2007-09-10
Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

Fujitsu Launches Full HD H.264 Transcoder LSI

- Extends recording time by more than 2.5 times while maintaining video quality -

Shanghai, September 10, 2007 —  Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. today announced the development and launch of a new transcoder large-scaled integrated (LSI) chip that can convert full HD (1920dot x 1080line) MPEG-2 (*1) video data to H.264 (*2) data and compress data size to less than one-half that of MPEG-2. Sample shipments of the new chip - MB86H52 have started from September 1, 2007.

This new transcoder makes it possible to extend recording time of recording devices such as hard disk recorders by over 2.5 times, as the chip enables data size compression without compromising video quality. The transcoder can also be embedded in a multitude of equipment requiring reduction of data size, and can realize full HD over narrower bandwidths used for home network, the use of which is anticipated to spread hereafter.

Digital terrestrial broadcasts and digital satellite broadcasts use data compressed into the MPEG-2 format. Because MPEG-2 format video is high-resolution, if the video is recorded as it is without compression, to storage media such as hard disks, the data volume is extremely high and thereby causes the problem of significantly limited recording time.

Focusing on such issues, Fujitsu developed this MB86H52 transcoder LSI that converts MPEG-2 format video data to the H.264 format, which features a higher compression rate. Functionality of this new transcoder is based on the video processing technology of Fujitsu’s full HD H.264 CODEC (Encode / Decode) LSI product, MB86H51, currently being shipped. Utilizing proprietary high quality video technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories, the quality of the input MPEG-2 video data can be maintained when transcoded to H.264 format.

Fujitsu’s new transcoder will be exhibited at i-SEDEX 2007, to be held in Seoul, Korea from September 18-20.

Sample Pricing and Availability

• Product name: MB86H52
• Sample Price (including tax): JPY 25,000
• Availability: From September 1, 2007

Sales Target

5 million units in fiscal 2007 (April 2007 - March 2008), inclusive of all H.264 LSIs.

Key Features

• Proprietary technologies for compression and high quality video
  The new transcoder utilizes a proprietary algorithm developed by Fujitsu Laboratories that automatically applies less compression to areas in the image where compression artifacts are most noticeable to human vision, such as human faces or slow-moving objects, and greater compression to other areas. Thus, high image quality for the critical zones is maximized. This technology enables the same video quality to be maintained when transcoding from MPEG-2 to H.264.
• Includes Full HD H.264 CODEC
  As the transcoder includes a full HD H.264 CODEC for video encoding and decoding, uncompressed video data can also be compressed to the H.264 format. The transcoder can also decompress video data from compressed or transcoded H.264. The CODEC is the same as that used in Fujitsu’s MB86H51 LSI.
• Future Developments
  Under the slogan, “Fujitsu for Image Processing”, Fujitsu plans to continue to be an industry leader of H.264 video processing LSIs with full HD multi-decoders that can handle various video formats, and will provide customers with video processing LSIs for high-performance digital equipment.

Glossary

• MPEG-2:
  A video compression format that is part of the MPEG standard for video compression. Widely used in DVDs and other video products.
• H.264:
  Formally MPEG4 AVC/H.264. A video-encoding format, noted for offering more compression than MPEG-2 and other earlier formats. Jointly defined by the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Sector) and ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission), it is the most recent international standard for video compression.
  Company and product names referenced herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

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Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd.

Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was established in August 2003 as Fujitsu’s semiconductor business representative in China. Headquartered in Shanghai, it has branch offices in Beijing and Shenzhen to provide sales and service support to customers throughout China.
Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. offers an extensive range of products from microcontroller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), application-specific standard product (ASSP), system-on-chip (SoC) to system memory, that can be supplied as product or complete solution. With technology resource centres and ASIC design support centres strategically located in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, as well as Heavy investments in design and engineering capabilities and application support resources, complemented by a regional network of design partners, suppliers and distributors, Fujitsu Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. can readily delivers innovative and value-added solutions and varied range of products to its target markets in China.
For more information, please see: http://cn.fujitsu.com/fmc/en

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Company and product names referenced herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.