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Product category: Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006) | Subject: TMS320DM642
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 18 September 2002

Digital media processor
for next-generation video

Texas Instruments is claiming the industry's highest performance for its new fully programmable 600MHz digital media processor

Texas Instruments has released the industry's highest performance, fully programmable 600MHz digital media processor, including integrated multimedia and communication peripherals to simplify design and reduce system cost for next generation video solutions. Building on the achievement of TI's TMS320C64x generation of DSPs, this new processor addresses video designers' need to get to market fast with the latest suite of audio and video algorithms.

The device targets video over IP, video-on-demand, multichannel digital video recording applications, and high quality video encoding and decoding solutions.

The TMS320DM642 is fully object code compatible with TI's C64x generation of DSPs, while also offering on-chip integrated, high-definition (HD)-capable video ports, glue less Ethernet, multi-channel audio and 66MHz PCI connectivity.

This level of performance surpasses the traditional media processors and leaves plenty of headroom for increased functionality and systems integration.

For example, the DM642 at 600MHz is capable of processing up to four simultaneous MPEG2 video decodes, D1 (720x480) resolution, at 30 frames per second.

The DM642 is also capable of full main-profile-at-main-level (MP@ML) MPEG-2 video encoding in real time.

'TI's 600MHz DM642 digital media processor, with full software programmability and code compatibility, presents an attractive roadmap option for advancing current appliance product designs to next-generation video solutions', said Dr Frederick Geyer, CEO of VBrick Systems.

'These digital media processors enable the delivery of high quality video over all-digital networks'.

Full software programmability means that customers can rapidly develop their products with the latest algorithms, get them to market fast, and even upgrade them remotely as standards evolve and new software technologies are deployed.

Real-time ISO MPEG2 encoding and decoding software, along with other transcoding and transrating software technologies, are available today.

Thanks to TI's extensive third party network, many algorithms are also available including MPEG 4, H.26L, H.263, AC-3, AAC, MP-3 and more, in addition to streaming media software from key technology partners such as, On2 Technology's VP4, RealVideo 8/RealAudio 8 from Real Networks and Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series encoder.

'TI's new DM642 digital media processor gives our customers a low cost, high-performance option for consumer media appliances using the Windows Media 9 Series platform', said Jonathan Usher, director of marketing, Windows Digital Media Division, Microsoft Corporation.

'Previously, the real-time Windows Media 9 encoder was only available at this performance level on expensive host processors'.

The DM642 offers the lowest system cost for next generation, high performance video solutions, by offering HD capable, glueless BT-656 compliant video and multichannel audio interfaces as well as integrated connectivity interfaces including on-chip, 66MHz PCI and Ethernet.

This enables customers to reduce the cost of their solutions for integration of multiple streams of video.

One example is a digital video recorder application where the DM642 CAN interface directly to as many as six 8bit video encoders or decoders.

IP-based videophones and video-conferencing systems can achieve multichannel H.26x video and audio processing, along with direct Ethernet connectivity by using a single DM642 processor.

'The DM642 brings together the highest performance DSP core in the industry with integrated audio, video and connectivity options that our customers need for reduced system cost and ease of development', said Pradeep Bardia, worldwide marketing manager for TI's DSP Video and Imaging business unit.

'Many of our customers in this market segment trust TI for quality customer support, guaranteed stability of supply in high volume and access to an extensive third party network.

This is very important because many of our current and potential customers are betting their teams and businesses on these emerging applications'.

As the DM642 is fully object code compatible with TI's C64x generation of DSPs, development can start today.

Using the network video developers kit (NVDK) - designed for the TMS320C6000 digital signal processor platform - and TI's Code Composer Studio integrated development environment (IDE), customers can start developing in software today for the DM642.

TI offers a comprehensive set of free video and imaging libraries of optimised kernels to speed customers' development times.

TI also cosponsors a C64x Media Processor Consortium run by the University of Washington that specialises in highly optimised, specialty video and imaging algorithms.

The DM642 will be offered at both 500 and 600MHz clock speeds.

It is scheduled for sampling in late 1Q03, with volume production scheduled for 3Q03.

Pricing starts at $44.95 for DM642-500MHz 10k units.

This is the first C64x-based digital media processor with a roadmap to additional lower cost and higher performance digital media solutions.

Application software, C64x development boards and expressDSP development tools are available today.

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