Broadcom LogoBroadcom has announced a single-chip solution for
DOCSIS cable modems that will combine the usual data and video
with high-definition decoding for MPEG-4 AVC, VC1, and MPEG-2
formats. The chip also supports Dolby Digital , MP3, and AAC
audio. It is intended for manufacturers to use in building cable
modems that have a single integrated chipset with both the video
and data decoding built in.  This should open the door for both
built-in PVR functionality, as well as allowing for possible
IPTV use. The modem could download content directly from the
internet using the data services and then decode any of the new
compression formats used in Blu-ray and HD DVD. Manufacturers
are quickly moving to embrace these newer codecs for compressing
video over cable and the internet (and satellite), and it's good
to see it becoming commoditized to the point where it's being
built into a single chip. Will we see the cable companies get
into FiOS-like content delivery soon?   Broadcom announces HD
cablemodem-on-a-c