Verimatrix's forensic watermarking integrated with Sigma Designs and Broadcom SoCs

June 5th, 2006 - IPTV content protection specialist Verimatrix is integrating its VideoMark user-specific forensic watermarking with  Sigma Design's SMP8634 system-on-chip (SoC) solution. It means set-top box manufacturers can make use of the fact that VideoMark and hardware encryption are embedded directly into Sigma's new SoC. This will help protect premium content by tracing piracy to the individuals responsible.

Sigma's secure media processors power a significant proportion of IPTV set-tops including models from Scientific Atlanta, Philips, Wegener, UT Starcom and Eagle Broadband. It is claimed the SMP8630 SoC family represents the first single-chip, highly-integrated solutions to support high-definition MPEG-4 Part 10 (H.264/AVC), SMPTE VC-1, Windows Media Video 9, MPEG-4 Part 2 and MPEG-2 decoding.

Verimatrix announced in May that its VideoMark forensic watermarking technology has been integrated with Broadcom's BCM97398 set-top box reference design platform. This includes the Broadcom BCM7038 and BCM7411 dual-chip high-definition AVC, VC-1 and MPEG-2 capable set-top box SoC solution, which can be used for IP receivers.

Meanwhile, the Verimatrix VideoMark forensic watermarking and VCAS has been pre-integrated at the SoC level on the Philips Nexperia STB810 reference design, which is a platform for IPTV set-tops and combination IP/DTT/PVR devices.