MIPS in strategic alliance with Imagination Technologies

SAN JOSE, USA: MIPS Technologies Inc., a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer, home networking, wireless, communications and business applications, announced that MIPS and Imagination Technologies Ltd., a leading multimedia and communications chip technologies company, have formed a strategic alliance to ensure the optimum system solution and support for customers combining IP from both companies.

Together, the companies are working to help SoC developers get to market quickly with optimized solutions combining processor IP from MIPS and graphics, video and other IP from Imagination. Reflecting this strategic alliance, MIPS Technologies has joined Imagination's POWERVR Insider graphics developer ecosystem as a technology partner.

The companies plan to demonstrate an innovative SoC benefiting from this strategic alliance at the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley, being held April 26-29, 2010 in San Jose, California. Sigma Designs' new 3D media processor for IPTV, cable, and network player markets incorporates Imagination's POWERVR SGX 3D graphics IP and a high-performance MIPS32 24Kf processor. The demonstration will be available in Imagination Technologies' booth (#2308) at the show.

"We are impressed with the performance of our new 3D chipset that combines MIPS' leading processors for the digital home with industry-leading graphics performance from Imagination," said Thinh Tran, CEO, Sigma Designs.

"With our new chip, we are continuing our trend of technology leadership and innovation in IPTV set-top boxes. Sigma and MIPS were the first to bring the Android platform—with full 1080p HD capability—to set-top box chips, and now we are pleased to offer 3D with OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration based on the market leading POWERVR SGX technology. Together with Imagination and MIPS Technologies, we are taking the lead in enhancing and enriching the consumer TV user experience."

"This alliance between MIPS and Imagination brings together two IP industry leaders to address not only digital home solutions—where MIPS already holds a leadership position—but also mobile devices where we are seeing increasing traction," said Sandeep Vij, president and CEO, MIPS Technologies.

"Imagination is a leading provider of embedded multimedia and communications IP and we are working closely with them to offer integrated solutions that will offer our customers best-in-breed choices, differentiated devices and fast SoC integration. With MIPS and Imagination, our customers are creating some of the industry's most innovative solutions for set-top boxes and beyond."

"Next generation set-top box, television and other connected platforms will all use OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics technology for creation of 3D menus; advanced user interfaces, support for gaming and other advanced features," said Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination Technologies.

"We are seeing growing interest among our licensees in using MIPS Technologies' IP in digital home markets alongside our industry-leading POWERVR graphics, video and display technologies as well as our communications IP solutions, and this extending to devices targeting mobile and embedded applications as well. We are pleased to work closely with MIPS to deliver comprehensive solutions our customers need for these innovative next generation products."