Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006) | Subject: OMAP2430
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 01 December 2005
Handset processor upgrades imaging and
video
A new high-performance processor offers a consumer electronics experience for 3G mobile phones, boosting video performance by up to 4x and imaging performance by up to 1.5x.
Propelling multimedia capabilities for mobile phones, Texas Instruments is sampling a new high-performance OMAP 2-based processor that offers a consumer electronics experience for 3G mobile phones, boosting video performance by up to 4x and imaging performance by up to 1.5x Offering even higher performance than first-generation OMAP 2 processors while at a lower cost, the OMAP2430 application processor provides the ultimate balance between multimedia performance, flexibility, power and cost to give users a higher-quality video experience on the mobile phone
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Additionally, TI is announcing the all-in-one audio/power management companion device to the OMAP2430 processor, the TWL4030, which enables lower power and smaller phone designs.
Together, the OMAP2430 applications processor and TWL4030 reflect TI's commitment to accelerate the pace of innovation for the communications and entertainment era.
The OMAP2430 includes TI's latest generation imaging, video and audio accelerator, the IVA 2, a power-optimised version of the signal processing technology used in TI's recently announced DaVinci technology.
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The IVA 2 accelerator enables a 4x improvement in video performance and 1.5x improvement in imaging performance for noticeably sharper video and images on mobile phones than is possible today.
A programmable engine, IVA 2 enables quick integration of new codec standards, codec enhancements, and stabilisation algorithms for flexibility and differentiation.
The IVA 2 engine is software compatible with TI's DaVinci technology, allowing third parties to attack a broader market space.
Incorporation of IVA 2 allows the OMAP2430 processor to deliver higher resolutions and lower power consumption while providing the consumer electronics experience users are demanding.
Based on TI's high-performance, low leakage 90nm CMOS technology, the OMAP2430 integrates an ARM1136 RISC processor core and dedicated 2D/3D graphics hardware acceleration, in addition to the IVA 2 engine.
System hardware support includes a high-speed USB 2.0 On-the-Go (OTG) interface for significantly faster file transfers on and off the handset, an increasingly important feature as the mobile phone becomes a primary media capture, storage and playback device.
The advanced imaging subsystem supports both parallel and serial cameras and LCDs for design flexibility.
A host of other peripherals are also integrated to minimise phone design size and cost.
"With the new OMAP2430 processor, TI delivers customers the ultimate performance and power efficiency at an even lower cost", said Alain Mutricy, TI's Vice President and General Manager of Cellular Systems, Wireless Terminals Business Unit.
"This increase in performance allows handset manufacturers to bring the entertainment centre to the handset creating more compelling products".
The OMAP2430 manages complex multimedia scenarios for 3G phones - including secure downloadable media streaming and playback, digital video recording, still image capture, video teleconferencing and 3D gaming - to take the coolest features of consumer electronics to the mobile phone.
Driving high-quality TV images to the handset, the OMAP2430 processor supports DVD resolution decode up to 30 frames per second for MPEG4 and Windows Media Video 9 (Microsoft's implementation of VC-1, the proposed SMPTE standard) formats, and up to 30 frames per second VGA resolution decode for H.264 and RealVideo 10.
Support for Windows Media Video 9 (VC-1) and H.264 with their advanced video compression capabilities enables operators to reduce network operating costs by delivering the same level of video quality as previous codecs while requiring only a fraction of the bandwidth.
The OMAP2430 processor's improved Windows Media Video 9 (VC-1) and H.264 performance supports video capture, video playback, and digital TV (DTV) decoding.
Additionally, H.264 supports videoconferencing.
With support of all known mobile DTV decode standards worldwide, the OMAP2430 processor is a perfect companion for TI's "Hollywood" mobile DTV chip.
"The OMAP2430 processor's accelerated performance for next-generation video codecs is fulfilling crucial hardware demands brought on by advancing video capabilities of mobile networks", said Kevin Unangst, Director of Windows Digital Media at Microsoft Corp.
"As Windows Media Video-enabled scenarios continue to gain momentum with network providers, adoption of the latest OMAP 2-based processor by handset manufacturers will ensure consumers have access to best-in-class mobile entertainment experiences".
With this extension of TI's OMAP 2-based high-performance product line, TI is accelerating its leadership position in wireless applications processors even further.
According to leading analyst research firm IDC, TI is ranked number one in application processors, with 67% market share (IDC 2004 "Worldwide applications processor competitive analysis").
As a companion to the OMAP2430, the TWL4030 is an all-in-one audio/power management device designed specifically for mobile phones to maximise battery life and boost system performance.
A highly integrated power management/audio codec device, the TWL4030 combines TI's SmartReflex-compliant voltage regulators and convertors, a high-fidelity audio/voice codec, class-AB/D audio amplifiers, high-speed USB 2.0 OTG transceiver, and battery charger circuitry and much more into a single chip that not only significantly reduces board space, but also system cost.
To further reduce power consumption, the OMAP2430 uses TI's SmartReflex technologies, which are designed to solve mobile phone power and performance management challenges at smaller silicon process nodes, enabling manufacturers to offer sleeker, multimedia mobile devices with long battery life and less heat dissipation.
The OMAP2430 processor was built to include a high level of security with TI's M-Shield security technology, which protects high-value multimedia and gaming content against unauthorised usage, and enables secure mobile transactions such as ticketing, banking, brokering and shopping.
M-Shield technology, the OMAP2430 processor's advanced hardware and software security framework, enables new value-added services and increased terminal security, allowing operators, content providers and manufacturers to secure sensitive assets and usage rights, protecting against revenue loss.
Features include: secure flashing and booting so that only authorised software can be loaded on the handset; terminal identity protection that makes stolen phones useless; and network lock protection that prevents users from arbitrarily switching networks on the web.
Like all of TI's OMAP processors, the OMAP2430 processor is supported by the OMAP Ecosystem, which comprises the OMAP Developers Network, a worldwide network of third-party software and hardware developers, as well as systems integrators and development tool providers.
The OMAP2430 processor has been designed to support all major high level operating systems (HLOS), including Linux, Symbian OS and Windows Mobile, enabling manufacturers and mobile operators to differentiate their products through a rich, easy-to-use and customisable user interface, and a robust and flexible application architecture.
TI was the first wireless system vendor to offer all major HLOS on mobile phones.
As a result, the great majority of smartphones running HLOS are based on the OMAP platform.
TI's OMAP2430 application processor is available in sample quantities now, with production scheduled for the third quarter of 2006.
The TWL4030 will sample by end of 2005 with production scheduled for third quarter 2006.
The OMAP2430 device fully supports package-on-package technology with industry standard memory technology to save board space.
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