Mastering the standards related to set-top box and digital-TV (DTV) design can be quite time-consuming, seriously hindering product development. However, the latest version of the Cougar DTV development platform can accelerate the design effort while assuring full compliance with worldwide DTV standards.
This off-the-shelf package includes VividLogic's FireBus software, which complies with the home audio/video interoperability (HAVi) standard. The culmination of over 20 man-years of development, this software is expected to trim six to nine months off typical design and testing time. At the same time, it should let consumer electronics manufacturers create products that interoperate seamlessly with all HAVi-compliant products.
Comprising hardware, software, and peripherals, the Cougar DTV platform features tuners, demodulators, transport demultiplexers, 5.1-channel audio support, video processors, and a display. The basic developer's package has a hardware main board, the TL851 A/V graphics PCI card, and the TL811/TL812 CPU PCI card. Multiple transport stream inputs and an NTSC/PAL input from cable, terrestrial, DVD, or VCR signals are included as well.
The platform's open architecture supports designs that employ TeraLogic's TL851 DTV decoder IC. Accordingly, the platform features advanced Java graphics capabilities and supports data broadcasting in several formats. The TL811/TL812 ICs provide multiple tuner support, descrambling, and pay-TV processing. What's more, the platform is compatible with a variety of CPUs and operating systems (see "Controller IC Is Gateway To Multiple, Secure A/V," Sept. 5, p. 87).
Also available is the Wind River Systems VxWorks RTOS with Tornado tools (60-day evaluation license). Included too are Personal Java support, Flash memory, and hard-disk drive file systems. Driver source code supports the TL851 and TL811/TL812 ICs, as well as other devices used in the system. Software is provided for an enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) hard-disk driver, PCMCIA driver, and Smart card driver.
The FireBus HAVi stack contains a complete suite of low-level IEEE-1394 drivers, bus managers, and protocols. VividLogic's FireBus is supported on VxWorks, PSOS, WinCE, and Linux operating systems. FireBus also is portable to other proprietary operating systems.
Cougar DTV development platform customers can purchase their first system at the list price of $99,000. With this initial fee, users receive the platform, complete schematics and documentation, and source code for TeraLogic-developed software.
Also, a royalty-free license lets designers use or modify the source code in an end product. Subsequent purchases of the Cougar platform are discounted.
TeraLogic Inc., 1240 Villa St., Mountain View, CA 94041; (650) 526-2000; fax (650) 526-2006; Internet: www.teralogic-inc.com.