FPGAs enable novel sporting AV experience

A Xilinx product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Apr 23, 2003

Xilinx has been working with World Audio Visual Entertainment Systems on the world's first wireless AV entertainment system designed to enhance spectator experience at a variety of sporting events.

Xilinx has been working with World Audio Visual Entertainment Systems (WAVES), the inventor of Kangaroo.tv, the world's first wireless audio visual entertainment system designed to enhance spectator experience at a variety of sporting events worldwide.

This new and unique product, containing Xilinx low cost Spartan Series chips, is a user-friendly handheld device offering access to a broad range of event specific audio and video material.

Beginning in Long Beach, California last weekend, Kangaroo.tv provided fans of the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series event, with the added value of being closer to the action than ever before.

This forward-thinking technology, with access to rich interactive content including favourite views of the race, access to onboard or pit cameras, real-time driver standings, replays and interviews, would not have been possible without the reprogrammable nature of the Xilinx Spartan Series chips.

To view the device in action, visit "The Champ Car World Series is just the beginning.

In addition to expanding our reach within the racing industry, we plan to broaden the availability of Kangaroo.tv to spectators at a variety of sporting events.

Fans everywhere should keep an eye out for Kangaroo.tv because the possibilities are limitless", said Alain Charette, Vice President of Corporate Development at WAVES.

"Xilinx provided the low cost high-performance technology we needed to develop this innovative product, and in record time".

"This is a perfect marriage of racing and technology and we are pleased to offer Champ Car fans the unique interactive service that Kangaroo.tv provides", said Champ Car Vice President of Marketing, Steve Fusek.

"Spectators now have the opportunity to be 'up close and personal' with the drivers and pit crew as well as the ability to view more than one event at the same time".

As the official interactive video and audio viewing system provider several thousand Kangaroo.tv units will be available through a broad range of rental packages.

The Kangaroo.tv service will be available to champ car fans at all but the two European races, and at all venues next year.

WAVES is the first in the world to converge an innovative proprietary video protocol (PVP) encoded platform with proven analogue technology and a new interactive viewing terminal (IVT), to develop the innovative Kangaroo.tv.

What makes this new technology unique, according to WAVES, is the Ticket to Event smartcard, which reconfigures the hardware to perform specific functions, as defined by the user through an interactive display.

"Through the power of innovation and partnerships with technology leaders such as WAVES, Xilinx can deliver our latest technology to the masses", said Xilinx Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Sandeep Vij.

"Kangaroo TV is a prime example of how our programmable chips are further penetrating the consumer electronics industry".