Date: 24/05/2010

VideoCore mobile multimedia processor family from Broadcom supports WebM

Broadcom has announced that its VideoCore mobile multimedia processor family now supports WebM video format. Its programmable hardware accelerator architecture enables high quality, low power playback of WebM video content.

Audio and video codec technologies continue to evolve towards delivering higher quality sound and video resolution at lower bandwidths. The opensource WebM video format is one example of this evolution. Broadcom expects WebM to become a popular video format.

The VideoCore processor uses a hybrid architecture with programmable hardware accelerators. This allows support for new audio or video codecs. The WebM multimedia format is currently in development. This processor family can support WebM video up to WVGA (800 x 640) resolution at 30 frames per second (fps). It also supports previous generation of google codecs up to WVGA resolution at 30 fps. This enables low power, full resolution WebM video playback on smartphone displays. VideoCore-enabled smartphones are expected to provide up to 8 hours of WebM playback on the handset display or up to 14 hours of playback on HDTVs connected via an integrated HDMI interface. The BCM2763 is a multimedia processor designed in 40 nanometer (nm) CMOS process. It is said to have a small footprint and consumes less power. It has a mobile HD camcorder and video playback up to 1080p resolution, up to 20 megapixel digital camera and photo image processing, and 1 gigapixel 2D/3D graphics rendering.

Mike Jazayeri, Group Product Manager, Google said, "A key factor in the web's success is that its core technologies are open and freely implementable. Video is fundamental to the web experience, and developers and content publishers need an open video format option. We are excited Broadcom is joining a broad coalition of industry leaders supporting the WebM project to bring a new era of open innovation in web video."

Mark Casey, Vice President & General Manager, Broadcom's Mobile Multimedia line of business said, "A high quality mobile multimedia experience will be an important component to the overall success of the WebM video format and we expect widespread adoption. We developed VideoCore specifically for enabling the rapid adoption of power and performance optimized multimedia codecs into mobile devices, which allows us to rapidly enable optimized WebM support to mobile consumers."

To know more visit: www.broadcom.com