LAS VEGAS--- Sharp and Broadcom Deliver Innovative Bluetooth(R) Technology to Digital Televisions
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, has teamed with Sharp Electronics Corporation to deliver innovative Bluetooth(R) technology for next generation digital television (DTV) products. As a result of this collaboration, Sharp is now shipping its new AQUOS(R) XS1 series of digital televisions with built-in Bluetooth from Broadcom featuring the BCM2046 single-chip Bluetooth receiver in both the television and the remote control. Drawing on the leadership and technological expertise of both companies, the integrated Broadcom(R) solution further enhances the user experience and helps position Bluetooth as an increasingly important technology in consumer electronics (CE) devices.
Along with many other CE devices, television sets are evolving into sophisticated digital devices with increasingly advanced built-in functions that enable the TV to provide new applications (such as digital picture and media access to Internet-based web sites, home network-based photos, music and video), as well as new services. After establishing strong positions in cellular handsets, PCs and wireless headsets, Bluetooth (the world's leading wireless user interface technology) is now moving into other CE segments to help shape the experience of using these increasingly advanced devices. Broadcom projects that the combined worldwide market for key consumer electronics devices (such as set-top boxes, digital televisions and MP3 players) will result in approximately 454 million units shipped in 2009.
Sharp Digital TV Integrates Bluetooth
Sharp recently unveiled its AQUOS XS1 series of LCD TVs, available in 65- and 52-inch diagonal screens, with a broad range of advanced features. The XS1 includes premium, integrated sound, an external TV tuner unit that comes with a digital/analog TV tuner, and all of the connections and slots to connect everything from a home theater to a digital camera. The cutting edge features of the XS1 complement the DTV's advanced Bluetooth remote control that utilizes a touch screen display.
"Bluetooth is moving beyond its cellular handset roots to transform the user experience of cutting-edge devices in the home consumer electronics market, with the new Sharp(R) AQUOS digital televisions highlighting the power of this proven technology," said Craig Ochikubo, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom's Wireless Personal Area Networking line of business.
Bluetooth in CE Remote Control Applications
Bluetooth fulfills two key roles in next generation digital TV designs, impacting the remote control and the user interface. The remote control takes advantage of Bluetooth to allow viewers control over all aspects of the television while also receiving feedback from the set for display on the remote's display. Since Bluetooth is a radio technology, the remote control does not require a line-of-sight connection with home electronics devices, which in turn, allows the remote to be used from any room in the house. Other remote control technologies, such as standard infrared or IrDa, require line-of-sight connections that limit the remote's use by distance.
Bluetooth's second key role in DTV design is as a media transfer interface. Since Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones can perform a "picture push" function (transferring images from the handset to another device), digital televisions, PCs or other devices can receive and display images via Bluetooth. Additionally, consumers can listen to their television programs over wireless stereo headsets with the latest Bluetooth technology, allowing multiple headset users to enjoy the same stereo audio stream simultaneously.
Broadcom's Bluetooth Product Family
Having shipped over one billion Bluetooth products, Broadcom offers the most complete family of Bluetooth silicon and software solutions for mobile phones, PCs, wireless headphones and headsets, peripherals, gaming and other applications. Broadcom's Bluetooth solutions are widely recognized in the industry as the most broadly deployed and feature-rich solutions. The world's largest manufacturers of consumer electronics, mobile phones and personal computer products rely on Broadcom Bluetooth technology to provide their customers with a unique, intuitive and rich user experience, increasingly free of wires and cables.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 3,000 U.S. and over 1,300 foreign patents, more than 7,500 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.
Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.