June 28, 2005

Broadcom Corp. unveiled a single-chip Bluetooth solution designed for wireless stereo headsets, featuring the technology's higher-speed and Enhanced Data Rate capabilities.

The EDR specifications provide data transmission speeds of up to 3 megabits per second, which is triple the standard 1 Mbps Bluetooth bit rate.

Broadcom said the chip is its first designed specifically for stereo headsets and is the first product resulting from its recent acquisition of audio specialist Zeevo Inc.

Broadcom noted that while the EDR specification was not necessary to support stereo headset functionality, the higher-speed connection allows the connection to retransmit packets and refill buffers faster to minimize the possibility of missed packets or interrupted audio.

The more robust connection also enables a device to connect and maintain simultaneous links with multiple Bluetooth devices and stream audio from a single source to multiple headsets.

Broadcom added that an on-board ARM7 processor powers the chip, providing a familiar software development environment for manufacturers. The chip is currently sampling to early access partners with production scheduled for the third quarter.

Source: RCR News