ViewSonic uses Sigma media processors to take media players to next level

SAN JOSE & MILPITAS, USA: ViewSonic and Sigma Designs (Nasdaq:SIGM), a leading provider of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions used to deliver entertainment and control throughout the home, jointly announced that ViewSonic’s new VMP74 and VMP75 Media Players, supporting a host of new entertainment features, are based on Sigma’s SMP8650 series media processor system-on-chip (SoC) products.

ViewSonic’s new VMP74 and VMP75 media players are aimed at getting the best digital entertainment anywhere you want it. The new media players allow you to surf the web, watch television programs from around the world, and tap into online video sources from anywhere you have a display. Their host of attractive features include:

* Full HD video and high fidelity Dolby Digital audio support brought out through the digital HDMI 1.3 interface standard.
* Multi-format audio/video support including all major video, audio and photo formats such as AVI, MOV, JPG, WAV, MP4, MP3, FLAC and Internet radio broadcasts.
* Web-access to freely visit websites as easily as you can playback content, including RSS news sites and social networks like Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and YouTube.
* Video-on-demand (VOD) that can be streamed from various sites such as Netflix (VMP75) or BBCiPlayer (VMP74).
* Flexible connectivity through built-in Ethernet or e-SATA for external storage.

"ViewSonic’s goal is to establish an unsurpassed reputation for innovation and quality in media players,” said Mike Holstein, vice president of advanced solutions, ViewSonic. "By using Sigma’s SMP8650 family, we‘ve been able to push the envelope and offer a new line of media players that deliver an outstanding high definition user experience along with all the connectivity features we were looking for.”

Sigma’s SMP8650 series builds on the successful legacy of its predecessors which pioneered the media player and DMA markets. With substantially greater processing power, enhanced peripherals, and lower BOM cost, the SMP8654 and SMP8655 enable a new level of capability for media players, thin clients, and DMAs.

“We are proud of the success we are achieving with the SMP8650 series and are excited to be working together with ViewSonic on such high quality media players,” said Ken Lowe, vice president of strategic marketing, Sigma Designs. “We believe that the new VMP74 and VMP75 provide the type of user experience and online access features that consumers are looking for in today’s media player market.”