Trident Microsystems Ships 100 Millionth Set-Top Box Chipset Powered By ARM Technology

SUNNYVALE, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, England, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Trident Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRID), a leading provider of set-top box and TV semiconductor solutions, and ARM, the processor IP provider for Trident set-top box chipsets, today announced the shipment of the 100 Millionth set-top box (STB) chipset to OEM customers for use in satellite, cable, and IPTV applications.* Trident will be demonstrating the latest innovations on the ARM-based STB SoC platform in a private customer suite in the Wynn Hotel during the International CES show in Las Vegas.

Trident and ARM have collaborated to bring all the key Web 2.0 and broadcast elements on a powerful set-top box (STB) platform that allows consumers to seamlessly view TV programming, run Internet-connected applications, browse websites, and share content anytime and anywhere in the home. This platform not only delivers an immersive and interactive home multimedia experience, but also allows developers and operators to target their content package offering and services to maximize ARPU and advertising revenue.

"Trident has been partnering with leaders such as ARM to develop all the building blocks that customers need for the next generation connected set-top boxes," said Mark Samuel, General Manager for Trident's set-top box business.  "Our goal is to drive the next generation of features on the TV and set-top box and the shipment of our 100 millionth chip validates our success in the industry."

"ARM and Trident are defining the compelling features and user interfaces that consumers around the world will have on their set-top box platforms," said Jim Wallace, Director for Home Segment at ARM.  "In addition, with Trident's leading position in DTV chipsets, we believe its Set Top Box SoC, based on ARM's Cortex-A family, will be a key driver in the connected home of the future where all devices work seamlessly together."

About the Trident ARM-based Processor STB Platform

The Trident ARM-based solution provides system developers with the most comprehensive platform to create end products for next generation Internet-connected STB applications. Trident has optimized its industry-first, ARM-based, 45nm broadcast integrated SoC family, PNX8400, to take advantage of the high-performance ARM® Cortex™-A9 processor.  Trident has created an extensive ecosystem around the PNX8400 family, drawing from key software elements within the ARM Connected Community. These are central to a connected experience across consumer electronics products, from mobile phones and tablets to DTVs. Key software elements include:

• Adobe™ Flash^® Player 10.1 from Adobe Systems, whose ActionScript 3.0 engine has been optimized on the ARM Cortex class of application processors.
• Qt4.7/WebKit, which runs on the Trident STB (Cortex-A9 processor based) platform, and provides a consistent user experience from mobile to home. Qt includes browser and widgets functionalities, which run on top of QtWebKit, and extensive performance optimization work has been done for Qt running on ARM architectures.
• HTML5, a new Web 2.0 standard that incorporates features like video playback, has also been optimized for ARM processors and will be a key element for next generation Web-type services.
• DTCP-IP, under whose specification, digital content can be shared securely in a consumer's home
• DLNA Certified^®1.5 Media Renderer for connecting to other customer's consumer electronic equipment in the home for the sharing of content.
• GStreamer demux infrastructure allowing for handling of media handling components such as video and audio playback of streamed digital content.
• The Google Android™ operating system, designed for the ARM architecture and including an ARM Native Development Kit (NDK), ARM targeted JIT as part of the Dalvik Java application framework and support for the Adobe Flash Player 10.1 web plugin.
• Linaro™, a not-for profit company, focuses on the lower software layers and provides the best tools and Linux development experience on ARM processors, quickening the time to market for Linux based distributions. 

*NOTE: The total 100 million includes set-top box chips shipped from NXP semiconductors Home BU (which Trident acquired in February 2010) as well as from the previous set-top business from Conexant, which was acquired by the NXP Home BU in August 2008.  The new and stronger Trident now owns this well-established set-top box product line and will continue shipping to top tier customers around the world.

About Trident Microsystems, Inc.

Trident Microsystems, Inc., with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, is a leading force in the digital home entertainment market, delivering an extensive range of platform solutions that enhance the consumer experience in the Connected Home. As one of the top-three semiconductor providers to both the TV and set-top box markets, Trident's solutions can be found in the products of leading OEMs and channel partners worldwide. The company's extensive IP portfolio of more than 2,000 patents has been driving key innovations in image quality, 3D TV, low power consumption, and 45nm designs. For further information about Trident and its products, please consult the Company's web site: www.tridentmicro.com

About ARM

ARM designs the technology that is at the heart of advanced digital products, from wireless, networking and consumer entertainment solutions to imaging, automotive, security and storage devices. ARM's comprehensive product offering includes 32-bit RISC microprocessors, graphics processors, video engines, enabling software, cell libraries, embedded memories, high-speed connectivity products, peripherals and development tools. Combined with comprehensive design services, training, support and maintenance, and the company's broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies.

Find out more about ARM by following these links:

ARM website: http://www.arm.com/

ARM Connected Community®: http://www.arm.com/community/

ARM Blogs: http://blogs.arm.com/

ARMFlix on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/armflix

ARM on Twitter: 

• http://twitter.com/ARMMultimedia 
• http://twitter.com/ARMMobile 
• http://twitter.com/ARMCommunity 
• http://twitter.com/ARMEmbedded 
• http://twitter.com/ARMLowPwr 
• http://twitter.com/KeilTools   

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Trident's set-top box chipsets including the PNX8400. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause Trident's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. These risks include, without limitation, that not all consumers will not have access to leading web services; that consumers may want additional or different features that are being offered;  that not all TV manufacturers will achieve the desired results; that some customers may not realize reduces development costs or realize increased advertising revenue; that additional optimization may be required and that other manufactures may release similar products that may offer similar attributes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release; Trident does not undertake any obligation to publicly revise or update any such forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the statement was made. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause results to differ can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recently filed Reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which are available at http://www.sec.gov.

NOTE: Trident, the Trident logo and PNX8400 are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Trident Microsystems in the United States and /or other countries.  All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Trident Microsystems, Inc.; ARM