Conexant has also developed a single channel PVR version for low cost boxes. The CX24500 shares a common core architecture with the CX2427X, providing manufacturers with a cross-platform software solution that allows them to cost-effectively address multiple market segments.

"Our new video decoder family delivers unmatched performance, and provides manufacturers and operators with a cost-effective solution for single and dual-room HDTV receivers used in any type of broadcast network," said Lewis Brewster, executive vice president and general manager of Conexant's Broadband Media Processing business. "Consumers benefit as well, because the economies of scale that operators gain by leveraging a common platform allows them to deliver a wide range of HD and PVR-enabled set-top boxes at a much lower cost point than was previously possible."

The chips are based on the ARM 1176 processor and the AVC core developed by Amphion of Belfast. To further boost performance, the devices include a double data rate memory (DDR2) interface with unified memory and an integrated level two (L2) cache, as well as interfaces to SATA-2 hard disk drives. These interfaces can be used to attach external drives through an eSATA-2 interface, allowing cost-effective user upgrades.

The devices have several integrated features that lower bill-of-material (BOM) costs, including three universal serial bus (USB) ports, integrated audio digital-to-analog converters (DACs), multiple video outputs including high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) 1.3 with high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) 1.2, and two Ethernet media access controllers (MACs) with a media independent interface (MII). This enables future expansion for networking technologies such as HomePlug(R) A/V, MoCA or 802.11 wireless networking.

The Broadcom BCM7118 is a two channel MPEG4 part 10/AVC/VC1 decoder with DOCSIS2.0 channel bonding for IP services and supports the OpenCable? Application Platform (OCAP) and popular middleware as well as all the major CA systems.

Broadcom is developing two reference designs, including the BCM97118RNG, a very low cost, entry-level digital set-top box reference platform to address applications for basic all-digital video customers, and the BCM97118, a full-featured reference platform that includes a SATA hard disk drive and interfaces to support multi-room DVR communications.

While the decoding of HDTV from Texas Instruments in handled by the Da Vinci line of processors, the company is also approaching HDTV from a slightly different direction with a part for TVs rather than set top boxes.

The TVP9010 HDTV processor supports high quality, full HD 1080p resolution images, as part of a cost-effective solution that fulfills the broadcast requirements for ATSC in the US and DVB-T in Europe (although only France and DVB-T HD at the moment).

The chip includes advanced image filtering and correction techniques to reduce picture noise, and field-proven 3D Y/C decoding of composite inputs to provide high quality digital output from analogue input signals.

"TI has shipped two million HDTV processors for the ATSC market and fifty million NTSC/PAL 2D/3D video decoders worldwide, demonstrating our experience in providing field-proven key TV components," said Xucheng Wang, worldwide general manager, digital video business, TI. "With the TVP9010, designers can create great looking pictures on large screens from either an analogue or digital source. Combined with TI's networking and multi-format codec/transcode technologies, our customers can develop next-generation TV products with future-proofed architectures."