Broadcom HEVC Technology Powers India’s First Ultra HD Set-top Box Deployment from Tata Sky and Technicolor

New Delhi, India, July 30, 2014: Broadcom Corporation, a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced that its BCM7252 high efficiency video codec (HEVC) H.265 system-on-chip (SoC) will power Tata Sky’s first generation Ultra HD set-top boxes (STBs). Tata Sky, a leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) provider in India, and Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, have teamed to design and deploy the region’s first 4K STBs, planned for mass deployment throughout India in 2015. Broadcom’s industry-leading HEVC-enabled chipsets provide the compression and higher throughput required by operators and OEMs to rapidly introduce Ultra HD subscriber hardware and content.

Ultra HD deployments hinge on the advanced delivery mechanisms for over-the-air broadcasts, pay TV and over the-top (OTT) services. Unlike HD, which typically relies on MPEG-4 to compress content, Ultra HD craves a higher-efficiency video codec to support transmission. The Broadcom BCM7252 Ultra HD SoC dramatically improves coding efficiency and reduces video bandwidth usage by 50 percent.

Tata Sky Managing Director & CEO Harit Nagpal said, “We are committed to delivering an innovative and world class TV viewing experience. With the arrival of HEVC technology, our subscribers will soon be some of the first in the region to experience the live-action quality that only Ultra HD can provide. As Ultra HD TVs continue to become more affordable and Ultra HD content becomes more widely available, we anticipate increased subscriber demand for Ultra HD-capable set top boxes.”

Technicolor is at the forefront of Ultra HD, working to enhance the Ultra HD experience on all screens by providing content preparation and 4K image certification for high quality STBs and Video Gateways,” said Georges Laplanche, Technicolor Senior Vice President APAC, Connected Home Division. “By leveraging Broadcom’s advanced Ultra HD devices with integrated HEVC compression technology, we can deliver 4K resolution at a frame rate of 60 frames-per-second while substantially reducing the bandwidth required for video transmission, and providing the advanced features and capabilities needed to enable the ultimate home viewing experience.”

“As consumer interest in Ultra HD continues to grow, Broadcom is delivering advanced devices with market specific features and price points that allow consumers to enjoy an enhanced viewing experience regardless of their geography,” said Rich Nelson, Broadcom Senior Vice President of Marketing, BCG. “Broadcom continues to demonstrate its commitment to furthering the Ultra HD ecosystem across the globe, providing the innovation required by our customers to drive this technology quickly into the market, particularly as lower-cost Ultra HD TVs drive consumer awareness.”

Spec of the BCM7252 Ultra HD SoC

• High-performance dual-core Brahma15 10000 DMIPs ARMv7 processors
• 2180p60 or dual 1080p60 decode and transcode capabilities
• Integrated connectivity peripherals including USB 3.0, PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet and MoCA 2.0
• Highest level of platform security, content protection and DRM robustness
• Dual display allowing presentation of two simultaneous video channels from the same STB via independent HDMI outputs and remote control devices
• Dedicated interfaces to a range of Broadcom companion front end cable, DOCSIS, satellite and 802.11ac Wi-Fi devices 

Availability

Broadcom’s full portfolio of Ultra HD devices are now available. Tata Sky’s Ultra HD STBs, produced by Technicolor, are slated for deployment throughout India in the first half of 2015.