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DVD Controllers Deliver the Write Options

01.22.04
An overabundance of less-than-$50 DVD players clogging store shelves implies scant profits for chip vendors supplying this rapidly maturing market. In response, semiconductor companies, such as LSI Logic, are working in lock step with their system partners to persuade consumers that they need to upgrade their expectations to encompass VCR-replacing units offering DVD recording. LSI Logic's $25 (1 million) DMN-8602 enhances the prior-generation DMN-8600 by incorporating a TV and video encoder with interlaced and progressive-scan RGB and YPrPb, along with NSTC-, PAL-, and SECAM-output options. It also separately retains its predecessor's CCIR-656 digital-video output. The DMN-8602 also decodes MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile video, and it includes a USB Host controller with integrated PHY (physical layer) and support for as much as 128 Mbytes of SDR or DDR SDRAM.

The $28 DMN-8652 targets PVR (personal-video-recording) fans who want the option of recording their favorite sitcoms not only to a finite-capacity hard drive, but also to more "permanent," removable, and replaceable optical media (see " Upward spiral: optical storage ," EDN , Aug 7, 2003, pg 38). Onto a DMN-8602 foundation, LSI Logic has grafted a second independent ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) interface, in the process significantly building on the DMN-8652's precursor, the DMN-8600-derived DMN-8650. A chip such as the DMN-8652 enables both technically challenging and compelling concurrent-operation scenarios-recording to the hard-disk drive while watching a DVD, for example, or copying from a digital camcorder to a DVD while watching a hard-disk-drive-recorded show. DVD dubbing at speeds faster than real time is an equally compelling possibility, which may involve transcoding MPEG-4 or DV to MPEG-2, for example, and transrating from high quality to long playing.

Any of you who've ever tried to make a DVD from a mini-DV camcorder movie you've filmed knows what a tedious, time-consuming, and frustrating process it can be. To make it easier, LSI Logic has partnered with YesVideo, which has ported its YesDVD software to run on the DMN-8602 and DMN-8652. YesDVD, working with LSI Logic's Direct Digital Dub algorithms, automatically analyzes the incoming-video bit stream and determines where to create as many as 54 chapters for the DVD's on-screen viewing menu; the first video frame of each chapter accompanies its corresponding menu entry. YesDVD also synchronizes movie scenes to an incoming audio soundtrack to create a multimedia slideshow. It even generates a printable case-jacket cover with the same menu images and other information as on the on-screen menu, when you insert the DVD in your computer.

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