ACADEMIA

DivX has announced that Broadcom Corporation's BCM3549 and BCM3556 connected digital television (DTV) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions are the company's first platforms to complete DivX Plus HD Certification. Broadcom's high-performance and advanced solutions will power the playback of DivX Plus HD 1080p video in the MKV container on DTVs using the USB slot or streaming from the home network via Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) support. Broadcom's BCM3549 and BCM3556 digital TV platforms with DivX Plus HD support will be demonstrated at IFA 2010.

Both the BCM3549 and BCM3556 DTV platforms feature an advanced multi-format video decoder, 3D/2D graphics core, Ethernet MAC and PHY, DLNA support and 1080p60 input and output capability. Integrated DLNA technology support enables consumers to locate and enjoy digital content anywhere on their home network and effortlessly move or stream this content between DLNA-connected devices.  These features, combined with a high level of integration and best-in-class picture quality, reduce overall system cost while enabling TV manufacturers to offer innovative applications and interactive content that is changing the way consumers enjoy their televisions.  

"We are happy to work with Broadcom, a major technology innovator and leading worldwide DTV chip provider," said Matt Milne, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, DivX, Inc. "Broadcom is a valuable IC partner for DivX, and their support is an important milestone for the DivX Plus HD program and an exciting step towards the deployment of more digital TVs worldwide."

"DivX provides a high-quality, secure and easy-to-use playback experience across more than 300 million devices, and we are pleased to support our shared DTV customers' goals of supporting the widest selection of video formats such as H.264/MKV. We will continue to work closely on supporting DivX on next generation digital TV platforms," said Rich LeDrew, Senior Product Manager, Digital Television, Broadcom.  "This will offer consumers a seamless experience when accessing content on a television, the hub for entertainment and information distribution throughout the digital home."

"The number of worldwide households using connected TVs to enjoy a variety of premium and user-generated content is expected to grow about ten-fold between now and the end of 2014 to nearly 450 million," said Kurt Scherf, Vice President and Principal Analyst with Parks Associates. "The designation of Broadcom's connected SoC solutions as DivX Plus HD certified is important, as it will allow manufacturers to accommodate the wide variety of premium and user-generated content that will be available at the connected TV via Internet connections and from the home network."

DivX Plus HD Certification is the premium level of certification available from DivX, optimized for consumer electronics products and supports the playback of all content created with DivX software. DivX Plus Software allows users to create and playback H.264 video in an .mkv file container. DivX Plus HD Certified devices will playback all previous versions of DivX video, and DivX Plus HD video files with the .mkv file extension and AAC audio created with third-party tools.

Known for great performance, visual quality and interoperability on any DivX Certified device, DivX provides OEMs with a comprehensive digital media solution supporting the majority of high-quality Internet video on TVs or other consumer electronics devices. In addition, DivX also supports the secure playback of major Hollywood titles from major studios and many online movie download sites now distribute Hollywood content in the DivX format worldwide.

Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual high-quality users expect from DivX.