Realtek: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:19, 8 September 2006

Latest revision as of 04:06, 27 March 2025

(310 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Semiconductor company}}

{| class="infobox" style="float:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em;width:25em;font-size:90%;clear:right;" cellspacing="5"

{{more citations needed|date=July 2020}}

|+ style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;" | '''Realtek Semiconductor Corp.'''

{{Infobox company

|-

| name = Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

| colspan="2" style="padding-bottom:1em;text-align:center;" | [[Image:Realtek_logo.gif|Realtek logo]]

| logo = Realtek logotype.svg

|-

| image = Realtek building.jpg

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[:category:types of companies|Type]]'''

| image_caption = Headquarters in [[Hsinchu Science Park]]

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[Public company]] ([[Taiwan Stock Exchange|TSE]]: 2379)

| native_name = 瑞昱半導體股份有限公司

|-

| type = [[Public company|Public]]

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''Founded'''

| traded_as = {{TSE|2379}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[1987]]

| industry = [[Semiconductor]]

|-

| founded = {{Start date and age|1987|10}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''Location'''

| hq_location = [[Hsinchu Science Park]]

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[Hsinchu]], [[Taiwan]]

| hq_location_city = [[Hsinchu]]

|-

| hq_location_country = [[Taiwan]]

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''Key people'''

| key_people = Sun-Chien Chiu (chairman)<br />Kuang-Yu Yen (president)

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[Po-Len Yeh]]

| products = [[Integrated circuit]] [[semiconductor]] chips

|-

| revenue = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{NTD|111.8}}{{nbsp}}billion (2022)<ref name="ret22">{{Cite web|url = https://www.realtek.com/images/cqfs/Final_.2022.20221231.FS.AllReport.ENG_1.pdf|title = Realtek Financial Statements 2022 |date= |publisher = Realtek|access-date=2024-02-14 }}</ref>}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[Industry]]'''

| operating_income = {{nowrap|{{Decrease}} {{NTD|15.72}}{{nbsp}}billion (2022)<ref name="ret22" />}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[Semiconductor]]

| net_income = {{nowrap|{{Decrease}} {{NTD|16.21}}{{nbsp}}billion (2022)<ref name="ret22" />}}

|-

| assets = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{NTD|113.7}}{{nbsp}}billion (2022)<ref name="ret22" />}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[Product (business)|Products]]'''

| equity = {{nowrap|{{Increase}} {{NTD|46.76}}{{nbsp}}billion (2022)<ref name="ret22" />}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [[Integrated circuit]] [[semiconductor]] chips

| owner =

|-

| num_employees = 6,895 (2022)<ref name="ar22">{{Cite web|url = https://www.realtek.com/images/ar/Annual_Report_2022____0517.pdf|title = Realtek Annual Report 2022 |date= |publisher = Realtek|access-date=2024-02-14 }}</ref>

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[Revenue]]'''

| website = {{URL|https://www.realtek.com/en}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | 295 million dollars as of [[2004]]

| footnotes = <ref name="snapshot" />

|-

}}

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[Employee]]s'''

{{Chinese

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | 970 people as of [[March 31]] [[2005]]

|t=瑞昱半導體

|-

|s=瑞昱半导体

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:right;" | '''[[Website]]'''

|p=Ruìyù Bàndaǒtǐ

| style="vertical-align:top;text-align:left;" | [http://www.realtek.com.tw/ http://www.realtek.com.tw/]

|}}

'''Realtek Semiconductor Corp.''' ({{zh|c=瑞昱半導體股份有限公司|p=Ruìyù Bàndǎotǐ Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī}}) is a Taiwanese [[fabless semiconductor company]] situated in the [[Hsinchu Science Park]], [[Hsinchu]], [[Taiwan]]. Realtek was founded in October 1987 and subsequently listed on the [[Taiwan Stock Exchange]] in 1998. Realtek has manufactured and sold a variety of [[Integrated circuit|microchips]] globally. Its product lines broadly fall into three categories: communications network ICs, computer peripheral ICs, and multimedia ICs. As of 2019, Realtek employs 5,000 people, of whom 78% work in research and development.<ref name="snapshot">{{cite web|url=https://www.realtek.com/en/about-realtek/snapshot|title=About Realtek|website=Realtek|access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realtek.com/en/about-realtek/snapshot |title=Employment |website=Realtek |access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref>

