Fujitsu Microelectronics Asia Pte Ltd

Fujitsu to Release H.264 Format Video-Processing LSI Chip Supporting High-Definition and Low Power Consumption

Industry's first chip to enable next-generation DVD-level high-definition recording and playback

Singapore, December 15, 2006 — Fujitsu Microelectronics Asia Pte Ltd (FMAL) today announced the development of a new large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) chip capable of real-time compression and decompression of high-definition TV-level video, in H.264(*1)format.

The new LSI chip, to be released in March 2007, is based on a H.264 processing algorithm developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Limited that integrates Fujitsu's high-performance audio and video processing technology with its 90nm process technology. This is the first chip in the industry that supports H.264 High Profile, Level 4.0 (*2) standard used in next-generation DVDs.

This LSI chip enables high-resolution recording, playback, and transmission of high-definition video on audio-visual products such as portable AV products, hard disk recorders, and home network equipments. The new chip has been exhibited and demonstrated at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) "Telecom World 2006", scheduled to be held in Hong Kong from 4th to 8th December, 2006.

In recent years, there has been a growing needs for higher functionalities of audio visual products, such as recording and playback of high-resolution high-definition video. Products that handle high-resolution video need to be able to compress a large volume of data, and the use of H.264 format featuring superior compression performance is growing rapidly, as compared to previous formats such as MPEG-2(*3). While H.264 offers superior compression performance, it also entails over 10 times the computation load that must be processed at the time of compression. Furthermore, the High Profile, Level 4.0 version of H.264 used in next-generation DVDs requires even higher data processing volumes to enable greater image quality, necessitating a high-speed LSI chip to handle real-time H.264 compression.

Working on the development of LSI chips for MPEG formats, Fujitsu have been involved in standard-setting organizations related to H.264 and has accumulated relevant technological knowledge. By using proprietary compression technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories to reduce the processing load required, incorporating Fujitsu's embedded memory technology, and 90nm manufacturing process technology for compact size and low-power operation, the new chip is the first of its kind to handle H.264 High Profile applications. It also has a wide potential range of applications for equipment requiring high-resolution video processing, such as battery-powered portable AV products, desktop-type hard disk recorders, and home network equipment for video transmission.

Fujitsu will continue to further enhance the high functionality of this new chip, to achieve a full high-definition (maximum up to 1920 dots x 1080 lines) support. Fujitsu plans to enrich its line of video processing LSI chips, to provide products such as a "multi-decoder" chip that can handle multiple formats, including H.264 and MPEG-2.

Product Details

*Product Part Number:	MB86H50
*Availability:	March 2007

Product Features

1. Real-time compression and decompression of HDTV video and sound.
   Capable of real-time compression and decompression of high-definition video (up to 1440 dots x 1080 lines) using H.264 High Profile Level 4.0 format, with simultaneous compression and decompression of sound in Dolby Digital (*4) format. This is the first time in the industry that these processing features have been integrated onto a single chip for general use (according to internal research as of November 2006).
2. Embedded memory enables smaller size and lower power consumption.
   Also the industry's first H.264-supportive LSI featuring two pieces of embedded 256Mbit FCRAM, with optimized design that combines logic and memory onto one LSI chip, enabling a more compact size and lower power consumption.
3. Proprietary compression and image-enhancement technology.
   A proprietary "self-tuning" algorithm developed by Fujitsu Laboratories that automatically applies lighter compression method to high-action zones where compression artifacts are most noticeable, such as human faces or slow-moving objects, and stronger compression method in other zones. This enables image data size to be reduced to one-half to one-third that of the MPEG-2 format at an equivalent level of image quality.

Glossary

*1. H.264:
A video-encoding format, noted for offering more compression than MPEG-2 and other earlier formats. Jointly promulgated 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.

*2. H.264 High Profile, Level 4.0:
A specific sub-type of the H.264/AVC standard for high-definition video.

*3. MPEG-2:
A part of the MPEG standard for compressed video. Widely used in DVDs and other products.

*4. Dolby Digital:
Frequently used in DVDs. An audio compression format, also known as AC-3, developed by Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

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About Fujitsu Microelectronics Asia Pte Ltd

Fujitsu Microelectronics Asia Pte Ltd (FMAL) was established in 1986 to provide semiconductor sales and support solutions to customers in Southeast Asia, India and Oceania. FMAL offers a diverse array of application-oriented semiconductor products and solutions such as ASIC, ASSPs, microcontrollers / microprocessors (FR-V), System Memory (Flash Memory / FRAM / FCRAM) and System LSIs (DVD MPEG Source Decoders / MPEG –2 Encoders).
For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/sg/services/micro/semiconductor

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