Broadcom's new ARM-based chip boosts Ultra HD TV into living rooms of the future

When 4K TV, now known by the more buzzy Ultra HD moniker, finally makes its way to living rooms stateside, there's a good chance it'll arrive on the back of Broadcom's tech. With its ARM-based BCM7445 video decoder solution, unveiled today at CES 2013, the chipmaker hopes to power future set-top receivers and Blu-ray players geared towards the transmission of 4K x 2K video. Utilizing the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) standard to compress content by up to 50-percent, the BCM7445 allows for the delivery of up to four simultaneous streams, as well as enhanced security to support gaming, on-demand content and web-based apps. While samples of this "home gateway" chip are currently available, the company doesn't expect mass production to kick off until sometime in mid-2014, giving MVPDs ample time to announce and launch 4K service. So, if you're one of those deep-pocketed consumers who may have plunked down the $20,000 or so for those compatible sets, well, the ultra high-res goods are just around the corner. Hit up the break below for the official PR.