LSI announces high-performance accelerator for video processing in data center

MILPITAS, USA: LSI Corp. has announced the Axxia media accelerator, a PCI Express card designed to accelerate video processing for next-generation rich media services.

Based on the industry-proven LSI SP2704 StarPro multicore media processor, the accelerator card and accompanying software are optimized for enterprise and data center video applications, allowing OEMs to add high-performance video processing capability to server platforms.

With the rapid increase of video IP traffic and the growing need to process media applications in the data center, a high-performance and low-power acceleration solution is required.

The Axxia media accelerator card enables OEMs to rapidly deploy cost-effective scalable media processing solutions to meet the demands of next-generation infrastructure. Delivered with a comprehensive software environment, the accelerator card allows OEMs to customize the solution for customer needs.

"The growth of rich media will continue the proliferation of new enterprise video services that require higher-performing and more efficient media processors with highly integrated software," said Will Strauss, principal analyst, Forward Concepts.

"Advanced solutions such as the Axxia media accelerator can enable server OEMs to rapidly supply advanced video capability in data center and enterprise networks."

The Axxia media accelerator card integrates ten SP2704 multicore media processors with software for real-time acceleration of transcoding, transrating, video conferencing and video analytics in a server platform. Compared to today's solutions based on general-purpose processors, the accelerator card can perform video processing up to four times faster while consuming much less power.

Featuring a complete family of voice and video codecs and frameworks, this highly versatile, programmable platform enables support for the latest video applications such as the networking-centric SVC-HD codec. Software for the accelerator card is compatible with the family of LSI media processors, enabling OEMs to seamlessly migrate from the SP2700-based Axxia media accelerator solution to future LSI media processors while protecting existing engineering investments.

"With the emergence of Web 3.0, OEMs will be faced with an avalanche of new video services, rapidly evolving standards and increasing bandwidth demands," said Jon Devlin, DSP product line director, Networking Components Division, LSI.

"The Axxia media accelerator delivers a proven, programmable and scalable hardware solution for data center and enterprise networks that future-proofs network investments and enables the delivery of cost-effective rich media services."
The Axxia media accelerator is immediately available today to server OEMs.