Today at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft and Broadcom announced a joint effort to support a hardware and software reference design for more cost-efficient HD DVD playback.

The new platform uses Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 and Broadcom's BCM7440 system-on-chip solution, allowing consumer electronics manufacturers, original design manufacturers and systems integrators to more easily and affordably deliver HD DVD playback. Companies that plan to use this new hardware and software platform to speed the production of HD DVD players include Lite-On IT and Zhenjiang Jiangkui Group Co. Ltd./ED Digital.

"One of the critical steps in bringing HD DVD to the mass market is driving down the price of the units while maintaining flawless quality," said Peter Besen, vice president, Consumer Electronics, Broadband Communications Group, from Broadcom. "Our BCM7440 chipset brings multiple processors, dual decoders and dedicated graphics engines to the table. Combined with the power of Windows CE 6.0, we're able to offer a complete reference design that dramatically reduces development time for our manufacturing partners."

The Microsoft and Broadcom platform also ensures a high level of compliance with the HD DVD specification and compatibility with other HD DVD platforms, including the Xbox 360 platform. With fully functional HDi interactivity and navigation software, and support for all mandatory HD DVD codecs including the industry-leading VC-1 codec, the hardware and software platform meets the requirements for the playback of advanced HD DVD interactive content already in production by leading Hollywood studios.

The first players incorporating the new platform are expected from manufacturers in the second quarter of this year.