Broadcom adds Chumby Platform to
TVs, STBs and Blu-ray disc players
Broadcom Corporation and Chumby today announced the integration
of the Chumby rich media Internet platform into Broadcom's
latest digital television (DTV), set-top box (STB) and Blu-ray
Disc system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions. The collaboration
will enable users to access Chumby's Internet content across
a range of personal interest categories, Internet radio
streams and podcasts. This will allow users to view individually
customized channels of streaming Internet and personal digital
content on devices enabled by Broadcom solutions to display
Internet content across multiple connected screens in the
home.
Chumby content currently consists of over 1,000 widgets
in 30 different categories ranging from news and entertainment
to videos, music, and sports provided by leading media partners
such as CBS, MTV Networks, The New York Times, Pandora,
The Weather Channel Interactive, AOL's SHOUTcast and Scripps
Networks. Chumby also delivers thousands of Internet radio
stations and podcasts. Chumby's free and open content network
enables individual creators to publish own content. And
Chumby users themselves can share their own user-generated
content, including photos, e-cards and more, with family
and friends via Chumby's integral social network.
Viewing Internet-based streaming video, music and other
media content on household televisions is growing in use
and popularity. To satisfy consumer demand, Broadcom and
Chumby are delivering an easy-to-use personalized Internet
content experience that supports interactive multimedia
widgets and Internet-based audio selections from leading
online providers, major media brands and the worldwide community
of Chumby developers. Broadcom and Chumby also are enabling
social connections across devices such as DTVs, STBs and
Blu-ray Disc players supported by Broadcom solutions that
will enable users to share content, photos, video clips,
games or messages with friends and family who own any Chumby-powered
device.
"Consumers want a powerful, yet simple, consistent
and exciting Chumby experience across multiple screens,"
said Stephen Tomlin, CEO, Chumby. "We are delighted
to work with Broadcom to support the Chumby content platform
with system-on-a-chip solutions that enable personalized
streams of each user's favorite parts of the Internet for
delivery to next generation Internet-connected TVs, set-top
boxes and Blu-ray players."
As a result of this collaboration, consumer electronics
manufacturers will be able to quickly deploy Chumby platform
support on Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray
Disc players without additional cost, external components
or expensive PC hardware. As an open source Linux-based
platform and "cloud-based" content network with
graphics that scale easily to any screen size, Chumby allows
users to create a complete personalized Internet experience
without the need to establish a new configuration or install
separate software or widgets on each device, thereby enabling
new applications and content to be accessed and easily shared
across all Chumby-powered devices. Additionally, Chumby
supports an established framework with standardized tools
for developers and manufacturers to create and enable consistent,
high quality content.
"Broadcom and Chumby are delivering a personalized
Internet experience to the consumer via Internet-connected
TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players without increasing
bill-of-materials cost or complexity for Internet-enabled
consumer products with Chumby support," said Dan Marotta,
Senior Vice President & General Manager for Broadcom's
Broadband Communications Group. "We are very pleased
to continue our collaboration with Chumby as Internet-connected
consumer devices herald the convergence of traditional PC-based
Internet content with the comfort and convenience of living
room viewing, positioning the connected TV as the information
and entertainment hub of the digital home."