Broadcom to Demonstrate Super Resolution Technology at CES 2009, Enabling High Quality Viewing of Low Resolution Media Content

TV Manufacturers Can Significantly Upgrade the Quality of Internet and Standard Definition Content for Viewing on Large Screen Televisions

IRVINE, Calif. — Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that it will demonstrate new super resolution technology for digital televisions (DTVs) that allows low resolution videos from the Internet, as well as standard definition (SD) content, such as standard DVDs, to be converted to high resolution for optimal viewing on large screen high definition televisions. With this new Broadcom® technology, TV manufacturers can significantly enhance the quality of low resolution Internet content for viewing on televisions that further positions the connected TV as the entertainment hub in the home. Broadcom will showcase this technology at CES 2009, demonstrating this dramatic upgrade from low resolution and SD to full high definition (FHD) display.

Online video is experiencing tremendous growth including purchased or rented videos, advertisement-supported professional content and user-generated video (UGV). Most online videos today are low resolution and low quality, diminishing their entertainment value. Even with such quality limitations, In-Stat market research predicts that 94% of U.S. households with broadband access will watch online video by 2012 and 39% of U.S. adults will have either purchased or rented an online video.

Internet-connected and wireless-networked TVs provide new levels of user experience and interactivity by offering consumers new options for accessing online video content, thereby maintaining the TV’s role as the center of entertainment in the home. Broadcom is addressing this trend with recently announced products (such as the BCM3548, BCM3549 and BCM3556) that feature home network connectivity via integrated Ethernet media access controller (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) capabilities, enabling consumers to connect with multiple home networking devices such as media servers, PCs, MP3 devices and portable media players (PMPs). As a result, users can share and stream music, photos, movies and Internet-based media content to and from connected devices and TVs, while allowing access to the wide array of Internet-based media content.

Super resolution technology also addresses the huge library of SD-quality DVDs that consumers have collected over time. As the average screen size of TVs continues to increase, consumers will be able to enjoy SD-quality DVDs with better resolution and higher quality on larger screens.

At CES 2009, Broadcom will demonstrate super resolution technology for DTVs that solves the problem of upgrading low resolution Internet and SD video onto a large screen TV. The technical benefits associated with this functionality include increased spatial resolution, additional fine detail, sharpened details with less blurriness and reduced artifacts such as jagged edges and flickering lines. The result is better quality Internet, online and SD video viewed on large screen TVs, thereby significantly improving the viewing experience.

“Our new super resolution technology takes advantage of the demand in connected TVs for accessing online videos and enables TV manufacturers to enhance the viewing quality of standard definition content, as well as online and Internet videos, providing for a more enjoyable entertainment experience,” said Dave DiOrio, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom’s Digital Television line of business. “Our latest super resolution technology is a further testament to Broadcom’s commitment and leadership in developing advanced capabilities that enable TV manufacturers to develop best-in-class products.”