loadYOURSELF

New MPEG-4 encoding system dramatically improves bandwidth efficiency for Starz and Encore high-definition channels

Motorola (NYSE:MOT) today announced it is implementing a four-channel, high-definition (HD) MPEG-4/AVC encoding system for Starz Entertainment, a premium movie service provider in the United States, to begin migration from current MPEG-2 installations to MPEG-4 installations. The system compresses, encrypts, modulates, and receives HD signals within a single integrated transmission system to allow Starz to expand its HD offerings for subscribers. The system is currently being implemented for Starz Entertainment’s existing HD channels, Starz, Starz Kids and Family HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Comedy HD. The latest addition to Starz Entertainment’s HD movie channel lineup, Encore HD, will be launched in MPEG-4 concurrent with this migration.

Freescale Semiconductor’s Symphony™ family of audio digital signal processors (DSP) are the first DSPs in the market to integrate multi-channel Dolby® Volume intelligent audio processing technology. Based on the audio industry-standard Symphony 24-bit DSP core, Freescale’s popular Symphony DSP platform combined with Dolby Volume offers an elegant solution for consistent program loudness on A/V receivers, surround sound processors, digital TVs, speaker systems and Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) products.

Dolby Volume brings a fundamentally different approach to delivering consistent volume levels across a wide variety of content, channel programming or input sources. Using a psychoacoustic model of human hearing, this sophisticated technology performs measurement, analysis and control of perceived volume levels. Dolby Volume complements Dolby’s range of audio technologies including Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.

“Our long partnership with Freescale has allowed us to implement multi-channel Dolby

ARM has released highly optimized source code versions of the OpenMAX DL (Development Layer) libraries for decoding the AAC and MP3 formats in the audio domain, and decoding the MPEG-4 and H.264 formats in the video domain. These functions can be downloaded free-of-charge from the ARM website http://www.arm.com/products/esd/openmax_home.html, and the license granted to these functions entitles the user to integrate them into their own products at no cost.

Media Friendly System Boasts Blu-ray, SD Memory Card Slot, iPod Dock

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company has announced that its first home theater in a box (HTiB) system with an integrated Blu-ray Disc player will be available for purchase in late Spring, with a suggested retail price of $999.95. The new model, SC-BT100, is the perfect complement to a high definition, flat panel large screen TV.

The new model epitomizes Panasonic’s emphasis on media friendly capabilities. It is made for iPod* and features an advanced integrated dock which not only recharges an iPod but plays music or video through the home theater system, displays audio tracks and menus on the TV screen and operates with the supplied remote control. Its SD Memory Card slot offers simple playback of digital images or original video footage in either standard or High Definition AVCHD format. The optical input offers simple digital 5.1channel audio connection for a set-top box, digital video recorder and game system.

“The Panasonic SC-BT100 home theater system is the best of both worlds,” says Paul Sabo, national marketing manager for Panasonic Home Audio. “It combines the installation ease and user-friendly operation of an HTiB

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., today unveils its new line of 16 in-car single CD players, offering hard disc drives and playback of various digital music formats including MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA). As more consumers choose to download music from the Internet and store it digitally, Pioneer is expanding its product offerings including seven new units that support MP3 and WMA. Nine models include Pioneer’s signature Organic Electroluminescent (OEL) display and two offer a new dual faceplate design that motorizes open to reveal a secondary display made of OEL.”As the mobile entertainment arena continues to evolve, Pioneer is adding new features and technologies like MP3 and WMA playback,” said Michael Townsen, vice president of marketing for mobile entertainment at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “We’ve seen enormous growth in the number of consumers who download music to use in portable CD players, so we’ve expanded our product offerings to meet the new demand.”

Music File Management

The Pioneer players will play standard audio CDs, finalized CD-Rs and finalized CD-RWs as well as finalized CD-Rs/CD-RWs containing MP3 and/or Windows Media Audio files. All files are easily accessed using Pioneer’s intuitive cross keys. Songs are accessed using its track tag information. Information displayed, including up to 32 bytes of file