Broadcom's Media PC Technology Enables Toshiba to Feature High Quality HD DVD Playback for Mid-Level Mobile Personal Computers

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
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Broadcom® Media PC Technology Significantly Improves the Mobile PC User Experience with Cost-Efficient, Flawless Playback of High Definition Video

IRVINE, Calif. — Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that Toshiba has selected Broadcom’s recently introduced media PC technology. As one of the leading manufacturers of personal computers in the world, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. has implemented Broadcom® media PC technology to enable high quality HD DVD playback for three recently introduced mid-level notebook computers including the Satellite® P205, Satellite® A205 and Qosmio® F45. Broadcom’s new media PC technology delivers flawless playback of high definition video that yields very low system power consumption, low CPU utilization and integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Windows Vista™ and Windows® XP environments.

The HD DVD optical disc format offers new and exciting features for the gaming, storage and consumer entertainment markets such as high definition video at 1080p resolution, picture-in-picture, high definition multi-channel audio, 3D style graphics and user interactivity for games, trivia, web-enabled content, etc. Up until Broadcom’s recently introduced media PC offerings, these new and exciting HD DVD capabilities required intensive CPU processing and additional components (such as discrete graphics processors with video hardware acceleration) that drove up the PC cost for this level of functionality. As a result, PCs or laptops capable of playing HD content have typically been very costly.

To address the growing consumer demand for high definition content playback on cost effective mainstream PCs, Broadcom recently announced a family of media PC products. Leveraging Broadcom’s widely deployed and field proven technologies in the high definition set-top box and consumer media player markets, Broadcom’s media PC technology provides the highest quality video playback of multi-format (VC-1, H.264 and MPEG-2) HD content for the mainstream PC market. With total power consumption of under 3 watts, Broadcom’s media PC solutions help extend battery life on notebook PCs, enabling more movie playback time.

“We are very pleased to have selected Broadcom’s new media PC solution whose capabilities and functionality is a good fit for our mainstream notebook computers that deliver HD DVD playback,” said Tsukasa Matoba, Technology Executive at Toshiba Corporation Personal Computer & Network Company. “Broadcom’s media PC technology has superior high definition video playback, real-time interactive content and longer battery life when playing full length HD DVD content on our new Satellite P205 Satellite A205 and Qosmio F45 notebook PC models that provides our customers with an exceptional, cost-effective user experience.”

“Broadcom is pleased that Toshiba selected our media PC technology, leveraging our robust and proven HD video cores,” said Allen Light, Director of Product Marketing for Broadcom’s Media PC line of business. “In comparison to other solutions in the market, our media PC technology excels when system cost, power consumption, CPU utilization and fan noise are key factors and Toshiba’s adoption of this technology will help to popularize HD playback among mid-level mobile PC platforms.”

Broadcom’s media PC solutions are available in three add-in card formats that include the BCM970012NB for PCI Express® mini-cards; the BCM970012PQ for PCI Express desktops; and the BCM970012IC for ExpressCard® 34. The new technology is also offered as a chipset that includes the BCM70010 and the BCM70012. All products are in full production today.

Toshiba Notebook PCs with Broadcom Media PC Technology

Toshiba has recently launched two new and exciting mid-level notebook computers that enable high quality HD DVD playback utilizing Broadcom’s media PC technology. The new mainstream notebook computers are the Satellite P205 and Qosmio F45. The Satellite P205 notebook from Toshiba features the latest Intel® Centrino® Duo processor for improved computing capabilities and an HD DVD optical drive that allows users the option of watching high definition content at a resolution of 720p on its 17-inch widescreen display. The image resolution of the Satellite P205 is six times sharper than today’s DVD format providing users with a next generation visual experience.

The Qosmio F45 has comparable features to the Satellite P205 and utilizes a 15.4-inch widescreen display. Additionally, the F45 is equipped with an HDMI port and can be connected to any high definition display or television at home, on the road or in a dorm room to deliver pure HD DVD content without the fear of image degradation.