==History==

'''Realtek Semiconductor Corp.''' ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 瑞昱半導體股份有限公司), a [[Fabless semiconductor company|fabless IC design house]] situated in the [[Hsinchu Science Park]], [[Hsinchu]], [[Taiwan]], was founded in [[October 1987]], and subsequently approved as a listed company on the [[Taiwan Stock Exchange]] in 1998. During the year of 2004, Realtek achieved an annual sales of 295 million dollars, and as of [[March 31]] [[2005]], Realtek employed 970 people, among which more than 700 were of research and development expertise. Realtek has been constantly ranked, in terms of annual sales, top 10 among the fabless IC design houses based in Taiwan, and in several occasions ranked top 20 worldwide.

{{anchor|Advance Logic}}

===Avance Logic===

[[File:Freetek Pro16-32PNP+ - Avance Logic ALS100 Plus-5480.jpg|thumb|ALS 100 Audio Chip]]

Avance Logic, Inc. was a hardware manufacturer founded in 1991 in [[Fremont, California | Fremont]], [[California]], and was most recently headquartered in [[San Jose, California]]. Avance Logic focused particularly on the development of low-cost, highly integrated electronic components for [[Original Equipment Manufacturer | OEM manufacturers]] and was active in the areas of 2D graphics and audio. A 3D accelerator was developed in the mid-1990s, but it was not widely used. Avance Logic was acquired by Realtek as early as 1995 and was an independent subsidiary until the end of 2002, when the company was integrated into Realtek. Realtek's [[Sound chip | Audio Solutions]] are based on Avance Logic technology, which can also be recognized by the prefixes "ALG" (Avance Logic Graphics) and "ALS" (Avance Logic Sound).<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961022180551/http://www.avance.com/ | date=October 22, 1996 | title=http://www.avance.com}}</ref>

== Products ==

Communication network IC products manufactured and marketed by Realtek include: [[network interface controller]]s (both traditional 10/100M and advanced [[gigabit Ethernet]] controllers), [[physical layer]] controllers ([[PHYceiver]]s), [[network switch]] controllers, [[gateway (telecommunications)|gateway]] controllers, [[wireless LAN]] ICs, as well as [[ADSL]] [[router (computing)|router]] controllers. In particular, the RTL8139 series 10/100M Fast Ethernet controllers reached their height during the late 1990s, and continued to take up a significant, and eventually predominant share in the worldwide market in the following years. Those devices categorized as Realtek's computer peripheral IC products consist of the traditional [[AC'97]] [[audio codec]]s, the [[Intel High Definition Audio|High Definition Audio]] codecs, [[Memory card|card reader]] controllers, [[clock generator]]s and [[IEEE 1394]] ICs. Multimedia IC products include LCD Monitor Controllers, LCD TV Controllers and Digital Media Processors.

=== Driver support ===

[[Image:Realtek building.jpg|thumb|275px|right|Realtek Headquarter in Hsinchu Science Park]]

The Realtek Downloads page provides drivers for a variety of operating systems, depending on the chipset, including for Windows, Mac and Linux.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realtek.com/en/downloads|title=Realtek Downloads page|date=4 April 2021|access-date=4 April 2021|language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Notable products ===

Realtek manufactures and sells a wide variety of products throughout the world, and its product lines can be coarsely categorized into two subdivisions: Communications Network ICs, and Computer Peripheral and Multimedia ICs. Among the communications network IC products manufactured and provided by Realtek, included are network interface controllers, both the traditional 10/100M [[Ethernet]] controllers and the more advanced Gigabit Ethernet controllers, [[physical layer]] controllers ([[PHYceiver]]s), [[network switch]] controllers, [[gateway (telecommunications)|gateway]] controllers, [[wireless LAN]] ICs, as well as [[ADSL]] [[router]] controllers. Particularly, the RTL8139 series 10/100M Fast Ethernet controllers met its height during the late 90’s, and continues to take up a significant, and eventually predominant share in the worldwide market in the following years. For those being categorized as Realtek’s computer peripheral and multimedia IC products, comprised are the traditional [[AC97]] [[audio codec]]s, the High Definition audio codecs, [[Memory card|card reader]] controllers, [[clock generator]]s, [[IEEE 1394]] ICs, and [[LCD]] controller.

