The Hindu Business Line : Silicon Image to bring in high definition tech

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Chennai March 7 Anticipating demand for high definition programming in Indian broadcast, cable and satellite communication, US-based chipmaker Silicon Image is in talks with Indian hardware manufacturers for introducing its technology.

Silicon Image makes semi conductor chips that aid reception, storage and display of high-definition content.

"The growing LCD and Plasma TV sales in India will soon make consumer electronics companies look at high definition programming," says Mr Natteri Varadarajan, Director, Market Development, Silicon Image.

The company reported revenues of $295 million for the year ended December 2006, an increase of about 40 per cent over the previous year.

What it means

High definition (HD) refers to an electronic video format with high picture clarity that is maintained even when projected on a large screen. While programming on a HD platform is evolving, most receiver devices are often not capable of accepting HD content without distortion. As a result, there is loss of picture clarity when viewed on a screen.

Silicon Image's technology, called HD Multimedia Interface (HDMI), ensures this does not happen.

However, Indian companies have not used HD broadcast so far. Doordarshan is planning a digital broadcast of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Varadarajan said this could make more users switch to digital TVs.

The digital TV (LCD and Plasma TVs) and DVD player market in India is estimated at about 1 million units each this year, while set top boxes are estimated at about 5 lakh units.

"HDMI is likely to feature in all of them depending on the government's recommendation of the digital standard," he says.

The company also plans to work with the Government in establishing the standard for digital broadcast. Once a suitable standard is evolved, Silicon Image may also consider setting up a manufacturing/design unit in India to cater to the domestic market. But there are no such immediate plans, said Mr Varadarajan.

The company has worked with governments across the world such as the US, Europe and China that have mandated all devices carrying HD content to have HDMI.

According to the company's Web site, over 500 companies including Acer, Dell, HP, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba use HDMI chips in their products. About 63 million HDMI-enabled devices were shipped worldwide in 2006 and about 130 million more such devices are expected to be shipped this year.