Oak Signs a Pair

Electronic News, Jan 11, 1999 by Peter Brown

Hitachi Semiconductor America Inc., Brisbane, Calif. and Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, Calif. have selected Oak Technology Inc.'s OTI-8211 MPEG-2 decoder for a set-top box reference design. Oak said the device will provide both audio and video decoding for the set-top box platform that will be used for applications such as voice over IP and combining video with broadband data services.

The reference platform also is designed to enable rapid development of new network technology for digital set-tops for IP phone capability and web browsing. The reference design will be powered by the Hitachi SuperH RISC processor, Cisco's network technologies, IGS video and graphics processors and Oak's OTI-8211 decoder.

"We are developing a product portfolio for cable, satellite and terrestrial digital broadcasting based on a common MPEG decoding architecture and software structure which will enable our OEM customers to rapidly bring their product designs to market," said Paul Vroomen, president of Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Oak's Consumer Group. "Through this common architecture, virtually any product in the digital audio/video consumer space can take advantage of a solution from Oak."