Intel Delays DTV PC Cards, But TeraLogic Is On Target For Launch Of Janus DTV Decoder PC Chip

Intel Corpís plan to launch a software solution for desktop-DTV viewing by the end of the year was postponed after the company decided t develop a DTV-PC solution with technology from companies other than Hitachi America Ltd., whose all-format decoder Intel licensed in April 1998. Formerly targeted to ship to PC OEMs by the end of 1999, Intelís decoder in a Pentium microprocessor will now be available by mid-2000, with hardware to handle all 18 ATSC digital formats. The software solutions in development will run on a more powerful Intel microprocessor and will operate on all PC platforms.While Intelís plans are delayed, TeraLogic Inc. will introduce to the computer retail market in October its single-chip Janus DTV decoder, at a price between $249 and $299, considerably less than a expensive HD receiver. The low cost of the Janus chip, which also decodes and receives all 18 ATSC digital formats, is due to its economical architecture and the integration of many functions ñ MPEG decoder, transport decoder, graphics device, audio mixer, format converter and a PCI converter.TeraLogic is in development with PC makers who are planning complete stand-alone HD DTV/DVD-Video Progressive Scan set-tops and and/or a family of PC cards that deliver video to the desktop. When released in October, TeraLogic plans to promote viewing Monday Night Football in HD using the Janus DTV decoder. Users will simply turn on their PCs and connect to their local ABC affiliates carrying HD football in 720 progressive. While this is a HD solution for PC applications, for widescreen displays that are capable of displaying high resolution progressive scan PC video, the picture quality should be outstanding.