Broadcom chooses ARM Cortex-R4 Processor
By siliconindia   |   Thursday, 08 January 2009, 02:23 IST
Printer Print Email Email
Cambridge:Broadcom, a supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) for broadband communications has chosen the ARM's Cortex-R4 processor for use in its future Blu-ray player chips. The Cortex-R4 processor offers a unique blend of performance, real-time response and power efficiency, enabling highly cost-effective implementations for Blu-ray players with the highest level of user-responsiveness, quick scene location and reliable playback. The Cortex-R4 processor has been designed for low power and supports complete power down when the player is in standby mode. A comprehensive software ecosystem supports the Cortex-R4 processor and the portability of this software is made easy by the consistent ARM Instruction Set Architecture (ISA. "We expect that the Cortex-R4 processor used in our next-generation designs will enable Broadcom to provide high -performance, cost-effective and low-power solutions for manufacturers looking to develop Blu-ray players," said Dan Marotta, senior vice president and general manager of Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group. Mike Inglis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Processor Division, ARM said, "As Blu-ray players prepare for mass market expansion, OEMs need the flexibility to reduce costs while enhancing feature sets and usability. The ARM Cortex-R4 processor helps enable this by providing access to the industry's widest range of ARM architecture-based software and tools through the ARM Connected Community." One of the key benefits of the Cortex-R4 processor is its "Dormant" mode where the Tightly Coupled Memories (TCM) and Caches are powered while the rest of the processor is switched off. The Cortex-R4 processor also supports substantial synthesis time configurability that enables designers to match the processor precisely to the application requirements.

siliconindia