Microsoft and Texas Instruments Unveil OMAP Wireless Processor Support For Windows Media

DALLAS and REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 21, 2001 — In a move to deliver advanced streaming multimedia to the next generation of wireless handsets and mobile Internet appliances, Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) and Microsoft Corp. today announced a collaboration to support Windows Media™ Audio, Video and digital rights management (DRM) technology on TI’s DSP-based OMAP™
processors. Building on TI’s ultra-low DSP-based OMAP architecture, TI and Microsoft will enable wireless phone manufacturers to easily design the next generation of digital-media-enabled wireless devices with turnkey Windows Media Audio and Video format support, and provide new digital-media-based wireless services. TI’s OMAP architecture is quickly becoming the de facto standard applications platform for 2.5G and 3G wireless Internet appliances, while Windows Media is quickly becoming the leading choice for wireless audio and video delivery.

“Windows Media is a leader in offering high-quality audio and video using very small bandwidth or file sizes,”
said Alain Mutricy, director of the Wireless Business Unit at TI.
“Extending integrated Windows Media Audio and Video support on our DSP-based OMAP processors will help enable a new wireless age for rich media services.”

As wireless networks throughout the world are upgraded to enable the delivery of high-speed, two-way data, customers will be able to access new wireless digital media services using wireless phones and other new devices. Windows Media is already being used in this way in Japan. In December 2000, NTT DoCoMo Inc. launched the first commercial service that uses Windows Media to deliver streamed audio and video to cellular phones via a high-speed Personal Handyphone System (PHS) network. These kinds of new Internet-based services will enable consumers to send and receive personal digital audio and video, and access downloaded and streamed digital music, Internet radio, short subject video, movie trailers, news clips, financial information and weather reports.

“Texas Instruments is a pioneer in offering innovations in processing power and low-power consumption that fuel wireless handsets and advanced mobile computing devices,”
said Dave Fester, general manager, Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“We are delighted that TI sees the breakthrough quality of Windows Media as a key asset to enable wireless digital media for consumers and businesses.”

TI’s support of Windows Media, first announced in 1999, accelerated the adoption among the consumer electronics industry of the Windows Media Format and DRM technology, which offers consumers secure CD-quality music at half the file size of MP3. TI’s native support of Windows Media and DRM on its TMS320C5000™
platform of programmable DSPs helped fuel the dramatic acceptance of Windows Media by leading manufacturers of portable music players during the past year. Windows Media is now supported on more than 60 consumer devices, ranging from portable music players to digital home stereos.

As part of the collaboration, TI will extend support for the Windows Media Audio and Video formats and digital rights management technology on TI’s high-performance, DSP-based OMAP architecture. TI’s OMAP processor is an applications engine that makes real-time communications-based technologies a reality in wireless handsets and advanced mobile computing devices.

Unveiled in May 1999, TI’s DSP-based OMAP architecture delivers advanced wireless Internet and multimedia functionality without compromising the battery life essential to wireless communications devices such as digital wireless handsets, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and Internet audio devices. TI’s OMAP architecture is quickly becoming the de facto standard applications platform for 2.5G and 3G with public endorsements by manufacturers such as Nokia, Ericsson, Sony and Handspring.

Today’s announcement illustrates the industry’s rapid embrace of Windows Media for the wireless delivery of streaming and downloadable music and video. Windows Media delivers the highest-quality audio and video at any bandwidth and hits critical thresholds for wireless delivery. The Windows Media Audio 8 beta release, announced in December, delivers FM-quality sound at modem dial-up rates and is ideally suited for the GPRS networks being built today in Europe and the United States. As networks are upgraded to the 3G (i.e., UMTS) standard, the Windows Media Video 8 beta, also announced in December, will enable delivery of the highest-quality mobile video experience. The Windows Media Video 8 beta delivers near-VHS-quality video at rates as low as 250 Kbps and near-DVD-quality video at rates as low as 500 Kbps.

About Windows Media

Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing unmatched audio and video quality to consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations. Windows Media offers the industry’s only integrated rights-management solution and the most scalable and reliable streaming technology tested by independent labs. Windows Media Technologies includes Windows Media Player for consumers, Windows Media Services for servers, Windows Media Tools for content creation, and the Windows Media Software Development Kit (SDK) for software developers. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is the fastest-growing media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/ .

About TI

Texas Instruments Inc. is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. The company’s businesses also include sensors and controls, and educational and productivity solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
“TXN.”
More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com/ .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

Some information contained in this document relates to a prerelease software product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the software product when first commercially released. This document is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to this document or the information contained in it.

Microsoft and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft® home page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Related Posts