Samsung Electronics will use ARM’s Jazelle software technology in its BD-P1000 Blu-ray disc player, allowing consumers to watch high definition (HD) discs on their HDTVs.
 
The Samsung player leverages ARM’s Jazelle Java acceleration technology for advanced interactive multimedia features.

Blu-ray technology is a next-generation DVD format that promises nearly five times the resolution of conventional DVDs and making extensive use of Java to manage interactive content.

ARM’s Jazelle Java Technology Enabling Kit (JTEK) software licensed by Samsung is a high-performance technology originally developed for the mobile handset market.

With the release of the Samsung Blu-ray player, ARM said it is bringing JTEK software running on an ARM processor to the newest generation of consumer devices in the home.

Using Jazelle, Samsung said its Blu-ray players will play BluRay discs that support the Java BD standard, utilizing advanced features not available on conventional DVD players, such as interactive, easy-to-use menus that can run quickly and seamlessly – without repeatedly accessing the disc.

With the growing availability of Blu-ray content – to date, seven of the eight major movie studios have announced titles for Blu-ray technology – the home entertainment market is undergoing a significant shift, offering consumers higher quality pictures and sound, smoother performance, and a richer interactive multimedia experience than ever before, the companies believe.

JTEK software technology allows execution of Java byte code in hardware, to run new and demanding applications much faster, without compromising efficiency or cost, the companies noted.

Unlike software-only techniques, acceleration of Java technology as part of the core architecture is memory efficient and gives fast start-time and smooth application performance so that consumers can run the highest quality Java applications on a broad range of devices and enjoy an enhanced user experience, the companies explained.

“With the Samsung Blu-ray disc player, ARM is working to take the same efficient, high-performance Jazelle technology used in so many of the Samsung mobile handsets into ARM Powered home devices,” said Mike Inglis, executive v-p of ARM.

“HDTV owners and home theater enthusiasts can now enjoy high-quality interactive multimedia content through the use of ARM Jazelle technology,” he concluded.