Broadcom Debuts H.264-Compatible Chip

Broadcom Corp. Monday announced an advanced video-decoder/audio-processor chip that supports H.264 advanced video-compression technology.

The chip maker said H.264-based compression technology -- also known as MPEG-4 (Moving Picture Expert Group) Part 10/Advanced Video Coding -- significantly reduces the bandwidth required to deliver HD and digital-video content over service-operator networks and to store HD media on conventional DVDs and system hard disks.

Broadcom said it will announce products incorporating its “BCM7411” by early 2005.

"Broadcom's introduction of this advanced compression chip, coupled with our extensive offerings for consumer-electronics products, enables us to be the first company to deliver complete solutions that support these new emerging audio and video consumer applications," said Daniel Marotta, group vice president of Broadcom's broadband-communications group, in a prepared statement.

"The BCM7411 chip, with its advanced H.264 technology, opens the door for new market opportunities that have been hobbled by the lack of bandwidth necessary to support them over existing network infrastructures," he added.