Rovi and Broadcom to enable HEVC playback across multiple screens

USA (The Cable Show 2013): Rovi Corp. is working with Broadcom to enable device manufacturers and service providers to utilize the benefits of High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC/H.265) to deliver an enhanced entertainment experience.

Rovi is planning to drive 4K content creation and, through its DivX HEVC Certification Program, the market availability of compatible devices. Broadcom plans to support the playback of DivX HEVC streaming and downloadable content in the company’s recently announced BCM7445, an Ultra High Definition (UltraHD) home gateway chip. UltraHD quadruples the resolution of today's 1080p HDTV displays and HEVC provides the necessary efficiencies to reduce the bandwidth required by up to 40% as compared to the previous H.264 standard.

“We believe HEVC is set to redefine video experiences in the living room and across a multi-screen ecosystem,” said Simon Adams, SVP, Sales and Marketing, Consumer Electronics, Rovi. “Our DivX HEVC solution will connect Broadcom’s HEVC-enabled technologies to help fuel higher quality video resolutions in those solutions.”

“Broadcom is working with Rovi to set the stage for the delivery of 4K content to UltraHD TVs in the home,” said Richard Nelson, Broadcom’s senior VP of Marketing, Broadband Communication Group. “We are also positioning our customers to leverage HEVC’s bandwidth-saving capabilities to deliver more content at lower bandwidths without sacrificing picture quality, or deliver higher quality video without incurring more bandwidth costs.”

Earlier this year, Rovi rolled out the HEVC Development Program designed to allow companies participating in the digital video value chain to utilize the latest compression standard to reduce storage and bandwidth costs and deliver optimized, high-quality viewing experiences for consumers even in bandwidth-constrained environments.

Rovi’s end-to-end solution comprises new MainConcept encoding SDKs for professional content creators; the DivX Video Service with proven DivX DRM for protected content delivery for service providers, mobile operators and content retailers across multi-screen devices; DivX software tools for PC-based creation and playback, and an extension to the DivX Certification program to allow IC and OEM customers to quickly bring to market mobile and consumer electronics products that support high-quality HEVC playback.

Broadcom’s BCM7445 enables TV manufacturers to bring UltraHD TV to market with the performance and picture quality needed for the evolution in multi-screen connected home entertainment. Based on 28nm process technology, the BCM7445 features the new 21,000 DMIP CPU, four 1080p30 real-time transcoders and HEVC compression that delivers resolution up to 4096x2160p60.

The encoding solutions are capable of simultaneously delivering four transcoded HD video streams over IP for content on any screen and enabling UltraHD (4Kx2K resolution) TV into the home for dramatically improved picture quality on big screens.