JVC

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Fujitsu's System LSI Solutions for Victor

The Challenge

VHS videocassette recorders changed the way the world watches TV. They let us watch what we want, when we want. But, as with any new technology, users eventually take the new capabilities for granted and want more. One of the drawbacks of videotape is that it cannot be watched while it is being recorded. In other words, if you arrive home after recording has begun, you cannot watch from the beginning until the recording is done. If you are interrupted while watching a show that is being recorded, you cannot immediately pick up where you left off. This is where audio/visual giant JVC saw an opportunity.

Developers recognized that, by combining recordable hard disk and tape cassette capability in a single hybrid machine, they could provide simultaneous recording and playback. The disk would provide true random access playback, even while recording. Transfer to tape within the same machine would provide an inexpensive archival function. JVC had done extensive consumer surveys and were convinced of the market potential.

That was four years ago. The problem at that time was limitations within the existing technology. High volume disks and the MPEG encoder systems required for image compression were simply too large and expensive for a home machine.

Technical advances quickly increased the capacity and reduced the cost for disks. As a result, two years ago, JVC gave the development group the go-ahead for development of the hybrid system, along with a one-year deadline."We weren't simply improving an existing product,"says the chief engineer in JVC's development department. "We were developing a new system from scratch. We knew that doing it all in a year was going to be a real challenge."

The Solution

In order to achieve consumer acceptance, the whole system needed to be about the same size as an existing VCR. The S-VHS cassette section took up almost 2/3 of the available volume. The hard disk would take up most of the remaining space, leaving very little for the MPEG2 encoder system. Since the encoder is necessary for conversion of the signal from analog to digital and to compress it to fit on the disk, it became one of the primary focuses of the project. So when JVC first saw Fujitsu's MPEG2 encoder system LSI (large-scale integration), they knew right away that it was the solution they were looking for.

It was Fujitsu's electronic device department that first introduced JVC to the LSI. Competitors' systems required additional circuits to handle all the functions available with Fujitsu's MPEG2 LSI, but with Fujitsu's LSI, JVC was able to reduce the required number of parts.

The Implementation

Fujitsu's compact LSI solved most of the space problem, but there were further obstacles to overcome. Initially, when "noisy" images had to be compressed, the process would sometimes fail. The variety of conditions and signals in home recording - cable, antenna, standard or high-resolution - made this a serious issue. Fujitsu worked closely with JVC engineers in a long series of tests aimed at addressing the problem. Some of the tests involved as much as a week of continuous play. As problems were identified in testing, Fujitsu made alterations in the MPEG2 LSI until the required reliability was achieved.

"We had to solve a lot of problems in that year," says JVC's chief engineer. "We had no time to do component development from scratch, so we needed a supplier that could provide a customizable LSI without the need for a 'black box'. Fujitsu delivered the flexibility we needed."

Fujitsu was involved as a member of the standardization committee in the original development of MPEG. In the process of developing the standards, Fujitsu accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience, and designed its product around large-scale integration. That permitted relatively easy customization. It was the combined technology of many groups within Fujitsu, not just the semiconductor division, that allowed Fujitsu to develop a flexible MPEG2 LSI ahead of the competitors."

Teamwork

The chief JVC engineer sums up the reasons for choosing Fujitsu's product. "Once the problems were resolved, the Fujitsu MPEG2 encoder gave us high-quality images even at high compression ratios. It contained all the necessary circuits on a single 28mm chip, and it has great flexibility. It was an all-around solution." The "flexibility" referred to applies to both the chip and the Fujitsu developers who worked with his team. "Fujitsu's response," he says, "was superior, and the relationship between the two groups was very close."

The trial product was ready relatively quickly. But, because the system was one that had never been tried before, a lot of time was required for testing, revising and eliminating bugs. The process involved both customization of the hardware and changes and alterations of the application. A lot of possible conditions had to be considered. "We were groping our way through the process: testing, revising, and testing some more," explains the chief engineer. "The Fujitsu people worked right along with us. Thanks to their efforts, we got the product to market in just about a year."

Results

The JVC hybrid recorder, HM-HDS1, reached the Japanese market in November of 2000, well ahead of competitors. Since then, it has become a best-seller among AV digital recorders and has changed the way home users watch recorded material. In June of 2001, the company introduced a flat television with a built-in hard disk, based on the same MPEG2 LSI technology. Sales of these products have justified the confidence JVC had in the technology. The hybrid recorder is not yet a mature product, but it is viewed by JVC as a whole new type of product with a lot of future potential. As digital recording continues to develop, they envisage the hard disk at the very center of the technology.

JVC says that development of a marketable product in one year would have been impossible without Fujitsu's cutting-edge LSI capability. Fujitsu's cooperation throughout the process and right up until rollout helped JVC solve problems as they arose. Through this experience, they became convinced that, with the help of a good partner, any problem can be overcome, no matter how difficult.

Information: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN LIMITED JVC

VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN LIMITED JVC, well known for its invention of VHS format of VCR, is a leading international electronics company that has achieved success by combining its excellence in audio and video hardware with its global-scale software business, and also has a growing reputation for its professional equipment. JVC operates several business lines through which it offers a wide variety of devices and solutions. JVC business lines are Video, Audio, TV, Entertainment, Information-related Equipment and Component Devices. Every endeavor still continues to actively focus on discovering a new digital and network society of the 21st century. Headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, JVC was founded in 1927. For more information, visit the JVC Web site.