[[File:Sega-Dreamcast-Broadband-Adapter-Motherboard-T.jpg|thumb|A [[RTL8139|RTL8139C]] chip as seen on a broadband adapter for a [[Sega Dreamcast]] video game console]]

Most notableNotable Realtek products areinclude 10/100M Ethernet controllers, (with a global market share of 70% as of 2003) and audio codecs ([[2003AC'97]], and AC97[[Intel audioHD codecsAudio]]), where Realtek had a 50% market share ofin Realtek2003 isand 50a 60% market share in 2004, primarily concentrated atin the integrated [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]] on-board audio market -segment.<ref>{{cite Presentlyweb |url=http://www.realtek.com/investor/annualDownload.aspx?yr=2004&lang=EN&Lang_id=1 |title=Annual Report 2004 |website=Realtek |access-date=21 August 2015}}</ref> {{As of | 2013}} the ALC850ALC892 HD Audio codec and RTL8139RTL8111 areGigabit Ethernet chip have become particular OEM favorites, offering low prices, and basic feature -sets. RTL8139-based NICs are dubbed "crab cards" ({{lang|zh|螃蟹卡}}) in Taiwan, alluding to the crab-like appearance of the Realtek logo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tw.appledaily.com/property/20190202/V7G3SXSY7BL3TI5G636N7BGA2A/|title=他爆領瑞昱年終破53萬 網驚「真是螃蟹王」|date=2 February 2019|access-date=26 July 2020|language=za-hant}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=陳良榕 |title=靠便宜大碗再搶天下 — 瑞昱 |url=https://www.cw.com.tw/article/5112739 |access-date=2025-02-02 |date=2003-09-01 |issue=282 |work=[[CommonWealth Magazine]] |quote=在台灣、中國大陸，工程師口中的「螃蟹卡」已是網路卡的代名詞。|language=zh }}</ref>

===Chipsets for HD multimedia players and recorders ===

It has been announced or implied, in several different occasions, that Realtek will in the future focus its R&D resources in the fields of [[digital television]] technologies, [[optical storage]] media, as well as more advanced wireless communications technologies such as [[ultra-wide band]] (UWB) communications and the to-be-realized [[802.11n]] standard. It seems clear that Realtek has been setting its eye on pursuing the Holy Grail of the anticipated new applicatons and needs derived from the concept of [[Digital Home]] proposed by [[Intel]].

[[File:Realtek Rega RTG3101.jpg|thumb|EGA graphic card with Realtek RTG3101]]

The increasing popularity of [[HD Media Player|HD media players]] in 2009 led to the entry of Realtek into that market. The first series, the '''1xx3''' models{{efn|For Realtek chipsets the last number in the chipset name indicates the chipset generation. So all chips ending in '3' are 1xx3 (2009) generation and all ending in '5' are 1xx5 (2011) generation.}}

== Awards ==

sold at a lower price than similar quality chipsets of Realtek's competitors. (The main competitors were the Sigma Media Players.)

Realtek produced three major versions of Realtek 1xx3 and several minor variations. The three major 1xx3 chipset versions (1073, 1183, and 1283) all featured the same chip in terms of format support and performance, the only difference being the added ability to record AV sources in the 1283. HD Audio support in the 1xx3 improved through the chipset's life with several revisions. The DD and CC versions of the chipset both added full 7.1 HD-audio support to the chipset.

Realtek's single-chip fast ethernet controller, the RTL8139, receives "Best Component" and "Best of Show" awards at [[Computex]]-Taipei '97. Seven years later, its dual-band triple-mode WLAN solutions, which includes a baseband processor/media access controller RTL8185L and an RF chip RTL8255, again receive “Best Choice of Computex” award at Computex-Taipei 2004.

The 1073 players all built on a common SDK (firmware+OS) provided by Realtek. This meant that they were all essentially similar in performance and interface. It also meant that producing these players was very easy for manufacturers, all they had to do was create the hardware and Realtek provided the software.

== Criticism ==

Key players from the Realtek 1073 era were the original [[Xtreamer]], the Asus O!PlayHD, ACRyan PlayOn and the Mede8er MED500X. Manufacturers released hundreds of Realtek 1073 players.

