New NXP platform brings viewing experience of the future to mainstream Flat TVs now

Unique NXP innovation enables the switch from analogue to digital, from SD to HD and from broadcast to networked TV with a global single chip TV platform

London, United Kingdom, December 4, 2008 – NXP, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, today unveiled a new global single-chip LCD TV platform, which allows viewers to enjoy HD digital TV and Internet content with unparalleled picture quality on mid-range TVs. The new NXP TV550 platform, which features the PNX85500 processor and integrates NXP’s proprietary Motion Accurate Picture Processing (MAPP2) technology, allows manufacturers to offer a range of advanced high definition TV features only previously available in high-end sets.

By combining NXP’s industry-leading digital TV processing and picture quality technology innovations into one fully integrated single-chip, the TV550 platform delivers a production-ready reference design that speeds manufacturers’ development and dramatically reduces bill-of-materials. The new NXP platform will spur manufacturers and content providers to bring a broad range of Internet and digital video content to a significantly wider audience. To enable this, NXP TV550 features DVB-T, MPEG4/H.264 decode, HDMI reception and decoding of digital SD and HD content. Supporting global digital TV switchovers, the NXP TV550 platform offers advanced programming, ethernet and CI+ security features to ease the delivery of IP TV content, including emerging on-demand TV services, from service providers straight to the TV set.

Featuring NXP’s proprietary renewed MAPP2 technology on its PNX5120 video processor integrated in TV550, the platform delivers the ultimate viewing experience, even for fast-moving HD content including sports and movies. MAPP2 dramatically removes the visible halo effect in motion pictures for a picture perfect image with technologies as frame rate conversion, movie judder cancellation, motion sharpness and vivid color management. The integrated platform also allows TV manufacturers to widen the availability of high-end features including LED (2D) sectional backlight dimming, guaranteeing optimum contrast and up to 50 percent lower power consumption in digital TV processing.

“As TV markets prepare for worldwide digital switchovers, making sure that consumers can see the benefits of digital TV is essential to ensuring a smooth transition,” said Randy Lawson, Senior Analyst of Display Electronics at iSuppli Corporation. “ Poor picture quality is more than just an initial frustration – it reduces the overall quality of viewing experience. NXP’s new platform provides TV manufacturers with a simple solution for helping guarantee an improved digital TV experience.”

“We remain committed to leading in TV chip innovation that ultimately enhances consumers’ viewing enjoyment, and allows everyone to have the best possible HD experience with ever more content, anytime, anywhere in the home,” said Christos Lagomichos, executive vice president and general manager of BU Home, NXP Semiconductors. “Our innovations in HD TV have already enabled significant improvements in high definition motion picture quality and brought Internet TV and multi-standard decoding to high-end sets. We are now delighted to allow viewers to enjoy these high-end features on mid-range TVs. With the fully-integrated TV550, NXP is enabling TV manufacturers to differentiate by giving access to more and better content, all at a lower cost than was previously possible.”

The PNX85500 is the industry’s first digital TV processor to be manufactured on 45nm technology, allowing tighter integration between picture quality processor and digital TV platform. In addition to the Motion Accurate Picture Processing engine, the single-chip PNX85500 contains dual cores, with a processor dedicated to running main application software and one responsible for real-time media processing. NXP TV550 is the first platform to integrate NXP’s latest hybrid silicon tuner (TDA18272), which is fully compliant with global analog and digital TV standards while lowering overall tuner system size and cost. The TV550 chipset also includes the TDA9996 HDMI switch, enabling viewers to control 4 separate devices from one remote control through separate HDMI connectors. The platform additionally offers a complete driver set accessible via standard APIs for TV manufacturer’s own development.

Availability

The NXP TV550 platform will be available in engineering samples in Q1 2009. Please click here or go to www.nxp.com/experience_tv to learn more about NXP’s new TV550 platform.

About NXP Semiconductors
NXP is a leading semiconductor company founded by Philips more than 50 years ago. Headquartered in Europe, the company has 31,000 employees working in more than 20 countries and posted sales of USD 6.3 billion (including the Mobile & Personal business) in 2007. NXP creates semiconductors, system solutions and software that deliver better sensory experiences in TVs, set-top boxes, identification applications, mobile phones, cars and a wide range of other electronic devices. News from NXP is located at www.nxp.com.