NeoParadigm Labs, Inc., (NPL) Monday announced the first in a family of video accelerator engines that will set a new price/performance point for videophones. The NP501 video accelerator is the first in a family of system-level ICs based on NPL’s RapidVideo proprietary architecture designed for optimum video communication in consumer applications. Targeting video phone applications, the NP501 supports H.324 standards for video conferencing over analog telephones lines (POTS). The application specific device has been designed for highest system flexibility at the lowest system bill of materials (BOM) cost, to enable the most cost-effective solution in the market. The video accelerator will be used in videophones that will be on store shelves at less than half the current price of $600. The videophones will be available in retail stores in early 1999. “This is the first in a family of video products from NeoParadigm Labs. We soon expect to offer additions to our RapidVideo family targeting a host of new emerging consumer video communications applications,” said Bettina Briz, vice president of marketing. “Our video accelerators will enable mainstream consumer multimedia communications in the home and office at a cost consumers can afford.” First Customer Announced for Videophone IC Royal Information Electronics, a leading Taiwanese company that designs, manufactures and distributes PC monitors and other consumer electronics equipment in the US, Europe and Asia, is the first customer for the NP501. They recently announced plans for the manufacture and distribution of their videophone in Taiwan. Royal’s videophone uses the NP501 video accelerator engine. CC Lee, president of Royal Information Electronics, said “Our partnership with NeoParadigm Labs has proven to be very successful. Together, we are bringing to market a videophone that most consumers will be able to afford. The NP501 video accelerator is at the heart of the design providing the image processing necessary for excellent visual communications.” Overview of the RapidVideo Architecture The RapidVideo architecture includes hardware acceleration for all video operations including encode, decode, filtering and display. Intelligent rate control and buffer management provides consistent bit rates for the communications channel. Proprietary input video image filtering reduces input camera noise and produces a natural looking coded picture. A de-blocking output filter improves the incoming image quality prior to display. Complete system implementation is kept at a low BOM cost, by using an inexpensive microprocessor as a host computer and EDO DRAM for local frame storage. In addition, the NP501 interfaces to the industry standard 16-bit YCRCB 4:2:2 data format for digital video inputs. It also supports a broad array of display types, both analog and digital, and is specifically optimized to provide direct interface to low cost “picture on glass” type LCD panels. Key features of the RapidVideo, NP501 Video Phone solution are: o Simultaneous encode/decode at 30fps, QCIF to enable high quality full color over normal phone lines o Dedicated hardware processing blocks guarantee Video CODEC performance regardless of other features used o Fully supports H.263 Advanced Prediction Mode and Unrestricted Motion Vector Modes which improves image quality at low bitrates o Provides direct drive to TFT LCD Panel including scan controls and analog RGB outputs which results in a lower system BOM cost by allowing use of lower cost displays o RapidVideo software and hardware provide the system developer with a solution to enable fastest time to market, with easy end system differentiation. o PIP, Self-View, Zoom capabilities, Graphics display and Display background control allows end-user feature differentiation by the equipment manufacturer. o Enables consumer priced, H.324 video phone solutions. Evaluation Kits for Customers The RapidVideo evaluation kit is a complete reference system for a videophone. It includes an evaluation board with the NP501, a bill of material, PCB schematics, Gerber files, and software implementing the ITU-R H.324 standard. Included with the reference software is RapidVideo API which enables system manufacturers to develop a customized videophone. Price and Availability The NP501 video accelerator is available now for sampling. Volume pricing is $55 per unit in quantities of 10,000. The complete NP501 Evaluation Kit is also available directly from NPL. The product is available through NPL’s direct sales offices in US, Taiwan and Japan. NeoParadigm Labs, Inc., (NPL), a privately held company founded in December 1995, supplies complex system-level ICs to the electronics industry. Its integrated product development processes and systems-level expertise offer total turnkey solutions for the communications and consumer markets in a fraction of the time of traditional IC houses. NPL is headquartered in San Jose, California, and has sales offices in Taiwan and Japan.