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Softier IP-Set Top Box Platforms are designed to distribute content in homes, hotels, airplane, cars and more. The IP-STB communicates with media-servers and PCs via built-in Ethernet or Wi-Fi links.
Softier sells fully assembled IP-STBs as well as licenses the reference design. Custom-versions are available to high-volume customers.
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Softier IP-STB Platform Hardware (Fig. 1) features:
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TI DM642 DSP with 16 MB Flash and 64 MB SDRAM |
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Composite and S-Video outputs (RGB, YPbPr and LCD interfaces are available in custom versions ) |
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Composite video input |
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Fig. 1- Softier's Wired Ethernet IP-STB Circuit Board
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Stereo audio - Input and Output |
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Ethernet- 10/100baseT (RJ45) |
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USB 2.0 Host, Device and OTG interfaces |
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Softier IP STB Platform Software features -
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STB OS based on the Linux 2.6 Kernel (and MediaLinux) |
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Linux device drivers supporting Ethernet, USB, UART, Video I/O, Audio I/O and Flash memory. (ATA, Firewire and Wi-Fi are available on custom versions) |
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Audio-Video codecs (e.g. H.264, WM9, MPEG2) |
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Linux communication stacks and file-systems |
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Linux application components (e.g. Web Browser) |
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Browser-based Graphical User Interface framework |
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LIRC-based IR remote control support |
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Software development tools, utilities and libraries |
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Softier's STB OS features full implementation of the IP Communication Stacks (UDP, TCP/IP, ICMP, ARP, DHCP & DNS Client and so on), plus-
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JFFS2- Journaling R/W file-system with compression |
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SYSFS- Kernel status file-system |
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EXT2- Linux standard file system |
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SMB/NFS- Client for PC / Server access |
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ISO9660/UDF- CD file-system/ DVD file-system |
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ROMFS- RAM and Flash file-systems |
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Softier STB platform bundles Audio-Video Codecs (Fig. 3) that handle media in multiple formats, facilitating media playback from various content providers and on/off premises media servers
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Codec
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Description
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Availability
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| MPEG2 |
ML@MP Decoder |
Now |
| WMV9 |
Video Decoder |
Now |
| WMA9 |
Audio Decoder |
Now |
| H.263 |
Video Codec |
Now |
| WMV9 |
Video Decoder |
Now |
| H.264 |
Main Profile Decoder |
Now |
| H.264 |
Baseline CIF Codec |
Q1-2005 |
| MPEG4 |
Standard Profile Codec |
Q1-2005 |
| AAC, AC3, MP3 |
Audio decoder |
Now |
| BMP, GIF, JPEG |
Still images decoder |
Now |
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| Fig. 3 |
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Softier's Platform includes Application Components that accelerate the development of IP STB products. Components included in the standard platform:
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Device configuration via scripting |
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Web Server and CGI routines for device management |
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Boot monitor that features remote upgradeability |
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Softier's Platform is supplied with Developer's Kit, featuring complete set of application development and debugging tools, as depicted next:
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