Pixelworks, Inc., a leading provider of system-on-chip ICs for the advanced display market, announced the first demonstration of the AMD co-designed Sailfish II platform, which will be shown at the upcoming IFA 2005 consumer electronics show in Berlin beginning September 5, 2005. The reference design based on the Pixelworks PWBSP-16 Broadband Signal Processor IC and the AMD Alchemy Au1550 processor enables ‘triple-play’ set-top boxes (STBs) integrating broadband video, voice and data access into a single device.
The Sailfish II platform, designed in cooperation by AMD and Pixelworks, will accelerate product development of set-top boxes, digital media adapters and personal video recorders capable of simultaneously handling Internet Protocol television (IPTV), Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and network router and gateway functions. The reference design kit, including hardware and software, will help OEMs and ODMs to rapidly implement affordable broadband media gateways that will offer consumers better access to broadband entertainment and information.
“By collaborating with AMD, the Sailfish II platform can jumpstart the expanding market for powerful set-top boxes that handle video, telephony and data over broadband networks,” said Brad Zenger, Vice President and General Manager, Advanced Media Processors, at Pixelworks. “Our strategy of developing ready-to-implement designs is the quickest and most efficient way for OEMs to get from zero to market.”
“Consumers expect more from their digital entertainment devices,” said Erik Salo, director of marketing, AMD Microprocessor Solutions Sector embedded group. “The Sailfish II offers a programmable solution that helps our customers adapt to rapidly changing and maturing technology in digital entertainment devices.”
Accelerated Time to Market with Pre-integrated Software Solutions
The Sailfish II platform shortens development time cycles by providing bill of materials (BOM), schematics, and design files and supports rapid customization with standard hardware tools. The combination of the powerful Pixelworks and AMD processors yields a high-performance, programmable design for set-top box and consumer electronics manufacturers.
The Pixelworks PWBSP-16 IC supports multiple digital video codecs, allowing customers to take advantage of varying content formats while limiting custom development time and resources. The AMD Alchemy Au1550 processor provides low-power, high-performance support for network communication, router/gateway functions, VoIP and user-interface functions.
The Sailfish II platform supports codecs for multiple video standards, including VC-1, AVC, and MPEG-2, as well as H.263++/H.264 video phone capabilities. Additionally, the reference design includes software support for AVC/H.264 Main Profile/MPEG-4 Part 10, MPEG-4 Part 2, VC-1 and MPEG-2 at high definition, with extensibility to support additional codec formats and video input processing, network routers, gateways, higher performance VPN and VoIP capabilities.
