Broadcom BCM7440 powers up the nextgen HD and BD
11-09-06 | 11:12 PM
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From: Seattle
Broadcom BCM7440 powers up the nextgen HD and BD
Broadcom announces the new BCM7440
Today Broadcom announces a replacement chipset for the BCM7411 found in the Toshiba A1 and perhaps other players. Like NEC's recent announcement of a chip that handles both platforms Broadcom is seriously beefing up the support in this new chipset. After perusing through both PDFs here are some of the salient improvements in the new chip versus the older BCM7411.
The BCM7440 offers:
Improved Video support
Divx and WM-9 support
Picture support -JPG,PNG, MNG,GIF,RLE with 2D graphics engine
6 integrated VEC/DACs for video output
Dual video decoders
Improved Audio support
SACD and DVD-Audio disc support
WMA-Pro and MP3
Improved Networking support
Fast Ethernet
HDi and Navigator support.
Improved Storage/Memory
Dual SATA support
Dual DDR2 Memory interface
Dual USB ports
Dual MIPS processors power the whole shebang.
I imagine that it would take 3 or more seperate chips
to offer the functionality that is capable with this single
piece of silicon. Less material equals less work and a lower Bill
of Materials. Look for more vendors to hop into the market next
year with products based on this and the NEC chips. It should be
possible to make a Universal Blu-ray/HD DVD player as well. All the
bases are covered here.
This stuff isn't exciting to most people but now that Broadcom has announced this chipset we have an idea about where the market is going. And it looks and sounds great.
Today Broadcom announces a replacement chipset for the BCM7411 found in the Toshiba A1 and perhaps other players. Like NEC's recent announcement of a chip that handles both platforms Broadcom is seriously beefing up the support in this new chipset. After perusing through both PDFs here are some of the salient improvements in the new chip versus the older BCM7411.
The BCM7440 offers:
Improved Video support
Divx and WM-9 support
Picture support -JPG,PNG, MNG,GIF,RLE with 2D graphics engine
6 integrated VEC/DACs for video output
Dual video decoders
Improved Audio support
SACD and DVD-Audio disc support
WMA-Pro and MP3
Improved Networking support
Fast Ethernet
HDi and Navigator support.
Improved Storage/Memory
Dual SATA support
Dual DDR2 Memory interface
Dual USB ports
Dual MIPS processors power the whole shebang.
I imagine that it would take 3 or more seperate chips
to offer the functionality that is capable with this single
piece of silicon. Less material equals less work and a lower Bill
of Materials. Look for more vendors to hop into the market next
year with products based on this and the NEC chips. It should be
possible to make a Universal Blu-ray/HD DVD player as well. All the
bases are covered here.
This stuff isn't exciting to most people but now that Broadcom has announced this chipset we have an idea about where the market is going. And it looks and sounds great.
11-10-06 | 04:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
SACD and DVD-A support! If they use that on a player with analog outs I'd buy one.
Hell I'd pay a bundle for a Universal player with DVDA/SACD/HD DVD/BD support even if it only had HDMI. I don't have a legay AVR to worry about. That's a lot of digital support in one box. Somebody make it and I will come.
11-11-06 | 01:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I don't want to upgrade my receiver, which doesn't have HDMI.
11-11-06 | 12:52 PM
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Combos could be coming sooner rather than later
Here's a answer from Tom to a question posed from another AVS forum member.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8870045
Looks like nigh confirmation of Combo players next year. I'll likely sit out the first generation but 2nd generation Combo might be the ticket as I'm always looking to consolidate
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8870045
Originally Posted by Ian_S
I guess this is for Tom M.
Big news (I think) on your BCM7440!!!
I know you won't be able to name any names, but can you confirm that you have any customers using the chipset for a player?
Cheers, Ian.
I guess this is for Tom M.
Big news (I think) on your BCM7440!!!
I know you won't be able to name any names, but can you confirm that you have any customers using the chipset for a player?
Cheers, Ian.
Originally Posted by Tom McMahon
It is a chip, not a chipset (modulo the external RAM). There is nothing about this new chip that precludes it from being used solely in one format to the exclusion of the other format. The universal SW stack is obvious. You will see this chip in a number of designs: HD DVD, Blu-ray and combo. The big deal is that no matter how one chooses to use it, the volume goes up for all high definition blue laser disc stakeholders.
11-11-06 | 07:14 PM
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I wouldn't say confirmation, but it is definitely nice to see real G2 product coming out.
DVD-A is probably going to start popping up in most HDDVD/BD players starting in a couple generations. It is barely different from Dolby TrueHD, so there is little point to exclude it. But the SACD is a nice surprise. Good news.
DVD-A is probably going to start popping up in most HDDVD/BD players starting in a couple generations. It is barely different from Dolby TrueHD, so there is little point to exclude it. But the SACD is a nice surprise. Good news.
11-11-06 | 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Spiky
I wouldn't say confirmation, but it is definitely nice to see real G2 product coming out.
DVD-A is probably going to start popping up in most HDDVD/BD players starting in a couple generations. It is barely different from Dolby TrueHD, so there is little point to exclude it. But the SACD is a nice surprise. Good news.
DVD-A is probably going to start popping up in most HDDVD/BD players starting in a couple generations. It is barely different from Dolby TrueHD, so there is little point to exclude it. But the SACD is a nice surprise. Good news.
11-11-06 | 09:45 PM
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DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by hmurchison
I think if companies like Onkyo, Denon and Marantz want to deliver superior solutions they should be looking at making their high end models Universal. Can you imagine a Denon with HD DVD/Blu-ray/DVD-Audio/SACD/DivX support? That's something worth spending some coin on.
Denon's customers, that's who.
