Atheros Communications Demonstrates Audio Video Wireless Module for Next-Generation HDTV TVs

July 24, 2004

Atheros Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHR), a leading developer of advanced wireless LAN (WLAN) chipsets, announced the first demonstration of the Atheros AR5005VA, its new multiple-radio/smart-antenna chipset for robust HDTV-quality wireless applications. Atheros and NEC Electronics collaborated on an Audio Video (AV) wireless module, being demonstrated by Atheros at Expo Comm Wireless Japan 2004, which incorporates the AR5005VA chipset and NEC Electronics’ MPEG2 encoder/decoder boards. The AV wireless module is capable of seamless wireless connectivity between multimedia sources such as personal computers (PCs), personal video recorders (PVRs), DVD players, set-top boxes, and display devices such as portable LCD and wall-mounted TVs.

The design combines NEC Electronics’ expertise in MPEG2 chip technology with Atheros’ industry-leading high performance 802.11a/b/g WLAN technology. The AV wireless module features a complete WLAN solution that offers the latest quality-of-service (QoS) features that are supported by 802.11e. The AV wireless module features the AR5005VA 802.11a/b/g chipset, which is designed for robust high-quality multimedia streaming applications.

Next-generation TVs will feature built-in, wireless-enabled MPEG2 decoder boards for receiving media signals from various media sources located anywhere in a home. Additionally, CE manufacturers will also introduce aftermarket wireless video adapters that enable standard-equipped TVs to receive media signals wirelessly from any PC, PVR, DVD player, set-top box or other device.

“We believe that every home CE device that stores digital video or audio content should be wireless to deliver on the promise of ‘the digital home,’” said Colin Macnab, vice president of marketing and business development of Atheros Communications. “NEC Electronics shares our vision that people should be able to easily display their family videos, movies, favorite TV shows or other media content anywhere in their homes. Atheros’ new AR5005VA chipset meets the demands of high-quality multimedia streaming applications by enabling a robust, standards-based 30 Mbps data rate over a typical range of around 100 feet.”

AR5005VA Product Demonstration

The AV wireless module integrating the Atheros AR5005VA chipset will be demonstrated at Atheros’ booth #2413 at Expo Comm Wireless Japan in Tokyo from July 21-23, 2004. The demo will feature a DVD player that’s sending a high-quality video signal to a connected encoder adapter. The device will convert the signal using a MPEG2 encoder chip before it wirelessly transmits the video signal to a receive adapter. The receiver device, which is connected to a flat-panel TV, will then decode the MPEG2 signal back to an analog signal for playback on the TV.