Tvia, a manufacturer of multimedia display processor chips, announced new embedded MPEG-4 software support for consumer devices such as enhanced DVD players, interactive TVs, set-top boxes, information appliances, and mobile devices.

The new technology, called TVM4, enables interactive applications that blend multimedia from both TV and Internet sources, explained Tvia president Eli Porat. Typical uses might include: video-on-demand, interactive presentations, corporate broadcasting, digital surveillance, and web browsing.

According to Tvia, TVM4 fully supports the MPEG-4 industry standard, including superior video quality as compared to VCD (MPEG-1) or DVD (MPEG-2) at a bit rate using as much as 50% less bandwidth. Additionally, Tvia said TVM4 is intended for embedded applications and features a small footprint along with the capability to be scaled according to the resources and requirements of the specific application.

Supported target operating systems currently include embedded Linux and Microsoft Windows CE. The TVM4 technology can be evaluated by downloading the TVM4 player for Windows on the company's website, which will provide access to multiple Tvia MPEG-4 files as well as links to other MPEG-4 sites.

About MPEG-4

Tvia provided the following background info regarding MPEG-4 . . .

MPEG-4 is the newest international standard for fixed and mobile web multimedia. Developed over five years by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) of the Geneva-based International Organization for Standardization (ISO), MPEG-4 is acclaimed by the industry as the convergence technology between the Internet and television. It is believed that MPEG-4 will simplify the development process of interactive content. Whereas interactive content has until now been overlaid onto active video from the client systems, MPEG-4 offers an integrated solution for interactive multimedia. The expected result will be a more enhanced and creative interactive experience. Examples include the ability for a viewer to provide instant feedback relating to a news or entertainment program; to go directly from a broadcast commercial to a website that provides discount coupons and purchase an advertised product; and to simultaneously watch a movie and browse a slide presentation for supplemental information relating to the movie.

Further information on MPEG-4 is available from the MPEG-4 Industry Forum, of which Tvia is a member.

 
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