Realtek

Lore & Background

Realtek was founded in October 1987 and listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 1998. It acquired Avance Logic, a hardware manufacturer founded in 1991 in Fremont, California, as early as 1995. Avance Logic focused on low-cost, highly integrated components for OEMs, developing 2D graphics and audio, and a 3D accelerator in the mid-1990s that was not widely used. Avance Logic remained an independent subsidiary until the end of 2002, when it was integrated into Realtek. Realtek's audio solutions are based on Avance Logic technology, recognizable by the prefixes 'ALG' (Avance Logic Graphics) and 'ALS' (Avance Logic Sound).

Realtek's product lines include network interface controllers (such as the RTL8139 series 10/100M Fast Ethernet controllers, which reached their height in the late 1990s and later took a predominant global market share), physical layer controllers, switch controllers, gateway controllers, wireless LAN ICs, and ADSL router controllers. Computer peripheral ICs include AC'97 and High Definition Audio codecs, card reader controllers, clock generators, and IEEE 1394 ICs. Multimedia ICs include LCD monitor controllers, LCD TV controllers, and digital media processors.

In 2009, Realtek entered the HD media player market with the 1xx3 series chipsets (1073, 1183, 1283), which sold at lower prices than competitors such as Sigma Media Players. The 1073 players all used a common SDK provided by Realtek, making production easy for manufacturers. Key players from that era included the Xtreamer, Asus O!PlayHD, ACRyan PlayOn, and Mede8er MED500X. In early 2011, Realtek released the 1xx5 series (1055, 1185) running at 500 MHz, and in October 2011 the 1xx6 series (1186) running at 750 MHz, supporting HDMI 1.4, 3D including 3D ISO, and dual-boot into Android.

Reader's Guide

Realtek's significance lies in its pervasive presence in consumer and OEM computing hardware. By 2003, its 10/100M Ethernet controllers held a 70% global market share, and its audio codecs (AC'97 and Intel HD Audio) commanded 50% in 2003 and 60% in 2004, primarily in the integrated OEM on-board audio segment. The ALC892 HD Audio codec and RTL8111 Gigabit Ethernet chip became particular OEM favorites due to low prices and basic feature sets. The RTL8139-based NICs are colloquially called 'crab cards' in Taiwan, referencing the crab-like appearance of the Realtek logo.

Realtek's entry into HD media players in 2009 with the 1xx3 series disrupted the market by offering lower-priced chipsets with comparable format support. The 1xx3 chipsets (1073, 1183, 1283) shared the same core performance, with the 1283 adding AV recording capability. Later revisions added full 7.1 HD-audio support. The 1xx5 series improved performance and user experience via the SDK4 Casablanca firmware, while the 1xx6 series added HDMI 1.4 and 3D support.

In 2011, Symantec reported that Realtek's digital certificate for Windows was compromised in the Stuxnet attack, allowing attackers to sign malicious drivers. The certificate was revoked by Verisign. The report suggested the certificates may have been physically stolen from Realtek's premises, as the company is in close physical proximity to JMicron, another affected company.

Did You Know?

• Realtek's RTL8139-based NICs are nicknamed 'crab cards' in Taiwan due to the crab-like appearance of the company logo.
• Realtek acquired Avance Logic in 1995, and its audio solutions are based on Avance Logic technology, using the 'ALS' prefix.
• The Realtek 1283 chipset added the ability to record AV sources, while the 1073 and 1183 did not.