NTT Electronics Developed HD H.264/MPEG-2 Multi-Format Encoder & Decoder Modules

NTT Electronics Corporation (hereafter, NTT Electronics,
President: Tomoyuki Toshima; HQ: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) has developed HDTV
encoder and decoder modules (the SC50KE and the SC50KD, respectively)
that are dually compatible with the H.264(1) and MPEG-2.

These products maintain the high-quality video of the VASA(2)
single-chip coding integrated circuit (IC) that has brought superior
results for the use of MPEG-2 in HDTV environments within the
broadcasting industry and include various peripherals and high-speed
memory centered on the newly-developed H.264/MPEG-2 encoder IC,
SARAENC, and the decoder IC, SARADEC.(3) The products are comprised of
simple devices, but realize the professional high-quality images.

There has been a need for H.264, 4:2:2 chroma-compatible codec
products in the broadcasting equipment industry, given the demand for
high-quality video for more efficient and more compact devices.
Additionally, the need to support the currently predominant MPEG-2
format still exists. Our products are the only multi-format encoder
and decoder modules in the world to meet these market needs. The
modules also feature the encoder and decoder ICs as well as the
necessary peripherals and high-speed memory. This will contribute to
the development of smaller and more advanced broadcasting devices as
well as to shorter development times.

NTT Electronics has transitioned to mass production for these
products and will begin taking orders in April of 2008.

(1) H.264 was created as a standard in 2004 jointly by the
International Telecommunication Union and Telecommunication
Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and the International Standards
Organization (ISO) for video codecs. It is also known as MPEG4 AVC. It
is capable of realizing more than twice the data compression rates of
MPEG-2.

(2) The NTT-internal code name, an abbreviation of Versatile and
Advanced Signal-processing Architecture, for the HDTV codec for
contribution compliant with the MPEG-2 international standard. This IC
was the first in the world to realize an MPEG-2 HDTV codec on a single
chip.

(3) The Super Advanced Real-time codec Architecture for H.264
professional implementations. Enables multi-chip HDTV-level encoding
and transfers at the level of single-chip SDTV processes.

Development History

As broadcasters around the world are converting to digital
high-definition formats, the transition from the MPEG-2 format to the
H.264 format, which offers even more efficient compression, is making
headway, increasing the demand for ICs that support both formats as
well as both the SD and HD formats.

There is also a need of higher bit-rates for image compression
that is more faithful to the original while dealing with video
contents such as editing and contribution. For broadcasting facilities
that transmit multiple video and audio signals within a limited
bandwidth, there is also a need to minimize as much as possible the
image deterioration that is accompanied by lower bit-rates.

Using the technologies we cultivated in developing VASA, we
developed the industry´s only multi-format encoder and decoder ICs,
the SARAENC and SARADEC, including the latest high-quality conversion
architecture such as field/frame adaptive coding(4), as a means to
meet these market needs. With additional support for a wide range of
bit-rates, from 6 to 40 Mbps (H.264), we meet our customers´
diversifying needs.

These products are modules that include these ICs, peripheral
devices and high-speed memory. In addition to helping to make
broadcasting equipment more compact and functional, they will also
help to shorten their development time.

Furthermore, by combining the SC50KE and SC50KD modules, it is
possible to have high-quality transcoding from MPEG-2 to H.264 or from
H.264 to MPEG-2, with the ability to maintain coding information built
in.

We have built on our success in advanced design technology,
including the development of the world´s first HDTV-compatible
single-chip codec ICs (including the VASA), as we advanced the
capabilities of broadcasting codec ICs to further our reputation from
Japan and the worldwide broadcast market.

With our rich font of experience and our refined technical
capabilities, we can flexibly customize products to meet any customer
needs.

(4) The SARA technology supports both macroblock-adaptive
frame/field (MBAFF) and picture-adaptive frame/field (PAFF) methods to
realize superlative encryption efficiency.

Characteristics and Applications of the SC50KE & SC50KD

A. The newly developed H.264/MPEG-2 encoder and decoder ICs
(SARAENC and SARADEC) are built-in.

With support for both the H.264 and MPEG-2 formats, it smoothes
the transition from the currently predominant MPEG-2 format to the
H.264 format, the demand for which is expected to grow.

B. 4:2:2 chroma-support for both H.264 and MPEG-2.

Applicable for video servers handling a variety of image formats
as well as for the contribution.

C. Modules include H.264/MPEG-2 video, peripheral features and
high-speed memory.

The easily handled modules include the latest ICs, which can
shorten development time for the advanced encoder and decoder
systems.

D. Two ports for audio input (PES) and three for user data input
(PES)

The encoder module includes external PES inputs for audio and user
data, enabling the use of multiple audio signals or other user
data, such as subtitling and control signals.

E. Principal Applications

Applicable for professional video devices, such as contribution
equipment, including satellite news gathering (SNG) and field
pick-up units (FPU), as well as video servers.

Future Plans

Development plans include support for shorten the latency
(100msec) as well as the creation of a credit card-sized SD module.

Principal Specifications for the SC50KE & SC50KD

See the attached documentation.

NTT Electronics Corporation

NTT Electronics is the industry leader for image compression
technologies.

We are particularly winning high praise both in Japan and world
markets, for our HD-compatible solutions. Our superior technologies
enable the transmission, editing and delivery of high-quality images.

For more on NTT Electronics, please visit
http://www.nel-world.com/products/video/index.html