LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. and Broadcom Corporation today announced a collaboration in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) products. The collaboration includes Microsoft and Broadcom working together to enable the popular Microsoft Mediaroom(TM) IPTV client software to operate on next-generation set-top boxes (STBs) utilizing the Broadcom(R) BCM7405 System-on-a-Chip (SOC). This technology will permit service providers and original equipment manufacturers to support a range of features such as whole-home digital video recording (DVR), high-performance user interfaces, and photo and music sharing.

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The new alliance with Broadcom exemplifies the continued commitment by Microsoft and its ecosystem partners to deliver market leadership and innovation to Microsoft Mediaroom customers and to make new connected TV services a reality for service providers worldwide. Working together, Microsoft and Broadcom are leveraging the capabilities of the BCM7405 SOC to further enhance the performance of Microsoft's Mediaroom platform in support of next-generation service provider requirements.

"We're providing our Microsoft Mediaroom customers with innovative connected TV services that help differentiate them in the marketplace," said Christine Heckart, general manager of marketing for Microsoft TV. "Broadcom's high-performing chipsets provide our customers with greater choice while allowing us to deliver new, richer TV applications."

In support of these new connected TV services, Broadcom and Microsoft are also working to help ensure the highest level of security functionality on this new platform. This is especially important in deployments where multiple conditional access technologies must be supported, such as in Europe.

"BT is very happy to see Broadcom join the Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem of suppliers," said Richard Griffiths, director of Technology Strategy and Development at BT Vision, a customer of Microsoft. "The [BCM]7405 SOC will enable us to offer our customers even more powerful applications and services on their TV through the BT Vision V-box."

"We are very pleased to be working with Microsoft on this important collaboration," said Richard Nelson, vice president of marketing for Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group. "Microsoft is driving the movement toward exciting and connected TV experiences, and we see increased synergy between the breadth of Broadcom product offerings and what Microsoft wants to enable within the whole-home DVR environment and beyond."

BCM74xx series SOCs from Broadcom can also be embedded into other consumer devices to allow users to choose from a variety of IPTV-ready receivers such as HD DVD players and television sets. This creates more opportunities to experience connected TV through other devices and services.

"This relationship demonstrates how Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem partners continue to drive innovation across the television industry," said Michelle Abraham, principal analyst at In-Stat. "The combination of the Microsoft and Broadcom SOC will be especially attractive to service providers who want to stay ahead of the competition in delivering highly innovative connected TV services."

About Broadcom's BCM7405 System-on-a-Chip Solution

Broadcom's highly integrated low-power 65 nanometer solution leverages Broadcom's proven track record and market leadership in set-top box technologies to deliver unprecedented levels of performance, system security and cost savings. It supports the latest in interactive features and a wide range of video compression standards (such as VC-1 and H.264), and includes support for new video compression standards such as China's AVS. It offers support for multiple conditional access and digital rights management solutions, including Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10 and Mediaroom security requirements. The BCM7405 can decode and display simultaneous high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video with picture-in-picture and mosaic support. Multiple planes of HD graphics, powerful content security, and support for peripherals including USB 2.0, SATA II, Ethernet and HDMI 1.3 are provided. A 64-bit 400 MHz multimode DDR2 controller is also provided, as is support for NOR and NAND flash.

About Microsoft Mediaroom

The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia software platform is driving the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers worldwide. Microsoft Mediaroom provides new ways for consumers to experience TV as part of their connected, digital lifestyle, while also creating new business opportunities for broadband service providers, hardware manufacturers, content creators, advertisers and application developers. Over 20 of the world's leading service providers across four continents have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform to drive their digital TV services. More information on Microsoft Mediaroom and the opportunity to deliver the best in TV plus all a customer's media in one place is available at http://www.microsoft.com/TV and http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com/.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom(R) products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2006 revenue of $3.67 billion, and holds over 2,300 U.S. and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,100 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at http://www.broadcom.com/.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our respective current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause Broadcom's or Microsoft's actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

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CONTACT: Microsoft TV Team of Weber Shandwick, +1-425-452-5400,
mstv@webershandwick.com, for Microsoft Corp.; or Laura Brandlin of Broadcom
PR, +1-949-926-5108, lbrandlin@broadcom.com

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/
http://www.broadcom.com/