TI's TMS320DM368 DaVinci video processor offers full HD video

DALLAS, USA: Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) has extended the range of its DM36x DaVinci generation of portable encoding solutions to support full HD 1080p H.264 encoding with the new TMS320DM368 video processor.

The DM368 is well suited for many video-based applications, including HD video cameras, real-time digital video recorders (DVRs), HD video communications systems and digital signage.

Besides support for higher video resolutions, customers also benefit from a more than 40 percent boost in ARM performance enabling advanced application programming interfaces (APIs) for high definition (HD) video processing and sophisticated user experiences.

The DM368 provides multi-format HD video, including VC1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MJPEG and H.264 up to 1080p at 30 frames per second (fps) encoding. Multi-format decode, multi-rate multi-stream and HD multi-channel are also supported. Audio, speech and other HD video codecs are available for the DM368 to allow greater flexibility and decreased design complexity.

Because the DM368 is pin-to-pin and software compatible enabling a full line of products from D1, 720p and up to 1080p 30 with TI's TMS320DM365 DaVinci video processor, it allows TI customers to build scalable product lines that support a variety of codecs and leverage their DM365 investments to accelerate their design cycle and time-to-market.

TMS320DM368 DaVinci video processor features and benefits:
* ARM926EJ-S core delivers a more than 40 percent boost –- up to 432 MHz -– while offloading the video encode/decode functions to the integrated HD video accelerators for optimal system performance.
* Integrated peripherals (EMAC, USB 2.0 Phy, 16-bit DDR2, 16 KHz voice codec, real time clock and three 10-bit DACs) for smaller board size and system cost savings of more than 20 percent.
* Royalty free, production-ready, standalone audio and speech codecs (MP3, WMA, AAC LC, G.711, and an acoustic echo canceller) and multi-format, multi-rate, multi-stream HD video with royalty free video codecs (H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 JPEG, and VC1/WMV9) to decrease design complexity and accelerate time-to-market.
* Extended temperature versions available for the DM368 processor, as well as the DM365 processor, allowing a temperature range of minus 40 degrees to 85 degrees Celsius.

TMS320DM368 DaVinci video processor development tools:
Digital Video Recorder (DVR) reference design.
* DVR reference design available from UDWorks is a comprehensive and cost-effective tool that executes simultaneous record, playback, live view, storage, streaming and display.
* Contains advanced features such as auto contrast and white noise filtering to prevent customers from needing to add an additional host processor, which saves on costs and development time – 160 man months to only four months.
* Includes multi-channel support with four D1 encode enabling four channel DVS and eight CIF decode at 30 fps enabling eight channel DVR, Windows PC-based video management software and royalty free Linux-based DVR application including source code for specific customization and differentiation.
Integrates with TI's TVP5158 video recorder to capture multi-channel video inputs.

IP net camera
* DM368IPNC-MT5 IP net camera reference design available from Appro Photoelectron Inc. has the flexibility to support a variety of video formats, including:
-- H.264 high, main and base profile 1080p at 30 fps or 720p at 60 fps.
-- MPEG-4 up to 720p at 60 fps and MJPEG at 5 MP at 15 fps.
-- Tri-streaming with multi-format support.
* Extremely low power design, which includes a TI Power over Ethernet (PoE) solution (TPS23753) and contains TI's on-chip, fifth generation image signal processing (ISP) solution, eliminating the need for an external ISP, expensive optics or custom algorithms.
* ISP software implementations provide video stabilization, face detection, noise filtering, auto white balance, auto exposure and edge enhancement and more.

Video communication and camera development kits
* Nearing release are two video development kits for the DM368, which are targeted at camera applications, such as video conferencing, Web cameras, interactive signage and other low-cost embedded video communications products

The TMS320DM368 DaVinci video processor is available for sampling and is priced at $29 in 1,000 unit quantities (1ku) from TI and TI authorized dealers.

Customers can leverage the pin-to-pin and software compatibility of the DM365 platform and immediately begin development using the TMDXEVM365 EVM which is also available for order entry now priced at USD $595. Also available is the TMS320DM365 DVSDK v. 3.10 with Linux open source code.

TI also provides a full complement of analog ICs, such as power management, video and audio amplifiers and data converters, touch-screen controllers, interface, clocks, low-power RF and logic devices.