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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
ATI Technologies Inc. a world leader in the design and manufacture
of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions,
announced today it would supply U.S. Digital Television, Inc.
(USDTV) with XILLEON(TM) and NXT2004(TM) computer chips for
USDTV's proprietary set-top boxes. USDTV has pioneered a unique
"over-the-air" subscription service featuring digital
and high-definition formats utilizing unused digital spectrum
from broadcast partners. ATI's NXT2004 enables the crystal-clear
digital reception of the broadcast signal while ATI's XILLEON
delivers the digital image to the TV screen.
In addition to ATI, USDTV is also collaborating with: Chinese
set-top box manufacturer Hisense Company, Ltd., and technology
companies Dotcast, Winegard Company, and ServicePower. USDTV's
broadcast partners include: FOX News, STARZ!, ESPN, ESPN 2,
Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Discovery Channel, TLC, Lifetime,
Lifetime Movie Network, Home & Garden Television and The
Food Network.
XILLEON integrates into a single chip all processor, graphics,
video, audio, and I/O (input and output) capabilities needed
in a set-top box or digital TV. Included are a 300 MHz MIPS(R)
CPU (central processing unit), dual-HD (high definition) capable
MPEG decoder, audio decoder, dual display engine, 2D and 3D
graphics engine, conditional access, transport demultiplexers,
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), USB (universal serial
bus), and hard disk drive interfaces.
NXT2004 VSB/QAM receiver provides superior reception performance
in the presence of multipath, phase noise, impulse noise,
adjacent and co-channel interference for both terrestrial
and cable environments.
"ATI is recognized as providing exceptional chips enabling
delivery of crystal-clear digital and high-definition television
programming," said Richard Johnson, Chief Operating Officer,
USDTV. "The performance of XILLEON and NXT2004 in our
set-top boxes has been excellent."
"ATI continues to support the consumer electronics marketplace
with the highest level of visual quality through XILLEON's
multimedia rich, cost-effective one-chip solution and NXT2004's
digital receiver technology for global manufacturers,"
said Daniel Eiref, Director of Digital Television Marketing
and Business Development, ATI Technologies Inc.
USDTV's unique television subscription service is the first
of its kind in the U.S. broadcast industry. The company bundles
multiple cable channels and broadcast partners to deliver
the service to subscribers' homes through standard VHF/UHF
antennas. Customers view these digital and high-definition
broadcasters via USDTV's proprietary set-top box instead of
a direct cable or satellite dish. USDTV's service offers 12
of the most popular cable channels and also receives the digital
and high-definition TV channels of local and national affiliated
broadcast stations.
The USDTV set-top box, featuring XILLEON and NXT2004, can
be purchased at U.S. Wal-Mart stores, as well as at regional
electronics chains. Prior to service availability in a given
area, the USDTV Ready(TM) set-top-box, also sold in Wal-Mart
stores nationwide under the USDIGITAL(TM) brand, can be used
as an off-air HD Tuner to receive high-definition television
programming.
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