Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: I.MX multimedia applications processors
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 23 March 2006
Multimedia processor handles full-duplex
H.264
Full-duplex encoding and decoding of H.264 high-quality video can be performed using Techno Mathematical's proprietary software on Freescale's i.MX multimedia applications processors.
Freescale Semiconductor and Techno Mathematical have succeeded in full-duplex encoding and decoding H.264 high-quality video using Techno Mathematical's proprietary software on Freescale's i.MX multimedia applications processors In addition, the companies have implemented a highly efficient playback function for Windows Media format
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Motorola drives for driver information systems
Motorola is developing a family of microcontrollers for the driver information systems (DIS) market.
MCU and DSP features combine in Flash hybrids
The 56F826 and 56F827 are Motorola's newest Flash-based hybrid controllers.
H.264 is a next-generation video encoding/decoding standard and is adopted for mobile terrestrial digital video one-segment broadcasting and next-generation DVD devices.
H.264 is also one of the most likely standards for encoding/decoding for next-generation IP videophones.
Windows Media is the most widely used PC format for encoding and decoding multimedia.
Further reading
DSP56800 design software comes for free
Motorola is offering a complimentary licence of the award-winning Metrowerks CodeWarrior for DSP56800 integrated development environment (IDE) with the purchase of a DSP56800 evaluation module.
Best-in-class claim for new DragonBalls
Motorola claims its two new DragonBall microprocessor products - DragonBall MX1 and DragonBall Super VZ - provide best-in-class handheld performance and battery life.
Long-life Flash rivals EEPROM for microcontrollers
The latest Flash MCUs from Motorola offer typically 100,000 write/erase cycles and 50-year data retention.
The VC-1 standard, which is being reviewed for mobile terrestrial digital video broadcasting by the North American region, is the international video encoding/decoding standard based on Windows Media Video 9.
It is also specified as a standard format for next-generation DVD devices.
Freescale and Techno Mathematical achieved full-duplex encoding and decoding of H.264 video format (QCIF 15 fps) by running Techno Mathematical's H.264 codec software on Freescale's i.MX21 multimedia applications processor, operating at 266MHz.
The companies achieved simultaneous decoding of the Windows Media video/audio format by running the Techno Mathematical's high-speed Windows Media decoder on Freescale's i.MX21 processor.
The combination of Freescale's high-performance, low-power i.MX21 processor and Techno Mathematical's innovative algorithm software effectively enables difficult functions and allows playback of multimedia files in the Windows Media format without decoding hardware.
Functions such as the H.264 type video phone and concurrent recording and playback of one-segment broadcast programmes are considered very difficult to implement on traditional mobile platforms.
"By collaborating with Techno Mathematical, we have an effective environment to supply H.264 mobile terrestrial digital video broadcasting or multimedia format in the Windows Media solutions", said Akihide Usui, General Manager of the Consumer Business Group, Freescale Semiconductor Japan.
"As a result of Freescale and Techno Mathematical's continuous partnership, we were able to encode and decode H.264 video and Windows Multimedia format, like VC-1 playback on the i.MX21 processor", said Masafumi Tanaka, President of Techno Mathematical.
Conventionally, full-duplex encoding/decoding of H.264 format video has required a high frequency CPU or a DSP with a very high, battery-killing operating frequency or dedicated hardware.
This has made it difficult to implement smooth encoding/decoding of H.264 format video with only a mobile applications processor and software due to the large amount of operations required for encoding and decoding H.264 video (particularly for encoding).
In addition, the applications processors for mobile devices are required to operate at lower power, making it difficult to raise the operating frequency.
Techno Mathematical's H.264 codec software, which is based on its innovative DMNA algorithm, solved this problem by significantly reducing necessary operations for encoding and decoding.
Combining the software with Freescale's i.MX21 processor's versatility, high speed datarate and Smart Speed Technology, resulted in a new system that full-duplex encodes and decodes H.264 format video at 15 frame/s QCIF.
The Windows Media format is an excellent encoding/decoding method with a high compression/decompression rate.
However, it has a long history as a proprietary standard of Microsoft.
Thus, it has been difficult to reduce code size for embedded devices while improving Windows Media software performance.
Techno Mathematical's innovative DMNA algorithm solved this problem by significantly reducing necessary operations for high-speed Windows Media playback and WMV/WMA decoding software.
Freescale's i.MX 21 processor, which supports Windows CE and other operating systems, helped build a new system to decode multimedia files in the Windows Media format.
Freescale and Techno Mathematical have been collaborating to supply solutions to their mutual customers in Japan and other countries.
The companies plan to continue collaboration to cope with terrestrial digital video broadcasting standards in various countries and to supply solutions for next-generation videophones, VoIP and automotive information systems.
Freescale provides comprehensive high-quality platforms and solutions for mobile and automotive information systems around its widely adopted i.MX processor family.
Techno Mathematical extensively supplies multimedia encoding/decoding software products, based on its proprietary and highly mathematical algorithm "DMNA", targeted for mobile phone, digital still camera, monitoring camera and automotive navigation system.
• Freescale Semiconductor: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
