Broadcom announces Smart TV with NFC solution

Chip maker Broadcom is showcasing a new system-on-a-chip technology at the CES in Las Vegas that can be used to turn any of today’s nearly two billion digital TVs into smart TVs that can access the internet and stream content anywhere in the home — and transfer that data to an NFC phone.

Broadcom

The BCM72xx OTT Media Player SoC technology is designed to be built into both hybrid TVs and over-the-top (OTT) media players, enabling content to be streamed over the internet to TVs and, as Broadcom puts it, “enabling internet and apps everywhere in the home.” The new technology also includes support for NFC, enabling content to be transferred from a smart TV to NFC phones, tablets and other devices.

The chips use a turnkey software platform developed by Broadcom which, the company explains in a blog post, “is capable of supporting a wide range of traditional TV, such as what’s offered with satellite or cable systems, as well as streaming content delivered over the internet. In its most optimized state, the chip has a high performance CPU, advanced software integration, and dual HD decoding and dual transcoding. That takes the experience to the next level: Using the technology to offer video conferencing, as well as video support for tablets and smart phones.”

The new technology includes support for a wide range of connectivity solutions including DLNA, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Display, MoCA, HomePlug and Ethernet as well as NFC. Adobe AIR for the Digital Home, Qt and Android are all also supported.

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