Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Sharp Microelectronics | Subject: BlueStreak
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 17 February 2006
MCUs integrate codec for graphics
acceleration
By incorporating an innovative codec developed by Actimagine, Sharp's SoC devices realise a fourfold increase in video decompression rates without any additional power consumption.
Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas is working with software developer Actimagine to increase video performance for its ARM7- and ARM9-based portfolio of BlueStreak microcontrollers By incorporating an innovative codec developed by Actimagine, Sharp's SoC devices realise a fourfold increase in video decompression rates without any additional power consumption
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 6 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
BlueStreak SoC drives multimedia toy
A design win for the new Fisher-Price Pixter Multi-Media portable device affirms Sharp's position as a cost-effective design solution source for video-intensive products.
Novel LCD technology takes drivers on substrate
Sharp's innovative Continuous Grain Silicon (CG-Silicon) technology has been designed into a new line of Viewcam digital camcorders from Sharp Electronics Corp.
Anticipating the growing market demand for increased media performance, Sharp Microelectronics has leveraged its IC expertise with Actimagine's software technology to deliver advanced performance solutions for video device designs.
These improvements open new possibilities for media-rich electronic devices by achieving higher video performance without switching to a higher performance processor or increasing overall power consumption.
These enhanced SoCs are ideal for portable media devices, including those with vector graphics content.
Further reading
Reference designs are ready for mobile multimedia
Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas has developed two new reference designs to address the growing category of portable multimedia applications.
SoC development is tailored to China
Sharp Microelectronics has expanded its technical and customer support for Chinese engineering customers designing with its microcontroller and system-on-chip products.
SoC and LCD are perfect mates for chess machine
MonRoi has employed a combination of hardware, software and technical support from Sharp in creating its Chess Manager.
"Sharp Microelectronics and Actimagine have been collaborating worldwide for over two years to help our customers meet their time to market demands for cost-effective high quality video and gaming products", said Al Franceschino, Senior Business Development Manager for Sharp's Bluestreak line.
"The synergy between Actimagine's software IP and Sharp's SoC line has enhanced our ability to deliver complete system-level solutions to our customers while reducing their total bill of materials".
Actimagine's software codec features a powerful new decompression method designed for general-purpose microcontrollers.
A side-by-side comparison of Actimagine's codec with an MPEG4 codec allowed Sharp's family of SoCs to render four times more pixels at the same frame rate and quality.
Sharp's ARM7-based MCUs can now support vector graphics at 30frame/s and video at 24frame/s on a QVGA screen at 77MHz; its ARM9-based MCUs can run vector graphics at 30frame/s and video at 24frame/s on a VGA screen at 266MHz - all with excellent audio quality.
"Power consumption is critical in the portable electronics market, with consumers demanding more functionality in an increasingly smaller form factor".
"Actimagine designed this codec to make optimal use of the available power, rather than requiring additional power", said Andre Pagnac, Chief Executive Officer, Actimagine.
"Sharp's platforms are a good fit for Actimagine's software".
"When compared with architectures with similar process speeds, Sharp returns better performance".
"Additionally, Sharp's leadership in LCD and system solutions for video-centric applications gives us access to the fast-growing mobile electronics market".
Designers can take advantage of these new enhanced SoCs in two key ways.
They can achieve target frame rates and resolution using lower-cost and less-complex SoCs.
Consequently, they don't have to design in a new processor to add video functionality to a product.
Products using ARM7 cores are now video capable.
This better performance is attained without additional power, giving a longer battery life to portable devices.
Conversely, design engineers can lower hardware requirements to achieve the same resolution.
By decreasing the operating frequency of the controller, customers can reduce both electromagnetic interference (EMI) and cost by using a less complex SoC.
This scenario extends the lifespan of an SoC to meet next-generation performance demands.
For example, both ARM7 and ARM9 MCUs can run fully interactive vector graphics with sound at 24frame/s.
Additionally, mobile phones and video media players can run smooth games beginning with an ARM7 MCU with 77MHz.
Applications The improved video capabilities will benefit consumer electronic products such as smart toys, portable game devices, and portable media players.
Other ideal applications include end-of-aisle displays, digital signage, and kiosks.
"Video and display screens are now an integral part of electronic designs across several markets".
"As such, the connection between software and hardware is a key differentiating factor for a company whose customers face increasingly tight time to market and system cost challenges", said Noel Giamello, Senior Director, Systems Solutions Business Unit for Sharp Microelectronics.
"We are pleased to be among the first MCU companies to work with Actimagine, whose technologies can only continue to enhance the performance of Sharp's powerful product offerings".
This technology is also advantageous for proprietary content owners.
The media device must have this codec in order to decompress and play the video.
The Actimagine video encoder generates the Actimagine video format, called "VX".
This software encoder converts any video format such as MPEG4, AVI, and WMV into Actimagine VX format.
The VX encoder is available as stand-alone PC software, as a server version for "on-the-fly" video conversion and mass conversion, and as a software library for integration in other video production.
The Actimagine video format offers an additional layer of protection against piracy.
Sharp Microelectronics and Actimagine will continue to collaborate on R and D activities for future ICs to remain ahead of customers' design requirements and to investigate business opportunities to support customers.
• Sharp Microelectronics: 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
