SMSC Announces PCI-Based Network Multimedia Co-Processor Supporting Home Networking High Definition Streaming

To meet the challenges of transferring multimedia content in the connected home, SMSC provides designers a portfolio of networking solutions

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SMSC (Nasdaq: SMSC), a leading semiconductor company providing innovative system solutions spanning analog, digital and mixed-signal technologies, is delivering a PCI-based network multimedia co-processor supporting Digital Living Network Alliance™ (DLNA) guidelines with the launch of its LAN9132. This introduction also marks SMSC’s first PCI-based networking product as the Company commits to providing customers a broader spectrum of value-added networking solutions for the home networking environment

Combining support of multiple high definition (HD) audio/video (A/V) streams and software protocol stack management and security through SMSC’s RipStream™ technology, the LAN9132 offers designers a host of flexible design features that address the interoperability and content protection challenges of consumer electronic devices. Target applications include network-enabled HD TVs, set-top boxes, digital video recorders, home media servers and wireless multimedia streaming applications, among others.

The benefits delivered by the LAN9132 cater to the growing trend of SoCs for consumer electronics applications that require a robust, flexible PCI interface. With the LAN9132, and the previously announced LAN9131, SMSC now has a family of multimedia co-processors with both non-PCI/local bus and PCI interfaces that are able to support today’s Ethernet networking infrastructure. The LAN9132 is well suited to adapt for future networking interfaces, such as 802.11n, etc.

“In today’s connected home environment, it is important to incorporate strong security and interoperability at all levels of networked home electronics,” said Steve Wilson, principal analyst of consumer electronics at ABI Research. “With the introduction of a PCI interface, SMSC now has a broad portfolio of multimedia co-processors that offers developers flexible design options and solutions with a large variety of sophisticated features.”

“SMSC has an expanded portfolio of multimedia co-processors that support the growing ecosystem of home networking requirements,” said Vamshi Kandalla, Vice President of Marketing, Networking Products at SMSC. ”Our family of networking devices gives our customers the flexibility of designing with higher bandwidth, multiple high-definition A/V streams and encryption/decryption support, whether in a PCI or non-PCI environment.”

The family of multimedia co-processors provides designers with a sophisticated 32-bit ARM926™ core that balances flexibility with offload capabilities. These devices help the customer offload TCP/IP and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) stacks and Digital Rights Management technologies.

The addition of a PCI-based multimedia co-processor also offers OEMs a broader selection of host interfaces and support of DLNA guidelines, enabling designers to meet in-home networking requirements with higher bandwidth by distributing multiple HD streams simultaneously. SMSC’s family of solutions delivers time-to-market advantages and reduces development risk for customer designs. Other key features of SMSC’s co-processors include:

* Bi-directional Transport Stream Interfaces (TSIs) enabling co-processors to assign audio and video packets without interfering with the main SoC’s system bus
* Network agnostic platform allowing for integration of future advanced standards
* Video Codec agnostic (supports MPEG2, MPEG4, WM9, etc)
* Integrated 10/100 Ethernet MAC/PHY
* Embedded Linux OS with full support for networking applications
* Easily interfaces to most 32- and 16-bit embedded CPU busses
* SMSC custom API run-time libraries and drivers for host CPU communications

Availability:

Samples of SMSC’s family of PCI- and non-PCI-based networking multimedia co-processors are available today.

About SMSC:

Many of the world’s most successful global technology companies rely upon SMSC as a go-to resource for semiconductor system solutions that span analog, digital and mixed-signal technologies. Leveraging substantial intellectual property, integration expertise and a comprehensive global infrastructure, SMSC solves design challenges and delivers performance, space, cost and time-to-market advantages to its customers. SMSC’s application focus targets key vertical markets including consumer electronics, automotive infotainment, PC and industrial applications. The Company has developed leadership positions in its select markets by providing application specific solutions such as mixed-signal system controllers, non-PCI Ethernet, ARCNET, MOST and Hi-Speed USB.

SMSC is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York with operations in North America, Asia and Europe. Engineering design centers are located in Arizona, New York, Texas and Karlsruhe, Germany. Additional information is available at www.smsc.com.