Philips Semiconductors' video decoder selected for SiliconImage's latest deinterlacer reference design

SAA7118 brings high performance component video input to progressive-scan displays

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, today announced that Silicon Image, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIMG), a price/performance leader in high-bandwidth semiconductor solutions for mass markets, has selected Philips Semiconductors´ SAA7118 9-bit Video Decoder for its next-generation CP503D reference design. Silicon Image's reference design, or starter kit, enables consumer electronics display manufacturers to usher in the next wave of progressive-scan high-definition televisions (HDTVs), A/V monitors and video projectors.

Owners of today´s hot new digital-ready displays cannot truly reap the benefits of high image quality with current standard-definition interlaced video formats. With Silicon Image´s reference design, featuring the SiI™ 503™ digital video processor and the SAA7118, display OEM designers and manufacturers can lower development costs and accelerate time to market-enabling consumers to enjoy high-quality, progressive-scan images on their high-definition or HD-ready TVs and projectors.

The SAA7118 video decoder features low-noise 9-bit analog-to-digital conversion - with 2x oversampling - to provide exceptional signal-to-noise ratio for peak picture clarity. Its integrated Component Video input ensures the purest quality in video capture, making it the perfect solution for applications that demand high image integrity such as DVD and Betacam Video. A high-performance, adaptive 4-line comb filter significantly reduces "dot crawl" and enhances image resolution and detail. It is the world's first video decoder to receive full certification in accordance with Macrovision´s Copy Protection Detect Specification 1.00. In addition, the SAA7118 has a variety of advanced features including a versatile VBI data slicer, an advanced up/down 2-D scaler, Fast-Field Lock and Philips´ patented Real-Time Control.

The SiI 503 digital video processor is a high-performance source-adaptive and motion-adaptive deinterlacer used to convert any standard-definition interlaced video signal to a non-interlaced signal. This progressive output is suitable for display on LCD or DLP panels, or on progressively scanned CRT displays. The deinterlacer in the SiI 503 performs the involved process of generating progressive frames from the interlaced video input.

"Silicon Image is introducing a pioneering reference design that targets the rapidly expanding progressive-scan display market, and we´re very excited to work with them on this project," said Michael Malloy, Product Marketing Manager, Philips Semiconductors. "Our chip captures the native component video format of DVD, which allows consumers to experience the highest level of video performance available today."

"We selected Philips Semiconductors for this design because they not only have outstanding technology, but they have a vision about the future of the digital video market," said C.H. Chee, Director, CE Technical Marketing, Silicon Image. "The SAA7118 has some of the most advanced video decoding features available today, and their service and support are exceptional."

Philips Semiconductors´ SAA7118 video decoder IC in BGA156 and QFP160 packaging is now in volume production.
For more information on the SAA7118, please visit: www.semiconductors.com/pip/SAA7118e.

The Silicon Image CP503D starter kit has everything display OEMs need to evaluate the performance of the SiI 503 in display applications such as DTVs, A/V monitors and projectors. Available immediately, the starter kit includes a reference board, cable, power supply and documentation.
For more information, please visit: www.siimage.com.

About Philips Semiconductors
Philips Semiconductors, which had annual revenues of approximately US$5 billion in 1999, designs and manufactures semiconductors and silicon systems platforms. Philips Semiconductors is spearheading the emerging field of systems on silicon solutions with the innovative Nexperia™ platform and VLSI Velocity™ tool set. The company´s Sea-of-IP™ design methodology allows plug and play intellectual property blocks for easily customizable products. The company is a leader in communications, consumer, PC peripherals and automotive semiconductors, which are key applications for convergence in end-user products. Philips Semiconductors is headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and has operations throughout the world.
For more information: www.philips.semiconductors.com.

About Silicon Image
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Silicon Image, Inc. designs, develops and markets high-speed semiconductor solutions for a variety of communications applications that require cost-effective, high-bandwidth capabilities. Leveraging Silicon Image´s circuit innovation at the physical layer, the company´s proprietary, reduced overhead Multi-layer Serial Link (MSL™) architecture is well suited to address a number of mass markets with aggressive bandwidth price/performance requirements-including the display, storage and networking sectors. Evidencing its success, Silicon Image has shipped more than 15 million high-bandwidth, low-cost semiconductor solutions to the PC/display market alone.
For more information on Silicon Image and its proven multi-layered, high-speed interconnect technology, visit: www.siimage.com.