Sigma Designs introduces 4K HEVC set-top box chipset

Thursday, September 11th, 2014
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Sigma SMP8758 Offers Powerful Architecture to Supports Latest Resolution and Codec for UltraHD TV Sets, STBs, and Connected Devices

MILPITAS, CA — Sigma Designs, Inc.® (NASDAQ: SIGM), a leading provider of intelligent system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for Smart TV, Smart home and IP-based set-top-boxes (STBs), today announced the SMP8758 SoC, designed to support UltraHD (4K) resolution using HEVC (H.265) compression technology for next-generation STBs. The SMP8758 will be on display at Sigma Designs’ stand #BM7 at IBC 2014, a key video industry event taking place in Amsterdam from September 12-16.

This SoC is ideal for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), STB manufacturers and service providers who want to efficiently deliver advanced UltraHD (4K) video services with a feature-rich yet cost-effective platform. Part of the HEVC-capable SMP8750 family of SoC solutions, the new SMP8758 SoC supports HEVC’s Main-10 profile allowing processing of up to 10 bit color samples accepted as the standard for 4Kx2K, over-the-top (OTT), and IPTV content which results in more vibrant color with smooth color transitions. It also includes 4K display processing with HDCP2.2 to ensure secure copy protection of high value 4K content.

A high-performance dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU and quad-core GPU provide the processing power and graphics performance required for the next generation of middleware like Ericsson Mediaroom and Wyplay. Low power modes are compatible with the EU Code of Conduct and ENERGY STAR specifications for energy efficiency in consumer devices.

“HEVC is the future of the industry for UltraHD Broadcasting, OTT, and other advanced TV applications, and in addition, more compression results in smaller file sizes for VOD servers and lowers required bit rate for IPTV delivery, which results in greater capacity for FHD or new UltraHD resolutions using the existing infrastructure. This latest generation SMP8758 chip from Sigma is enabling that future,” said Mustafa Ozgen, vice president and general manager Home Multimedia for Sigma Designs. “Our full range of HEVC solutions for OEMs and STB manufacturers provides outstanding capabilities and performance to build variety of products at an affordable price point.”

This latest addition to the Sigma HEVC chipset family leverages Sigma’s industry-proven technologies such as secure media processing, multi-format FHD and UHD video decoding, VXP™ display processing, and field-proven AV software core. The SMP8750 family offers SoCs at multiple cost and performance combinations allowing each SoC to offer optimal performance to price ratio for multiple STB platforms from zappers, PVR capable, Hybrid-broadcast, IPTV STBs or streamer boxes. Future certification of CAS technologies and integration into the next generation IPTV/OTT ecosystem is planned.

The SMP8758 comes with a full Software Suite, including libraries and services packaged under both Linux and Android development kits for rapid development. The Reference Design Kit incorporates managed power consumption circuits and associated software in the SDK and is developed to a minimal R-BOM to allow lower cost implementations with a lower memory subsystem footprint.

The chipset also demonstrates wide-ranging ecosystem compatibility, leveraging the widely supported ARM processing core, like OpenGLES 2.0 drivers, HTML-5 browser engine, and others to ensure that a broad range of existing applications will successfully run. It includes a wide range of hardware and software extensions to support the creation of complete system solutions; including global tuner/demodulator standards, wired and wireless network controllers, DTV middleware stacks and industry-leading IPTV middleware ports, such as Wyplay and OpenTV.