Kim Joong-wan, CEO of Mamurian

Mamurian design, Inc. has successfully developed a media processor that is one of the three core hardware components of DMB receivers. The media processor processes audio-visual data that is compressed by the DMB standard techniques, H.264 for video and AAC+/BSAC for audio. Large power consumption by core hardware components of a DMB receiver is one of the main hurdles for the spread of DMB services because mobile terminals are supposed to be mainly used as DMB receivers. To overcome this hurdle, the Mamurian's media processor is designed in a hardwired approach. For both audio and video data processing, most computation is performed by designated hardware accelerators that are optimized for the reduction of power consumption and, as a result, the overall power consumption is significantly reduced. With Mamurian's proprietary memory compression technology, power reduction is also achieved by memory devices connected to the media processor. Mamurian's media processor is especially well-suited to the DMB phones (cellular phones including DMB receiving functionality). This is because Mamurian's DMB media processor includes camera, camcoder, video communication, and MP3 functionalities, and as a result, a DMB phone with various additional features can be made with only a single Mamurian processor. The main advantage of Mamurian's media processor over its competitors is its low price. Due to the hardwired approach, Mamurian's media processor uses very simple and chip microcontroller so that the overall cost of the processor is significantly reduced. Moreover, it uses proprietary design-reuse technology that enables the addition of various functionalities without much increase of the cost of the processor. With memory compression technology, the cost of memory device is also reduced because it uses 50 percent less memory than other competing chips. At the early stage of marketing, Mamurian plans to focus on the Korean domestic market because Korea is pretty advanced in launching commercial DMB services. Mamurian has been and continue to be closely cooperating with many medium and start-up companies that plan to develop DMB receivers. Major domestic cellular phone companies have developed their own media chips and use them for their own products. However, as the DMB market grows, these major companies are also expected to use media chips made by other companies. At this stage, Mamurian will focus on this market because the success with these major companies may give big positive impact on the increase of Mamurian's market share. From 2005 to 2008, the domestic DMB receiver market is expected to grow rapidly. In 2005, Mamurian expects to gain 10 percent of the domestic market with a revenue of 2 billion won. In 2008, Mamurian plans to have more than 30 percent of the multimedia market, while revenues in 2008 are expected to reach 13 billion Won. From 2006, Mamurian plans to expand its marketing effort to foreign countries and actively participates in major road shows such as the ITU exhibition, CeBIT, CES, and so on. By 2008, to have more than 20 percent of the world market is the goal of Mamurian. DMB service can be a great opportunity for Korean industry because Korea has the first experience in major commercial DMB services. The experiences with these DMB services can give strong competitiveness to most Korean companies which survive in the first couple of years in the Korean DMB services. Since the solutions and products of these companies are already tested and stabilized in the real field, they can compete with any other foreign companies that may be little tested in the real field. By taking advantage of this opportunity with DMB, Mamurian will be one of the survivors in the domestic market and successfully grow as one of the major media processor companies in the world.