By launching the Neotion Processor 5, NEOTION enters the booming Market of multi-functions MPEG-4 set-top boxes

NP5: the very first genuine « environmental friendly » MPEG-4 Processor powering Low Cost receivers

NEOTION, a French public company well known for pioneering the MPEG-4 Standard and the Digital TV Industry, today announces the release of a new breakthrough Processor based on an ARM 926 core – The NP5. Primarily dedicated for the set-top boxes manufacturers, the NP5 is a truly optimised SoC silicon that enables to build a whole range of low cost MPEG-4 decoders, thus allowing for ultra low power consumption.

While the majority of modern MPEG-2 only boxes burn at least 10 Watts even overnight in standby mode (and indeed much more when it comes to MPEG-4 receivers which are necessarily far more powerful), MPEG-4 decoders based on the NP5 Processor shall approximately need 5.1 Watts when functioning (and next to nothing when going to sleep mode as it supports standby). With respect to the critical Global Warming issues, the projected impact of the hundreds of millions of MPEG-4 boxes that shall be deployed over the next five years to support the digital switchover process shall be considerable. By reducing by more than 50% their consumption, one could potentially save the equivalent carbon emissions of several super power electricity stations.

Originally very active in France, the first country in the world that mandated MPEG-4 by Law, NEOTION has already successfully demonstrated by launching right from 2006 the first credit card size H.264 decoder (Pocket) that the emerging MPEG-4 Standard could be easily and massively deployed over DTT when leveraging on the integrated Digital TV sets (iDTV) that are now becoming mainstream products.

NEOTION developed the NP5 to tackle the tremendous potential for stand-alone MPEG-4 SD low cost decoders tailored for addressing emerging Markets such as Eastern Europe, India – but also more generally beyond, the increasing demand of telecom operators throughout the World for simple IP box solutions in a multiroom and home network context.

The main features of the NP5 are:

“¢ Embedded hardware based MPEG-4 AVC video Decoder – Main Profile – Full D1 – Level 1, 2 and 3.
“¢ Software based Audio Decoder capabilities (MPEG-1 layer 2, Layer 3, and AAC).
“¢ Transport filtering, DVB-CSA and DES descramblers, copy protection support (3-DES, AES, DTCP)
“¢ Specific crypto processor dedicated for security (3-DES, AES, SHA-1) – flexible Crypto-Controller and OTP memory.
“¢ IP native block (10/100baseT Ethernet with integrated MAC and RMII interface).
“¢ Smartcard reader controller (ISO 7816).
“¢ Secured updates support (OTA and through IP).
“¢ OSD management (256 colours – Full D1) – rapid and efficient.
“¢ Digital A/V standardized interfaces – BT656 video & I²S audio – with PAL & NTSC support.
“¢ Embedded DVB-CI Master controller.
“¢ DVR capabilities: Embedded SD Card 2.0 (HC) controller with SD I/O management (DVR and time-shifting functions).
“¢ Ultra low power consumption.
“¢ BGA package 15 x 15 – 289 balls.

Foreseen implementations:

“¢ MPEG-4 set-top box (DVB-Terrestrial, Satellite, or Cable), or IP renderer – in both cases with
or without Conditional Access, smartcard reader and Common Interface slot.
“¢ Similar versions with built-in SD card reader for DVR functions.
“¢ Hybrid Decoders combining DVB and IP front-ends.
“¢ Cardbus based Module Decoders dedicated for xDSL routers.

The NP5 shall be sampled from November 2007 onward. NEOTION shall then supply to its partners the development board right from end of September. Mass production is due for end of first quarter 2008.

Depending of volumes and configurations, NEOTION foresees that MPEG-4 set-top boxes powered by the NP5 could be produced for as low as sub 25 €.

Link: Neotion