. BV16 is a standard codec in PacketCable 1.5, PacketCable 2.0, ANSI/SCTE 24-21 2006, and ITU-T Recommendation J.161 specifications. BV32 is a standard codec in PacketCable 2.0, ANSI/SCTE 24-23 2007, and ITU-T Recommendation J.361 specifications.

    BroadVoice16 and BroadVoice32 have very similar codec structures. Both variants share most of the algorithm modules so when implemented together, substantial code sharing and memory reduction can be achieved.

    Now Broadcom is providing both the floating-point and fixed-point C source code of BroadVoice16 and BroadVoice 32 under an open source license (LGPL version 2.1) and on a royalty-free basis.

  • DivX certifies chip for HDTVs and STBs

    Broadcom’s high definition chip brings HD DivX certified video into the living room

    DivX has announced the high-definition DivX certification of Broadcom Corporation’s BCM7405 system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution.

    The BCM7405 provides advanced internet provider (IP) functionality and improved video and audio performance for satellite, cable and IP set-top boxes (STBs).

    It can support the playback of DivX 1080p content, and other key integrated features for digital television content such as recording, playback, time-shifting and trick modes.

    The HD certification is the latest addition to Broadcom’s stable of SoCs. These include the BCM7452 and BCM7403, which have already achieved standard-definition (SD) DivX Certification.

    Aidan O’Rourke, senior director of marketing, IPTV set-top box products for Broadcom, said DivX was a key player in high-quality digital content distribution and consumption.

    “We are pleased to continue collaborating with them to support our shared customers’ goals of supporting the widest selection of video and audio content formats,” he said.

    DivX technology significantly reduces the file sizes of digital video, and its certification enables consumers to play DivX video content on a range of entertainment devices such as digital video recorders, portable media players, digital televisions, Blu-ray DVD players, and mobile phones.

    This improved compression makes it easier to move and share high-quality content between devices, improving the entertainment experience for consumers.

    Kevin Hell, DivX’s chief executive officer, said Broadcom’s new DivX certified chip illustrated the digital media company’s commitment to ensuring a high-quality video experience across any device.

    “Working with Broadcom has afforded us the opportunity to meet the rising demand for our high-definition solution in the emerging product categories of digital televisions and set-top boxes,” he said.