Executives at Newport Beach-based Conexant Systems Inc. are meeting with customers around the clock this week at their suite at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino as part of a push into audio and video.
Chief Executive Sailesh Chittipeddi’s calendar was filled with “hundreds” of meetings as Conexant debuted a new line of chips at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show.
The company launched two chips that enhance audio quality and eliminate peripheral sounds in video streaming through TVs, laptops, ultrabooks and tablets.
“We’re clearly focused on audio and video,” said Chittipeddi. “This year is the first year we’ve had so many things to show in this area.”
Conexant also launched a home surveillance system with a small mounted camera that can be held in one hand.
The company chose the relatively cozy confines of a suite over the exhibitor floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center to pitch its new chips and other products.
Executives held demonstrations of numerous products embedded with Conexant chips, including the highly touted Aakash tablet that sells for less than $35 in India, thanks in part to government subsidies.
Conexant also showed off smart TVs and new, more powerful processors.
Conexant has slowly been moving away from its legacy technologies in set-top boxes and the DSL market in favor of more direct plays in the consumer market, particularly in the growing audio and video segments.
Conexant was taken private by San Francisco-based Golden Gate Private Equity Inc. in a $282 million buyout nearly a year ago.
Conexant also makes chips for multifunction office printers, digital picture frames, PC speakers and other devices.
The company has annual revenue of about $200 million.