Realtek's products have sometimes been met with criticism. From the [[kernel (computer science)|kernel]] [[source code|sources]] for the [[FreeBSD]] [[operating system]]:

In early 2011 Realtek released series '''1xx5''', including the 1055, and 1185. These are the successors to the 1073 series. All three chips ran at 500&nbsp;MHz which provided a small performance increase. Otherwise, the chips offered the same comprehensive format support as the previous generation. All chips ran the same Realtek SDK4 Casablanca, which offered improved user-experience (aesthetically, added media indexing, thumbnails...) from the stock SDK. As with the later version of the 1xx8 chipset, full 7.1 HD-audio downmix and passthrough are supported in the 1xx5.

: The RealTek 8139 PCI NIC redefines the meaning of 'low end.' This is probably the worst PCI ethernet controller ever made, with the possible exception of the FEAST chip made by [[SMC]]. The 8139 supports bus-master DMA, but it has a terrible interface that nullifies any performance gains that bus-master DMA usually offers. [...]

Realtek released the next generation of its chipsets, the '''1xx6''' series 1186, in early October 2011. These ran at 750&nbsp;MHz, supported HDMI 1.4, were capable of 3D including 3D ISO, and were able to dual-boot into Android. Key 1186 players include the Mede8er X3D Series (MED1000X3D, MED800X3D, MED600X3D), Xtreamer Prodigy 3D and HiMedia 900B.<ref>

However, [[OpenBSD]] developer [[Theo de Raadt]] praised Realtek:

{{cite web |url=http://www.iboum.com/artkill/chipsets.php |title=Specialist Media Chipset Timeline |website=iboum.com |access-date=25 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613051836/http://www.iboum.com/artkill/chipsets.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 June 2011}}</ref>

== Security breach ==

: The (newish) Realtek Gigabit Ethernet chips are not too bad at all, and there's lots of documentation. So maybe the Taiwanese products are a little bit later to the market, but they are simpler and robust once they do make it to the market. [...]

According to the comprehensive analysis released by [[Symantec Corp|Symantec]] in 2011 regarding the [[Stuxnet]] virus,<ref name="Stuxnet">{{cite book|last1=Falliere|first1=Nicolas|url=http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/media/security_response/whitepapers/w32_stuxnet_dossier.pdf|title=W32.Stuxnet Dossier|last2=Murchu|first2=Liam O|last3=Chien|first3=Eric|date=2011-02-11|work=Symantec Security Response|publisher=Symantec|series=1.4|orig-year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708081604/http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/media/security_response/whitepapers/w32_stuxnet_dossier.pdf|archive-date=2012-07-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> Realtek's digital certificate for Windows was compromised, allowing attackers to digitally sign malicious drivers without users being notified. The certificate was then revoked by [[Verisign]]: ''"The attackers would have needed to obtain the digital certificates from someone who may have physically entered the premises of the two companies'' (Realtek and [[JMicron]]) ''and stole them, as the two companies are in close physical proximity."'' states the report.<ref name="Stuxnet" />

== See also ==

* [[List of companies of Taiwan]]

* [[Realtek Remote Control Protocol]]

== Notes ==

* [[List of Taiwanese companies]]

{{Notelist}}

* [[Sound card]]

* [[Network interface card]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

{{Commons category}}

*[http://www.realtek.com.tw/ Realtek official website]

*{{Official website|https://www.realtek.com/}}

*[http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/products1-1.aspx?lineid=1 List of Realtek network card products]

*[http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/products1-1.aspx?lineid=5 List of Realtek sound card products]

[[Category:{{Electronics companiesindustry ofin Taiwan]]}}

[[Category:Fabless semiconductor companies]]

[[fr{{DEFAULTSORT:Realtek]]}}

[[Category:Computer companies of Taiwan]]

[[sk:Realtek]]

[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]

[[sv:Realtek]]

[[Category:Taiwanese companies established in 1987]]

[[Category:Companies based in Hsinchu]]

[[Category:1998 initial public offerings]]

[[Category:Companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange]]

[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1987]]

[[Category:Semiconductor companies of Taiwan]]

[[Category:Fabless semiconductor companies]]

[[Category:Networking hardware]]

[[Category:Sound cards]]

[[Category:Taiwanese brands]]