Today, Qualcomm and IDT announced that Qualcomm had acquired two video related technologies (and design teams) from IDT – the company’s Hollywood Quality Video (HQV) and Frame Rate Conversion (FRC ) groups. These technologies are used to drive video displays of all types – as well as to convert relatively low quality (or bitrate) videos, including SD videos, to High Definition. We have commented before (including in our Set-Top Box SoC report) that Qualcomm’s acquisition of Atheros points them in a direction toward the connected home. This move for Qualcomm makes sense in many ways, including:
Mobile technologies of today (i.e, Apps and Android) point the direction for home video technologies of tomorrow
Atheros HomePlug technologies and Hy-Fi (HomePlug, WiFi and Ethernet) naturally connect video in the home
In developing regions – where wireless infrastructure (including fixed wireless) has surpassed the fiber and wireline infrastructure, many operators will deliver video experiences over wireless platforms. Up-converting technologies, like those from IDT, will be required to give customers engaging and smooth video quality (even if not true HD) over wireless networks.
Therefore, this acquisition gives Qualcomm yet another tool to integrate into SoCs. These technologies make sense in high end feature phones (notably, those with HDMI outputs), but also help amass technologies required to compete in Digital TV and Set-Top Box chips. The only missing link is MoCA; an acquisition of Entropic would be the final signal that Qualcomm is dedicated to video in the home market.
