[Via Satellite 09-10-2014] Broadcom, a provider of semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, announced its family of eight new hybrid satellite and terrestrial System-on-a-Chip (SoC) broadcast devices for Set-Top Boxes (STBs). The new series is engineered with pin-to-pin compatibility, allowing a single set-top design to be leveraged across the entire family.

The new series brings Broadcom’s High Efficiency Video Compression (HEVC) technology to terrestrial markets, enabling broadcasters to use spectrum more efficiently than with current MPEG-4 video compression standards. As a result, broadcasters gain options to deliver more competitive channel line-ups and improved content quality through the same or lower spectrum footprint. Broadcom’s new family of devices also combines HEVC with the advanced modulation efficiencies of Digital Video Broadcasting Second Generation Satellite/Second Generation Terrestrial (DVB-S2/DVB-T2), Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), and high-performance IP connectivity with MoCA 2.0.

“Broadcasters and regulators throughout Europe and in emerging regions, including Africa, are waiting for the arrival of DVB-T2 with HEVC to launch or extend HD terrestrial services. In addition, we expect the ability to deliver hybrid IP-services using HEVC will benefit broadcasters launching premium add-on services, including some delivered over bandwidth-constrained cellular networks,” said Sam Rosen, ABI research practice director.