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Texas Instruments DaVinci™ Technologies Doubles System Performance with a $40 System BOM Reduction for Video Security and Surveillance Applications


WEBWIRE

New DaVinci processors for multi-channel video security and infrastructure applications provide seamless DSP migration path and codec customization

HOUSTON, TX.- Continuing to drive innovation in the digital video market with leading-edge silicon, software, tools and support, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) has introduced two new DaVinci technology-based digital signal processors (DSPs) for multi-channel video security and infrastructure applications, including digital video recorders (DVR), IP video servers, machine vision systems and high-performance imaging applications. Based on TI’s latest TMS320C64x+TM DSP core, the TMS320DM647 and TMS320DM648 DSPs provide a seamless migration path for existing video processing applications based on the TMS320DM642, offering twice the performance at a lower overall cost. The new processors integrate new functionalities leading to a $40 reduction in video system bill of materials (BOM). For more information, please visit: www.ti.com/dm648pr.

Combined, these innovations give customers the power to create highly differentiated video systems products that can process more channels simultaneously at a lower cost per channel. Additionally, the programmable architecture of DaVinci technology provides a framework for supporting highly differentiated functionalities - including dual streaming, video analytics, customized codecs and emerging compression standards - which are difficult and cost-prohibitive to implement in application specific signal processor (ASSP)-based solutions.

IMS Research reports that the network video surveillance market, a key target for the new processors, jumped significantly in 2006 with a notable 41.9 percent increase and is expected to grow for several years.

“The market for network cameras has the potential to grow even faster than this, however, new technologies generally take a while to gain acceptance as the security industry is very resistant to change,” said Simon Harris, research director for IMS Research. “TI is taking a proactive step towards overcoming this challenge by educating the market about the many benefits of network video surveillance with the introduction of DSPs that allow customers to create complex network video applications, such as network DVRs and NVRs, that feature advanced video analytic technologies and have the flexibility to process more video channels simultaneously. The demand for hybrid DVRs is growing as they allow customers to record both analog and network cameras.”

Migration Path to Outstanding Price/Performance

Maintaining its commitment to continually drive innovation in digital video by designing silicon, software, tools and support optimized to meet specific market needs, TI recently released four TMS320DM643x processors providing a 50 percent cost reduction for cost-sensitive applications and three TMS320DM644x processors offering greater integration for consumer media applications. With the DM647 and DM648 announced today, TI extends the original DM64x product roadmap by delivering new high performance DSPs that also benefit from the cost reduction and integration of previous DaVinci processors.

“With improvements such as higher performance and better code density, TI couldn’t have made it easier - or more compelling - for us to migrate to the DM648,” said Hu Yangzhong, general manager, Hikvision. “The on-chip video and imaging coprocessor, video ports, and integrated SGMII port all contribute to an impressive reduction in system BOM cost. Now we are able to double the performance of our existing products while reducing our overall manufacturing cost.”

Customers also have access to production-ready application software, the industry’s most comprehensive digital video development platform, and TI’s extensive network of Authorized Software Providers (ASP) to assist developers in getting to market faster with more reliable products. The new DSPs are the first DaVinci processors enabled by XDS560TM Trace module, a non-intrusive, hardware-based trace tool offering advanced visibility and capabilities for debugging the specialized problems that arise in high-performance, real-time embedded applications. Trace can be further utilized to fine-tune code performance and cache optimization of complex multi-channel applications.

Unparallel Performance and Flexibility

Several innovations contribute to the DM648 DSP’s two-fold increase in performance when compared to the DM642 processor. The C64x+TM core provides 20 percent better cycle performance, 20 to 30 percent higher code density, twice as many 16-bit MMACs per cycle, four times the EDMA bandwidth and is 100 percent code compatible with the C64xTM core. The DM648’s increase in clock speed and faster H.264 processing due to the integrated Video and Imaging Coprocessor (VICP) increases performance at almost the same price as the DM642.

The new processor reduces system BOM by more than $40 compared to the DM642 processor: two extra video ports remove the need for a $7 video multiplexer, the integrated SGMII port with switch interconnects up to four devices to provide the functionality of an $8 PCI bridge, and an approximately $25 FPGA required for video preprocessing like color space conversion, resizing, de-interlacing, etc. is eliminated by an on-chip VICP. With the extended functionality and programmability of TI DSPs, designers can eliminate the need to consider expensive and constraining FPGAs and can instead focus their resources on further product differentiation. The DM648 offers 512 KB of L2 cache and two Ethernet MACs with a switch while the DM647 has 256 KB of L2 cache and one Ethernet MAC port.

The new processors also support dual streaming, allowing both a monitoring and a recording stream for every video channel. Dual streaming is a critical feature for digital video applications since high-quality streams recorded to hard disk drives (HDD) or network-attached storage (NAS) require different processing than lower quality monitoring streams intended for immediate viewing in the security control booth.

The high performance DM647 and DM648 DSPs further extend the ways in which developers can differentiate their products through sophisticated features and functionality. TI and members of its DSP Third Party Network provide leading-edge video analytics technology - including object recognition and tracking - as well as support for customizing codecs to implement security-specific modifications, such as adjusting bit rate and quality or providing codec information for security identification. Additional optimized codecs and a video security media system that offer multi-channel, high resolution and low latency features are also available from Ittiam Systems.

The VICP, an instruction-based engine that provides front-end preprocessing, works in parallel to the main DSP core and includes the VICP Functional Library with efficient color-space conversion, image resizing and de-interlacing functionality. It will be available with the release of the Beta-version DM648 Digital Video Development Platform (DVDP), which has multi-channel codecs, all the software necessary to build a complete video processing system, and DM648-based hardware developed by industry leader Lyrtech. The DVDP also utilizes complementary components, including the TVP5154 video decoder from TI, and provides an efficient platform for evaluation of DaVinci technology to jumpstart product development.

Availability and Pricing

Sampling in June, the 720 MHz version of the TMS320DM647 DSP will cost $39.95 with the TMS320DM648 DSP priced at $49.95 in quantities of 10,000 units. The Beta DVDP will be available in early 3Q 2007 and will quickly be followed by general availability of the DVDP, through TI’s worldwide distribution channels.



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