TI Programmable C55x DSPs with Video Extensions and Software Library Enable Rapid Development of Power-Efficient Digital Imaging and Video Applications
HOUSTON, (October 15, 2001) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) announced today a software library of 21 imaging functions that allow designers to rapidly develop power-efficient, digital imaging applications utilizing video hardware extensions designed within the TMS320C5510 and TMS320C5509 DSPs. A single 200 MHz C5510 DSP, available today, can easily perform MPEG4 video encoding and decoding at 30 frames per second in quarter common intermediate format (QCIF) resolution, while consuming only 50 milliwatts of power for applications such as PDAs, digital camcorders, Internet-enabled set-top boxes and other digital imaging and video appliances. http://www.dspvillage.ti.com/c55xpromo4
The new software library developed by Texas Instruments includes C-callable functions (ANSI-C language compatible) to utilize the hardware extensions for core components of MPEG-4, JPEG and MJPEG processing such as discrete cosine transform, motion estimation, pixel interpolation and a library of video operations such as 1-D/2-D pyramid wavelet decomposition and reconstruction. These components are suitable for inclusion in creating eXpressDSP™-compliant algorithms, which will shorten development time in designing high-performance video encode and decode into portable applications. The software library and complete documentation are free and downloadable from the web today. http://www.dspvillage.ti.com/c55xpromo4
The TMS320C55x™ DSP core was created with an open architecture that allows the addition of application-specific hardware to boost performance on specific algorithms. The hardware extensions on the C5510 and C5509 DSPs strike the perfect balance of fixed function performance with programmable flexibility, while achieving low-power consumption, and cost that traditionally has been difficult to find in the video-processor market.
The extensions allow the C5510 and C5509 DSPs to deliver exceptional video codec performance with more than half its bandwidth available for performing additional functions such as color space conversion, user interface operations, security, TCP/IP, voice recognition, and text-to-speech conversion. As a result, a single C5510 or C5509 DSP can power most portable digital video applications with processing headroom to spare.
"Traditional programmable solutions like RISC processors provide more than enough flexibility, but lack the performance to do more than the task at hand," said Marc Guillaumet, product manager, A.T.E.M.E. "On the other end of the spectrum, an ASIC solution provides all of the performance defined for the application, but lacks flexibility. Other DSPs take the approach of using general purpose processing units such as arithmetic logic unit's (ALU) that require special multiple issue instructions and add complexity for the programmer. TI's approach is the best solution in regards to performance and ease of use."
Unlike accelerator units that are attached to a DSP core as a peripheral, the C55x™ DSP is designed so that hardware extensions can be integrated within the core's resources thus allowing them to become part of the core signal flow. An external accelerator requires hardware to be duplicated that already exists in the DSP core and communication overhead to handle the data transferred from the core accelerator. Both requirements can increase latency, degrade chip resource utilization, and increase programming complexity. The C55x DSP core has none of these drawbacks, stripping away roadblocks to optimum circuit design with exceptional imaging and video performance.
"The C5510 and C5509 DSPs incorporates hardware video extensions allowing designers to add imaging and video capabilities to their portable applications," said Christine Wu, TI C55x DSP product marketing manager. "They have been carefully tailored for the C55x DSP generation since we began development of the core. TI will continue developing extensions for other applications in the future."
For portable video and imaging applications that require higher resolution image and video processing, TI offers the TMS320C5000™ DSP based TMS320DSC24 DSP solution. This system-on-a-chip packs the processing power needed to deliver encoding or decoding of real-time video in applications such as streaming video. The DSC24 combines on a single device the ultra-low power TMS320C5000™ DSP to perform real-time media processing and an ARM7TDMI® RISC processor for system control functions.
For high-performance video client and infrastructure solutions, the TI TMS320C6000™ DSP platform, the industry's highest-performance and most flexible fully software programmable DSPs, includes special-purpose instructions tailored for video and imaging applications. It's flexible on-chip memory scheme and high-bandwidth I/O capability are designed to handle dense data streams that are characteristic of high-performance video and imaging applications including video head-end infrastructure equipment, wireless video gateways, digital media centers, streaming media servers and IP-based video phones & other surveillance/netcam type applications.
Proven Development Tools Improve Design Success
The C55x DSP generation is supported by the most complete, field-proven development platform in the industry - eXpressDSP™ real-time software technology. This easy-to-use suite of tools features the Code Composer Studio™ Integrated Development Environment; the DSP/BIOS™ real-time kernel and a large and growing range of application software compliant to the TMS320™ DSP Algorithm Standard from TI's nearly 500-member third-party network.
Designed for the Power-Efficient Needs of Portable Applications
The C5510 and C5509 DSPs combine up to 400 MIPS of processing speed with the industry's lowest power of 0.25 mW/MIPS. The devices provide a seamless, code-compatible migration path from TI's programmable TMS320C54x™ DSP generation - the world's most popular DSP. TI's C55x DSP generation incorporates functions that would otherwise need to be enabled by external devices, thus reducing board space, parts count and overall product cost. This integration combined with the inherent power efficiency of the C55x DSP generation improves battery life up to 70 percent and allows the end product to offer more features in a smaller footprint.
Availability
Samples of the TMS320C5509 DSP at 144 MHz and the TMS320C5510 at 200 MHz are available today. Full production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2002 at a planned price of $18 for the C5509 and $35 for the C5510 in 10,000 unit quantities. The C5509 and C5510 DSP evaluation modules (EVM) are available today for a special introductory price of $995. Complete documentation and technical training are available for free. http://www.dspvillage.ti.com/c55xpromo4
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