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Broadcom Unveils Linux-Supported Applications Processor

BCM2820 Brings Multimedia And Power Consumption Performance To Applications Processing For Mobile Devices
By Linux News Desk
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November 10, 2006 05:00 AM EST
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 11,187
Similar to the existing BCM27xx multimedia processor family, today's announced BCM2820 application processor chip is based on Broadcom's VideoCore video-processing engine, making all the chips in the BCM27xx family software compatible with the new BCM2820. Both families, 27xx and 28xx, remain completely programmable and able to handle a wide range of audio and video formats, offering maximum scalability and flexibility to Broadcom's OEM partners. The programmability of VideoCore technology enables developers to program or re-program different applications in software, rather than requiring new chip designs for each new mobile product.

What differentiates the BCM28xx family from previous BCM27xx products is the integration of an ARM11 embedded microprocessor core that serves as the host processor for advanced mobile device applications such as email, web browsing, file management and graphical user interfaces. Unlike competing solutions, Broadcom's embedded ARM core runs at up to 300MHz, but when coupled with up to 6 billion instructions per second of multimedia processing in the VideoCore processor, it typically needs to run at only less than 200MHz. In fact the BCM2820 runs as low as 10MHz during full H.264 video playback, thereby enabling excellent power consumption performance.

The BCM2820 application processor can handle most software applications and operating systems available on mainstream mobile wireless devices. Together with the BCM2820 device, Broadcom also provides a host of Linux-based multimedia software that includes wireless LAN and Bluetooth stacks, audio and video CODECs such as MPEG4, H.264, Windows Media, MP3, 3D audio and audio visualizations, slideshow transitions, image editing applications, 3D graphics acceleration, video camcorder applications with visual effects, WMDRM, MTP, PlaysForSure, and drivers to support cellular baseband modems.

Customer BCM2820-based products will benefit from the ability to run open operating systems while at the same time harnessing Broadcom's multimedia and communications technologies including, but are not limited to, EDGE/WCDMA/HSDPA baseband processors, mobile multimedia, Bluetooth,Wi-Fi and VoIP.


Published November 10, 2006 – Reads 11,187
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linux news desk 11/10/06 06:07:34 AM EST

Broadcom Corporation announced its entry into the applications processor market, with a monolithic high performance system-on-a-chip that combines the industry leading Broadcom VideoCore multimedia processor and an ARM11 applications processor. The BCM2820 fully supports Linux and is optimized for high volume markets including mobile phones, mobile TVs and portable audio/video/game devices, and delivers unprecedented level of integration, multimedia performance, and low power dissipation.