Video Chipset Delivers Wireless HDTV

Emerging as possibly the first standards-compliant WLAN chipset optimized for HDTV, DVR, and Media Center applications, the AR5005VA integrates features ranging from interfaces to multimedia chipsets and quality of service to multiple-radio/smart-antenna technologies such as transmit beam forming and receive combining. The chips support direct interfaces, as well as MPEG-Transport Stream, host controller, and DMA acceleration for a wide range of popular chipsets. They also include a universal infrared modulator and repeater capability that forwards remote-control signals to a source device. Other features include hardware packet jitter control, MPEG packet aggregation, and an integrated MIPS R4000-class processor that supports many of the Digital Living Networking Alliance (DLNA) guidelines. Available in 2- and 4-antenna configurations, price for the 4-antenna chipset is under $20 each/10,000. ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 773-5200.