- Supports Wi-Fi to serve as a connectivity backbone for home media delivery
- The new combo chip for home appliances provides high-bandwidth Wi-Fi for high-quality video streaming and Bluetooth 4.0 for voice commands and control.
- Wireless media dongle enables real-time video streaming from mobile devices to large screens

July 3, 2012 – Broadcom, a global wired and wireless semiconductor company, announced today two solutions to provide video user experiences for mobile devices, smart TVs, and consumer electronics (CE). The newly released products are a next-generation combo chip optimized for dual-stream, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities, and an integrated wireless dongle that adds Wi-Fi display (called Wi-Fi Miracast) functionality to digital TVs and media boxes.

Wireless connectivity is becoming more prevalent in devices such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, and streaming media boxes, which are expected to grow by approximately 50% within the next four years. Along with this, Wi-Fi will gradually become an important channel for adding video and other media functions to home appliances. Similarly, smartphones and other mobile devices will serve as major platforms for enjoying digital content and will play a significant role in how people access and consume media.

Combo chip optimized for home appliances

Broadcom's newly released BCM43242 provides advanced dual-band Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Wi-Fi technology that enables integrated video streaming and OTT capabilities in consumer electronics. Additionally, the BCM43242 supports advanced error correction and simultaneous Wi-Fi connections through dual-stream technology, allowing users to stream high-broadband video from smartphones, tablets, and PCs to smart TVs while simultaneously accessing internet content. In addition, this chip enables high-quality video streaming and video sharing between smartphones and TVs, and enables peer-to-peer transmission in the 5GHz band with a wider spectrum and less congestion in the frequency range.

The new combo chip integrates Bluetooth 4.0, enabling the use of advanced controls, game controllers, stereo headphones, keyboards, 3D glasses, and other interface devices in home appliances. Furthermore, Broadcom Bluetooth is driving innovation in user interface development by providing features such as streaming audio to home stereos, enabling voice recognition in control systems, and allowing devices like smartphones to connect to home appliances. The BCM43242 is optimized for DTV use cases and includes Broadcom's top-tier InConcert co-existence technology, which reactivates interrupted Bluetooth connections while maintaining high Wi-Fi throughput.

The high level of integration of the BCM43242 enables a perfect and cost-effective wireless subsystem for digital TV platforms.

Wi-Fi display dongle

Broadcom’s newly released Wi-Fi dongle features the proven capabilities of the BCM43236 dual-band Wi-Fi chip and the BCM2835 VideoCore media processor, which boasts low power consumption and high performance, enabling cost-effective adapter products to easily introduce Wi-Fi display capabilities to existing home appliances with HDMI ports. The ability to conveniently use large digital television screens to view content promotes the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi displays, which combines Wi-Fi and video encoding technologies to enable seamless operation of mobile user interfaces from small screens to large displays while maintaining control via mobile touchscreens.

Broadcom's new dongle platform provides a top-tier Wi-Fi solution designed to maximize screen resolution and image quality while supporting zero packet loss, minimizing latency for bidirectional use cases, and mitigating interference. These advantages make Broadcom Wi-Fi technology particularly well-suited for Wi-Fi display applications where latency and packet loss can degrade the user experience. Broadcom's VideoCore processing technology enables vivid graphics and HD video playback with minimal power consumption.

To encourage the adoption and use of Wi-Fi displays, Broadcom is integrating technology into key smartphone platforms, such as the BCM28155 3G HSPA+ dual-core SoC. In addition, it plans to provide media streaming capabilities based on the Broadcom smartphone platform, including the BCM4334 smartphone combo chip. Wi-Fi display support was also planned for the Broadcom dual-core smartphone platform.

Key Features of BCM43242
• 802.11n 2x2 MIMO technology uses dual transmitters and receivers to increase data speeds and provide 70% wider range at higher speeds than single-stream Wi-Fi.
• With the advanced Virtual Simultaneous Dual Band (VSDB) feature, you can connect to peer-to-peer and access points simultaneously.
• Bluetooth 4.0 and MIMO Wi-Fi were combined for the first time in a monolithic SoC for consumer electronics applications.
Bluetooth 4.0 includes advanced software features that support low-power peripherals and provide excellent 3D glasses synchronization.
• Includes key interfaces for consumer electronics applications, such as USB 2.0 and USB 1.1, for easy integration with existing DTV and consumer electronics platforms.
• Provides proven Bluetooth and Wi-Fi simultaneously to home appliances for the best user experience. At this time, the two technologies must share the 2.4GHz band.
• An integrated RF power amplifier (PA) that accommodates both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands reduces the Bill of Material (BOM) and eliminates the need for an external power amplifier.
• Additional features include antenna diversity, LDPC, STBC, as well as advanced features such as "fast channel switching" which enables the use of two radio channels simultaneously.

Key features of the Wi-Fi display dongle
• It is an ultra-low power dual-band, dual-stream media dongle solution with simple connectivity.
• Compatible with Wi-Fi display devices v1.40 or higher, and complies with Miracast, a Wi-Fi certification.
• Broadcom technology minimizes latency when used at both ends of a wireless connection and defaults to standard latency in complex environments.
• The integrated USB 2.0 interface allows the dongle to be self-powered via USB rather than an AC wall power adapter, reducing cost and design complexity.
• Video processing supports 720p and 1080p HD video.
• Complete turnkey software solutions and design files accelerate the time-to-market for end-user products.

The BCM43242 is currently being supplied as samples to Broadcom's early access customers, and mass production is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2012. Broadcom's integrated Wi-Fi display dongle is also currently being supplied as a sample to customers along with the BCM43236 Wi-Fi chip and BCM2835 media processor.

Peter Cooney, Practice Director of Semiconductor at ABI Research, stated, "OTT video, wireless display applications, advanced remote controls, and 3D glasses are part of innovative applications where wireless connectivity is utilized in the living room to provide more opportunities for end users." He added, "Broadcom will enhance the capabilities of next-generation products with a new combo chip and promote the use of innovative technology with a perfect Wi-Fi display dongle."

In addition, Michael Hurlston, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Mobile and Wireless Group, stated, “The advantages in size, performance, and time-to-market provided by Broadcom’s combo chips are driving the dramatic growth of smartphones and the global adoption of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.” He added, “The newly launched combo chips are optimized for the consumer electronics market, leading another evolution in the digital home sector and expanding connectivity into the mobile world. Combined with Wi-Fi display dongle solutions, Broadcom will provide an end-to-end portfolio that enables seamless video content sharing.”