Product category:
Design and Development Hardware
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2006-) | Subject: TMS320DM6437 digital video development platform
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 01 March 2007
Video development platform for DM643x
processors
The TMS320DM6437 digital video development platform for DM643x digital media processors bundles a full TMS320DM6437 evaluation module with a full suite of DaVinci development tools and software
Texas Instruments has released the TMS320DM6437 digital video development platform (DVDP) for its DM643x digital media processors The DM6437 DVDP brings the complete DaVinci technology development environment to these processors by bundling a full TMS320DM6437 evaluation module (EVM) with a complete suite of DaVinci development tools and software for less than US $500
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 4 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Combined with the aggressive pricing and performance of the new DM643x processors - as low as $9.95 in volume - the new DM6437 DVDP provides developers with a platform they can use throughout the entire design process to accelerate the development of digital video across a wide range of applications, including in-flight entertainment systems, IP net cameras, video phones and vision systems.
The DM643x digital media processors support DaVinci technology and are powerful enough to perform H.264 video encode at D1 resolution or to run the complete video, audio, networking for a target application like an IP-based network surveillance camera, all at a 50 % cost reduction over TI's previous DSP digital media processors.
The DM6437 DVDP gives developers complete access to the DaVinci software and development infrastructure, easing design of video, imaging, speech and audio applications through simple application programming interfaces (APIs) calls through the DaVinci Codec Engine, which eliminates the need for developers to directly manage codecs.
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"TI is a facilitator of innovation and we believe the best way to meet our commitment to fueling the digital video market is by delivering on the goals of DaVinci technology - integrated video processors, software, development tools and support designed to simplify digital video product development", says Gerard Andrews, DSP Marketing Manager, TI.
"With the DVDP, we've included everything needed to incorporate video and networking functionality into our customers' end products".
"Furthermore, by making this incredible combination of software and hardware available for only $495, we are ensuring that the developers can access this platform with a very small investment".
The DM6437 DVDP provides a suite of development tools and application software available for digital video applications and reduces application development time from months to weeks.
The complete DM6437 DVDP provides the core DaVinci digital video capabilities and development tools, including the DM6437 EVM and DVSDK, in one complete, low-cost platform.
The DM6437 EVM offers multiple expansion slots for extending connectivity to virtually any hardware prototype or peripheral.
The PCI Host Driver expands configuration options for developers by enabling them to plug the DM6437 EVM directly into a PC to use the PC as a host during initial development before prototype hardware is designed and available.
The DM6437 EVM can also be used in a standalone fashion, connected to a PC using onboard emulation, or through a standard JTAG connector.
As an added value to developers embracing the open-source operating-system community, the DM6437 DVDP includes VirtualLogix's Linux at no cost and royalty free.
It also includes an evaluation version of VirtualLogix Real-Time Virtualisation software.
VLX for Digital Multimedia v2.0 combines the performance and existing applications base of TI's DSP/BIOS kernel with the comprehensive networking, GUI and general purpose features of the Linux operating system - all running on a single low-cost DSP.
DM643x developers can evaluate the power of VirtualLogix's VLX for Digital Multimedia v2.0 through a demo application showing Linux and the DSP/BIOS kernel included in the DM643X DVDP.
Rounding out the software offering is the DM6437 SoC Analyser, TI's high-level system tuning and visibility tool which enables developers to visualise SoC streaming data rather than be limited to post-mortem static data analysis.
Capturing and graphically displaying system interactions and load distribution, isolating bottlenecks, identifying unexpected behaviours, and benchmarking application performance, developers are able to maximise efficiency and overall performance while eliminating tedious manual data collection and comparison.
A demonstration of the new DVDP will be featured in booth #107 at the TI Developer Conference (TIDC) held between 7th and 9th March at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.
The DM6437 DVDP (TMDXVDP6437) is currently available in beta for $495.
Codecs and additional software licenses, which are required for production, are available through any of TI's authorised Software Providers (ASPs).
Production Licenses for the VLX for Digital Multimedia, v2.0 are available directly from VirtualLogix.
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