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Tech Briefs

Sep 17, 2001  •  Post A Comment

Broadcom chip enhances cable modems
Broadcom, an Irvine, Calif.-based chip manufacturer, introduced last week the Broadcom BCM3351 chip, which is designed to enable cable operators to deliver voice over Internet protocol and home-networking services through cable modems. The product conforms to CableLabs’ DOCSIS 1.1 cable modem and CableHome home-networking specifications, according to Broadcom. The company said the chip will complement its voice over Internet protocol software that adheres to CableLabs’ PacketCable broadband delivery specification.
“As the market leader in both cable modem chips and VOIP software, Broadcom continues to significantly improve performance, add new revenue-generating features, and integrate more components to drive down system cost and power,” said John Gleiter, director of marketing for Broadcom’s cable modem products. “The BCM3351 single-chip, two-line broadband gateway is our latest, most advanced chip for the DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS residential gateway market to deliver simultaneous voice, video and data for consumers over the cable network.”
Modems containing the chip will be able to deliver multiple-line long-distance and local telephony services, the company said.
Dodge to sponsor interactive football game
NTN Communications, a Carlsbad, Calif.-based developer of interactive games for sports bars and restaurants, has formed a partnership with DaimlerChrysler’s Dodge division. Under the deal, Dodge will become title sponsor of QB1, an interactive football game that allows sports bar patrons to play along with “Monday Night Football” telecasts.
“Dodge challenged us to develop a unique program that could leverage both their national and local launch efforts associated with the new Dodge Ram truck,” said Mark DeGorter, president and chief operating officer of the NTN Network. “Our response was to create an end-to-end solution that takes advantage of NTN’s key marketing elements, including on-site promotional co-branded games and our OmniPoll real-time interactive research-aspects of the network that allow our advertising partners to deeply target their core audience as well as gain immediate results of customer reaction to Dodge products. Dodge joins a growing list of brands that have taken advantage of the NTN Network in what is the most comprehensive marketing program we’ve developed to date.”
NTN’s gaming systems are available at several popular restaurant chains, such as TGIFriday’s, Damon’s, BW3 and Bennigan’s, according to NTN. Aside from QB1, the company’s interactive games include Showdown, Passport, BrainBuster, Spotlight and Playback.