A review of DVxcel..................................
ednmag.com
Cost-compressed codec targets VCRs
C-Cube has done some price-cutting surgery on its DVexplore codec and come up with DVxcel for use in hard-disk-drive, optical, and tape digital-video recorders (Picture 1, Picture 2). With the DVxcel, C-Cube cut the codec size by using a 0.22-æm process. It also eliminated digital-video-25 support and dual-stream, frame-accurate access capability?features that video-editing applications might value but that are overkill for simpler capture-and-display configurations. Although you need to externally decode audio in hardware or software, DVxcel supports four audio-input and four audio-output ports, audiovisual synchronization, and 1.8- to 10-Mbps constant- and variable-bit-rate video streams. The 308-bump BGA packaging also leaves room for BT.656-format video inputs and outputs; three 8-bit digital-bit-stream- transfer ports; and a 64-bit, 110-MHz synchronous DRAM controller to 8 Mbytes of external memory.
DVexplore and DVxcel also differ in their host-CPU interfaces, using PCI on DVexplore and a generic address and control bus on DVxcel. Unlike some other single-chip codecs, which can encode and decode but not at once, DVxcel simultaneously juggles the two tasks, enabling time-shiftingcapabilities, such as pause, fast-forward, rewind, and instant replay. DVxcel can also capture data transmitted during the video-blanking interval, such as enhanced program-guide information. With less-than-$300 systems in mind, C-Cube prices DVxcel at $29 (250,000 per year) compared with approximately $50 for DV-explore. DVxcel uses a 2V core and supports 3.3V I/O levels.
C-Cube Microsystems , 1-408-944-6300, www.c-cube.com. Circle No. 446
?by Brian Dipert |
