RC Module announces new SD/HD H.264 Decoder SoC aimed at Russian DVB market

Uses ARM 1176JZF-S core and Fujitsu’s 90nm technology

Moscow, Russia -- April 15, 2008 --RC Module – a Russian fabless semiconductor company today announces its SD/HD H.264 Decoder SoC – a fully programmable highly integrated SD/HD set-top box decoder based on the ARM 1176JZF-S™ host CPU core, and highperformance stream co-processor based on NeuroMatrix® DSP technology.

The SoC, which is targeted primarily at the emerging Russian DVB consumer market, is the first device to be developed by RC Module using Fujitsu’s leading edge 90nm technology and ARM’s high performance ARM1176JZF-S core. Fujitsu, a silicon vendor and ARM® Partner, was independently an ASIC partner/supplier to Research Center “Module” (RC Module) in their capacity as a design house with extensive experience in DSP/RISC core design and image processing systems.

“By using the ARM 1176JZF-S core, Fujitsu’s 90nm technology and RC Module’s NeuroMatrix DSP architecture, the successful co-operation and provision of high-end technologies by all three partners will enable RC Module to effectivly penetrate the fast-emerging Russian consumer market”, commented Mark Ellins, Director Business Unit ASIC/COT, Fujitsu Microelectronics. He continued, “RC Module, our end-customer as well as a design house uses the ARM 1176JZF-S core within Fujitsu’s ASIC design flow to achieve optimum performance.”

Target end-product applications include multi-standard HDTV decoder for satellite, cable, terrestrial STB, IP STB, Digital Video Recorders (with content protection) and video players at Full HD format, as well as multimedia centres.

By using the industry-standard ARM platform for ASIC design and software development, RC Module will be able to provide the NeuroMatrix videoprocessing engine with AMBA® 3.0 AXI™ technology to potential licensees.

“RC Module is a leading Moscow-based fabless semiconductor company designing high-end RISC/DSP processor architectures, embedded computers and application software for video image processing and DSP”, said Andrey Adamov, Managing Director, RC Module. “We are ideally positioned for accessing the Russian consumer sector and are delighted to be working in close collaboration with key players like Fujitsu and ARM in developing this SoC. We look forward to further such developments in the future.”

Set-top boxes need high processor performance at low power dissipation yet demand low price production for high volume sales. The ARM1176JZF-S processor was chosen as the preferred processor for a number of critical reasons but mainly because it is designed for high calculation, allows power down by using ARM Intelligent Energy Manager (IEM™) technology, and delivers low power consumption and system cost.

Engineering samples of the new SoC will be available in 2009 with full production planned for 2010.

About Research Center “Module”

Research Center "Module" (RC Module) is an innovative Russian development company designing high-end RISC/DSP processors, mixed-signal ASICs and real-time video-image processing systems. RC Module was established in 1990 and today it is one of the few Russian companies that are leaders in the area of high technology embedded systems both in Russia and the rest of the world. RC Module has a staff of highly qualified engineers and scientists using the most modern tools and prototype manufacturing equipment, which permits a very short design cycle from the concept to the finished prototype ready for mass production.