The press release from LSI (below) marks a beginning of 1080p distribution in ways other than optical disks. The encoding of a progressive source is not much more data consuming than it is for an interlaced version (sometimes less, and algorithms, like wine, are improving with time). While many still ask why we need 1080p since so much of the installed base of HD today is no more than 720p? At least one answer to that question is simple. Manufacturers want to sell bigger and bigger screens and they are hell-bent-for-leather to outdo each other in marketing low-to-lowering cost 1080p projection--front and rear--devices that support those bigger screens. As you recall ten years ago the $10,000 price point for a 50 Inch rear tube-type projector plagued us, but changed dramatically over the ensuing years to one tenth of that cost. Another answer to why 1080p is the fact that the dedicated media room is now an essential space in our homes, especially if we have any ideas toward selling that home. Home builders have also built into their offerings the "media room" once called a den. These dedicated room make forward projection with larger and larger screen sizes practical. While dedicated home theater has been around for years in the homes of the affluent one can feel the second wave about to break from within the mainstream and While well-programmed 720p signals are more-than-passable when viewed under 100 inch diagonal screen limitations of that format appear shortly thereafter. While the 42 to 70 inch non-front projection displays are nice and deliver a "knock out" punch in contrast to our old NTSC standard no comparison is easily found when a big, big screen lights up with a 1080p Blu Ray or HD DVD disk (full 1080p HD source). That theater-like experience is what will excite this next wave of enthusiasm and the small package needed for a front projector is cheaper to produce than the materials-laden rear DLP or LCoS projectors. This factor may even help manufacturers recover margins again considering there if a reduction in the bill-of-materials and shipping costs. While manufacturers have typically relied upon their lower cost models to fuel their bottom line the big 100 inch and great screen is about to become a powerful economic driver. More money will undoubtedly pour into front projector research as the market begins its ascent. Once this market does take wing an endless array of associated products will fill the CE store aisles. Moore's Law will also be more in evidence since the electronics is being sold more so than is the cabinetry. Mass production of lenses and other components will allow for low-cost entry projectors but with handsome performance specifications. Oh happy day. Cable and satellite as well as broadcasting will have little choice but to stay competitive with a 1080p transmission service, at least for their most prized programs. ATSC is busy developing new system pathways forward to 1080p that are compatible with today's ATSC hardware.

LSI is among the first of their kind to produce encoders capable of doing full HDTV (1080p). They have done so in anticipation of that day when telecasters competitively outfit their plants with 1080p encoders and get set with 1080p transmission capability. Oh happy day!

__Dale Cripps





LSI provides professional broadcasters with first High definition encoder supporting Full HD


The 1080p60-capable LSI DX-1810 platform enables real-time HD H.264, VC-1, and MPEG-2 audio-video encoding



MILPITAS, Calif., April 11, 2007 - LSI Corporation (NYSE: LSI) today introduced the industry's first high definition (HD) real-time encoder with performance and quality required to support 1080p60, the highest resolution format for HD content. The first member of the LSI Domino[X]TM Pro product family

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Dale,

Do you have any comment on LSI getting in bed with VC1 and Microsoft only? My first concern was another standards war over codecs and patent royalties, aka MPEG4.

I can only doubt that such a contest of wills will occur. Having said that, if anyone sees some big advantage to anything they will do what they can to keep that advantage. We will have to watch and see. I don't see any advantage to LSI in not serving whatever market emerges. But this is not something I have been following closely so let's see what happens later . _Dale