Tensilica Adds Dolby TrueHD Decoder to Xtensa HiFi 2 Audio Engine Codec Library

-- Tensilica,® Inc. today announced that it has added the Dolby® TrueHD decoder to its audio codec library for Tensilica’s Xtensa® HiFi 2 Audio Engine, one of the most popular commercial audio cores for system-on-chip (SOC) designs. Dolby TrueHD is the ultimate high-definition audio experience for next-generation entertainment, delivering warm, realistic and enveloping sound from the Blu-ray Disc™ format.

“When coupled with high-definition video, Dolby TrueHD offers an exceptional home theater experience that enables viewers to enjoy stereo and multichannel sound that is as stunning as the picture,” stated Larry Przywara, Tensilica’s director of mobile multimedia. “This decoder will let manufacturers of high-definition Blue-ray Disc players quickly integrate the HiFi Audio Engine.”

Dolby TrueHD is a 100 percent lossless audio coding technology that delivers spacious, highly realistic sound effects and great dynamic range that allows viewers at home to experience every detail of the original recording for a deeply involving listening experience. Dolby TrueHD can support up to 14 channels of surround sound; as currently implemented on high definition Blu-ray Discs, Dolby TrueHD supports up to eight (7.1) channels of pristine audio playback. Dolby TrueHD bitstreams may be decoded in the player or transported by HDMI (version 1.3), a single-cable digital connection to high-definition home theater systems, for decoding and playback.

In addition, Dolby TrueHD provides support for all of the new speaker locations designated by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers for digital cinema applications (SMPTE 428-3-2006).

“Hardware designers can bypass lengthy design and verification cycles by choosing Tensilica’s HiFi 2 Audio Engine and Tensilica’s Dolby TrueHD decoder,” said Craig Eggers, senior partner marketing manager, Dolby Laboratories. “Today’s announcement represents an important addition to Tensilica’s portfolio of products that can help speed the creation of new products that deliver unparalleled surround sound performances.”

Tensilica’s HiFi Audio Engine is a fully programmable processor core optimized for audio applications, with a library of over 30 of the most popular audio software packages. Other Dolby approved packages include: Dolby Digital Decode, Dolby Digital Creator Encode, Dolby Digital Compatible Output Encode, and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and 7.1-channel Decode.

Availability

The Dolby TrueHD decoder is available for shipment now to all Dolby approved licensees of Tensilica’s Diamond Standard 330HiFi or the Xtensa HiFi 2 Audio Engine.

About Tensilica

Tensilica, Inc., is the recognized leader in configurable processor technology and has leveraged that technology to become the leading supplier of licensable controllers and DSP cores for mobile audio and video applications. Tensilica offers the broadest line of controller, CPU, network, and specialty DSP processors on the market today – including full software toolchain and modeling support -- in both an off-the-shelf format via the Diamond Standard Series cores and with full designer configurability with the Xtensa processor family. The modern design behind all of Tensilica’s processor cores provide semiconductor companies and system OEMs with the lowest power, smallest area solutions for high-volume products including mobile phones and other consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer peripherals. For more information on Tensilica’s patented, benchmark-proven processors, visit www.tensilica.com.