HSINCHU SCIENCE PARK, TAIWAN: Sunplus Technology Co. Ltd, the world's leading silicon systems provider, and Ocean Blue Software, the UK-based digital TV software specialist, have collaborated to develop a portable Freeview DVB-T platform with full interactive features. The new development will provide "red button" functions such as text services and access to alternative video streams in Freeview DVB-T TVs, for use in cars and trains, for example.

Sunplus worked with Ocean Blue to port its MHEG-5 software onto Sunplus' SPHE1002 series chipset, which has the low power consumption, ensuring good battery performance, essential in mobile devices, as well as static applications. The chipset, with both backend MPEG decode SPHE1002 and front-end Demodulator SPDC210/230, also features fast channel scan and good echo performance, also critical factors for mobile devices.

"We welcome the strategic alliance with Sunplus, to further increase the distribution of our products and expertise," commented Ken Helps CEO of Ocean Blue. "The portable platform is particularly exciting, offering new ways to enjoy digital TV."

"Ocean Blue's well-proven MHEG-5 software with Sunplus' cost-effective DVB-T turnkey solution offers a very competitive DVB-T solution for UK market. We appreciate Ocean Blue's effort to achieve DTG MHEG-5 v1.06 Specification compliance. The relationship between Sunplus and Ocean Blue is good for now and the future," said C.C. Huang, the CEO and Chairman of Sunplus Technology, Corp.

Sunplus is offering the DVB-T turnkey solution to the market. With Ocean Blue's MHEG-5 software ported and DTG MHEG-5 UK Profile Specification v1.06 compliance testing certified, Sunplus delivers state-of-the-art DVB-T solution for UK STB and DTV market. It will be also applied to Europe STB and DTV market as well.

MHEG-5 is the UK DTG interactive media standard for sending and receiving digital media objects, for example: text, cartoons, images, games, photos and can be used for applications such as interactive advertising and online gaming. It also provides press red interactive functions on Freeview set-top boxes and TVs.

Sunplus's set-top box platform includes backend MPEG decode SPHE1002 chip and front-end demodulator SPDC210/230 chips. The backend MPEG decode chip integrates MPEG-1/-2/-4/DivX video and audio decode, USB2.0 and multiple card reader functions; the front-end DVB-T QAM demodulators are the most advanced chips to perform the world-class DVB-T stationary and mobile terrestrial reception functions.