ATI's Analog Video Decoder/Stereo Audio Processor

Ever since ATI's announcement last year that it would be licensing its technology and silicon to other companies, it seems like the company has been moving closer to the chip business, and not just in graphics. ATI just let us know about its new THEATER 200 single chip analog video decoder and stereo audio processor, which interfaces to ATI's XILLEON 220, a system-on-chip for the digital set-top box market. ATI says THEATER 200 is designed for use in consumer electronic equipment requiring video and audio capture, including multimedia PC to TV video graphics cards, set-top boxes, analog personal video recorders, LCD TVs, and other multimedia platforms. The chip captures Composite, S-Video, and Component (including High Definition) analog video signals and converts them to ITU-656 compliant digital video along with capturing the Sound IF (Intermediate Frequency) or composite audio outputs available from most tuners. It performs audio demodulation, stereo decoding, and outputs the decoded audio via I2S (inter-IC sound - a serial bus for digital audio). THEATER 200 features analog front-end circuitry that includes input source selection, anti-aliasing filters, advanced AGC (Automatic Gain Control) and Clamp circuitry, and dual 12-bit ADCs (Analog to Digital Converters). The video decoder includes Macrovision detection, a vertical and horizontal scaler, and an adaptive 2D comb filter. The chip supports video standards including NTSC, PAL, and SECAM, and audio standards including BTSC, DUAL FM, EIA-J, and NICAM. Volume production for THEATER 200 is targeted to begin in Q1 2002.