Analog is Everywhere

News Release from: Ambarella
Subject: A2 platform
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 9 January 2007

SoC packages HD camcorder on a chip

Second-generation low-power platform is targeted at high-definition camcorder, HD capable hybrid digital cameras and H.264/AVC encoding applications.

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Ambarella has announced its second-generation low-power A2 platform targeted at high-definition (HD) camcorder, HD capable hybrid digital cameras and H.264/AVC encoding applications. The A2 HD H.264/AVC SoC enables the development of full high-resolution camcorders at the highest image quality as well as the introduction of hybrid cameras that combine multimegapixel still pictures with full resolution HD video. Ambarella's A2 is the first single chip H.264 codec capable of encoding full 1080i HD at 1920 pixels per line resolution.

In addition, the A2 integrates an image processing pipeline, still image compression, audio compression and all key system functions.

The Ambarella A2 platform has extremely low operating power with a 40% power saving over its predecessor, A1 and increased system integration that makes the high-definition experience a reality for mainstream consumers.

The A2 platform is based on the H.264/AVC video compression standard, which is the next generation of video compression technology.

Ambarella's patent-pending platform delivers a 2.5x compression gain over current MPEG-2/4 solutions, providing the efficiency required to store HD video content in convenient Flash-based memory, hard disk drive or recordable DVD.

The Ambarella platform programmability enables implementation of multiple formats for HD video such as the recently introduced AVCHD specification for HD camcorder as well as the formats commonly used on PC platforms.

'Our A2 platform is the first to deliver full 1080i high-definition video with a resolution of 1920 x 1080', said Dr Fermi Wang CEO of Ambarella.

'A2 opens the way to a small-size low-power, high-quality HD camcorder - something that has eluded the industry for quite a while'.

Ambarella has taken a leading position in the broadcast infrastructure market providing HD and SD H.264 encoder solution based on its single-chip consumer encoder.

One might ask: 'Why use a 'consumer' chip for the infrastructure market?'.

Ambarella's H.264 encoder provides state of the art video compression efficiency, Video cameras need the best possible compression to transition from tape to solid state (Flash memory) storage, and broadcast industry needs the best possible compression to maximise the number of channels that can be transmitted.

In addition the low power of consumer chip is a huge breakthrough also for infrastructure because reduced form factor and low power consumption are important in today's broadcast equipment.

The Ambarella A2 processor can encode full 1080 x 1920 60i resolution HD in a single chip and enables the design of broadcast encoders with increased picture quality while the low power and high integration allows a smaller form factor and reduced power consumption.

From small low-power camcorders to the HD broadcast infrastructure, the ability to capture and compress full HD in a single chip with less than one Watt of power consumption and using only a single 16bit-wide DRAM is a significant breakthrough - even more so when one realises that the picture quality is outstanding and meets the exacting requirements of broadcasters.

The Ambarella A2 platform provides a family of solutions covering consumer and professional use.

The A2 platform is available in multiple configurations for differing requirements, including camcorder, hybrid cameras, security cameras and broadcast infrastructure.

Evaluation kits are available and pricing information can be obtained from Ambarella.

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