MediaTek Unveils 4K smart TV chip - the MT9638

MediaTek has announced its new 4K smart TV chip, the MT9638, with an integrated high-performance AI processing unit (APU).

MT9638 supports cutting-edge AI-enhancement technologies such as AI super resolution, AI picture quality and AI voice assistants, plus variable refresh rate (VRR) and MEMC (motion estimation and motion compensation) so graphics appear smoother. With its high performance processing for optimized visual quality, MT9638 gives global TV makers premium features to design competitive 4K smart TVs.

“As smart home appliances become more intelligent and diversified, smart TVs are becoming the new hub for the smart home as consumers take advantage of AI-enabled multimedia features to control all their devices right from their TV,” said Alex Chen, General Manager of the TV Business Unit at MediaTek. “The new MT9638 continues our legacy as the No. 1 chip provider of smart TVs, bringing consumers incredible AI, multimedia, gaming and entertainment experiences in theater-quality 4K.”

MediaTek’s premium TV chip technologies are designed to enhance the user experience with our custom APU that brings high-performance AI computing to smart TVs. With built-in AI picture quality technology, the chip enables real-time content and scene recognition, automatically adjusting color saturation, brightness, sharpness, dynamic motion compensation and smart noise reduction to improve overall image quality. MediaTek’s AI super resolution technology, combined with the company’s MEMC technology, intelligently upscales resolution through multi-frame blending to deliver clearer images at the smart TV’s native resolution.

The chip supports the latest connectivity technologies including Wi-Fi 6 for fast, reliable connectivity and HDMI 2.1, which integrates support for VRR to match movies or console gaming frame-rates in order to avoid screen tearing. The MT9638 also supports applications powered by AI voice recognition and AI-enabled video calls, opening up new ways for consumers to interact with their smart TV and connect with their family and friends. These technologies are turning living rooms into true home entertainment centers, delivering new, immersive experiences in streaming, gaming and entertainment.

MediaTek’s MT9638 supports multiple advanced technologies:

• A multi-core Arm Cortex-A55 CPU, Arm Mali-G52 GPU and dedicated MediaTek APU integrated into a single chip, delivering superior performance while also being extremely power efficient.

• Up to 4K60 resolution support with a multimedia decoding engine for HEVC, VP9 and the latest AV1 content.

• HDR10+ display support, enabling full array backlight local dimming with >2000 zones.

• Premium Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X surround sound support.

• The latest HDMI 2.1a and USB 3.0 interfaces, in addition to gigabit-class Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.

• With up to four far-field microphones, the chip provides whole room coverage for voice assistants with ultra-low power consumption (0.5W) on standby and ultra-fast, one second resume for wake-up words.

MediaTek has shipped more than two billion units of its TV chips globally, powering products from entry level to flagship with comprehensive solutions that meet global TV specifications. Providing world-class entertainment solutions for more than 20 years, MediaTek is a trusted partner for all leading global TV manufacturers.

MT9638-powered 4K smart TVs are expected to reach the consumer market in Q2 2021.