"Designers of broadcast video, video surveillance, video conferencing and medical imaging applications now have a scalable video and image processing solution for addressing their cost, performance and flexibility requirements while meeting their time-to-market goals," said Steve Mensor, senior director of IP & Technology Marketing at Altera. "We are confident that we are offering a solution that addresses the evolving video and image processing market."

Altera's(R) video and image processing technologies can be implemented as stand-alone FPGAs or as FPGA co-processors supporting DSP processors. In high definition (HD) applications, multiple stand-alone DSP processors may be required because a single DSP processor cannot efficiently perform compression algorithms. FPGAs also lower price-to-performance ratios by either acting as a coprocessor for the DSP processor or by replacing the DSP processor altogether. In addition, FPGAs provide advantages over ASSPs because they can be easily upgraded to support higher resolutions and new video standards.

Altera's latest device families, including low-cost Cyclone(TM) II FPGAs, high-density, high-performance Stratix(R) II FPGAs and HardCopy(R) II structured ASICs, support the video and image processing solution. Key components of the solution include:

     --  Nine configurable IP cores, including a deinterlacer, scaler, 2D
         filtering for smoothing and sharpening images, 2D median filtering
         for noise removal, and a color space converter.
     --  A Video Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition with two composite
         standard definition inputs and a Cyclone II EP2C70 device for quickly
         testing and evaluating low-cost designs.
     --  An Audio Video Development Kit, Stratix II GX Edition targeted for
         higher-end applications using the high-speed transceivers on the
         Stratix II GX device. The kit also features a wide array of input
         devices for standards including asynchronous serial interface (ASI),
         serial digital interface (SDI), digital video interface (DVI) and
         audio interfaces.
     --  A comprehensive video reference design included in the development
         kits, which helps customers easily jump-start development efforts.

For more information about Altera's video and image processing solution, visit www.altera.com/video_imaging.

Availability and Pricing

The video and image processing solution is available for ordering through Altera's distribution channel and sales representatives. The Video and Image Processing IP Suite will be available in May and costs $995. The Video Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition is priced at $1,095 and the Audio Video Development Kit, Stratix II GX Edition is priced at $4,995. Both development kits will be available in July.

About Altera

Altera Corporation is the world's pioneer in system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions. Combining programmable logic technology with software tools, intellectual property and technical services, Altera provides high-value programmable solutions to over 14,000 customers worldwide. More information is available at www.altera.com.

NOTE: Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, the stylized Altera logo, specific device designations and all other words that are identified as trademarks and/or service marks are, unless noted otherwise, the trademarks and service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective holder.

     Editor Contact:
     Kelly St. Denis
     Altera Corporation
     408-544-6397
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CONTACT: Kelly St. Denis of Altera Corporation, +1-408-544-6397, or
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