Rambus have announced that Toshiba would buy their XDR memory controller interface licence to be included in Toshiba's new generation of HDTV chipsets. The XDR memory architecture operates at 4.8 Gbps and will allow Toshiba to deliver unmatched image processing performance for their high-definition television line.

Increased memory bandwidth has become a common standard to other electronics applications, apart from the classical PC. Fast memory modules are used in gaming consoles and, more recently, in consumer high-definition TV-sets.

"HDTVs now require as much memory bandwidth as many PCs in order to deliver the advanced features consumers demand", said Hideki Moriyama, Deputy General Manager of the System LSI Division at Toshiba's Semiconductor Company. "With the XDR memory architecture, we are able to achieve both superior performance and a reduced bill of materials for our customers' HDTV applications."

The Rambus XDR technology delivers the highest memory bandwidth on the market, which helps reducing the number of memory cards inside an appliance. Toshiba's new generation of HD-TV sets will feature refresh rates of 120Hz, 12-bit color depths, multiple full HD Picture-in-Picture data streams and advanced image stabilization algorithms.

"As a leading supplier of chipsets to HDTV manufacturers Toshiba delivers an exceptional viewing experience for consumers", said Sharon Holt, senior vice president of sales, licensing and marketing at Rambus Inc. "With the XDR memory architecture, we're able to meet the growing demands for bandwidth in an exciting new generation of consumer electronics products."

The XDR memory is used in DLP projectors, as the electromagnetic fields that surround the DLP processor demand keep-out zones that account for long traces. The Rambus technology is the only one on the market that can work in this type of environment.

Professional gaming stations and gaming consoles (such as Sony's PlayStation 3) are also using the fast XDR memory and Rambus report that in June 2007 they had already shipped over 25 million XDR DRAM devices.