1999-09-22 , S/IC-2083/32
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

The SAA9730 chip provides internet access for emerging enhanced interactive TV market

Philips Semiconductors today announced adoption of the recently unveiled Microsoft TV Platform Adaptation Kit (Microsoft TVPAK) software, which enables Internet access, email service, and enhanced TV experience, for set-top box and TV applications. The Philips Semiconductors' Set-Top Box solution, coupled with Microsoft TVPAK software, delivers powerful multimedia technology to Internet access devices through its  SAA9730 multimedia and peripheral controller. As a leading IC supplier for set-top boxes, Philips Semiconductors is leading the industry by providing a comprehensive silicon and software solution for the emerging enhanced interactive TV market.

"The television industry is undergoing revolutionary change, and Philips Semiconductors is leading the integration of enhanced interactive functionality for both TVs and set-top boxes," said Dave Barringer, director of marketing for the set-top box from Philips Semiconductors. "Philips Semiconductors is also currently developing highly-integrated and powerful hardware to support Microsoft TVPAK, which will enable applications such as instant messaging, chat, enhanced television broadcasting, simple overlays, digital video recording, interactive video games and audio/video on demand."

Microsoft TVPAK provides an open-architecture client software that operates a range of television-centric appliances from Internet terminals and advanced set-top boxes to enhanced televisions. Microsoft TV Server, also part of Microsoft TVPAK, allows network operators to deploy and manage a rich, scalable, enhanced television service. Industry-leading companies are working with TVPAK software to merge Internet and television technologies and to create new devices, services and content. This enhances the entertainment value and usefulness of television for consumers while creating new business or revenue-generating opportunities for network operators.

To enable exciting new interactive television programming, the software and hardware will support content written to the open Internet-based programming specification developed by the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF). This will ensure broad availability of new interactive applications.

The Philips Semiconductors' Set-Top Box platform provides Internet access through its high-performance multimedia and graphics controller, the SAA9730. This device integrates a graphics engine, audio and video processors, digital encoders, memory control, I/O peripherals, and PCI interface, delivering powerful multimedia technology to Internet access devices, Windows based terminals, thin clients and set-top boxes. SAA9730 controller supports all features for major 3D graphics APIs, and it also provides processing and image rendering and displays the output on a CRT television or flat panel monitor.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the eighth largest semiconductor supplier based on Dataquest's 1998 report*. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by systems labs. Additional information on Philips Semiconductors can be obtained by accessing its home page at  http://cdrom.semiconductors.com/

*Based on Vendor Revenue from Shipments of Total Semiconductors Worldwide according to Dataquest's 1998 Worldwide Semiconductor Market Share report published in May, 1999.