Interesting find by CompEngineering on RB.
By: CompEngineering $$$$
Reply To: None Monday, 17 Jul 2000 at 11:21 AM EDT
Post # of 387209
BOOM! DOT DOT DOT DOT!
biz.yahoo.com
Texas Instruments Delivers First Fully-Programmable DSP-Based Solution To Digital Still Camera Market
New Single-Chip Solution Turns Digital Shutterbugs Into Multi-Media Mavens
DALLAS, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again proving that if it is worth doing, it is worth doing with a digital signal processor (DSP), Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN - news; TI) has revolutionized the digital still camera market by introducing it to fully programmable DSP-based solutions. TI, the world leader in DSP and analog, today unveiled the first of these innovations, a single-chip processor that transforms the popular cameras into multi-media Internet appliances.
The new solution, the TMS320DSC21(TM) chip, draws upon the power and performance of DSPs to enhance the digital still camera's functionality. In addition to capturing high-resolution still photos with a fast shot-to-shot delay, cameras with TI technology will be able to record video clips with audio, and download and play music from the Internet. The chip supports the broadest offering of popular digital audio and video formats including real- time MPEG1, MPEG4, JPEG, MJPEG, H.263 and MP3, as well as data communication standards such as IrDA, USB, and RS-232.
``TI's new digital still camera chip provides an unprecedented amount of computing power by employing market-specific multimedia accelerators for concurrent processing with a fully programmable DSP,'' said Will Strauss, president, Forward Concepts. ``We believe that this approach provides camera manufacturers with the functionality they require and the flexibility to differentiate their products in addressing several target markets.''
The bar is further raised by the flexibility and upgradeability that TI DSPs offer. Consumers will be able to add advanced features to their digital cameras by downloading and installing the latest software from the manufacturer's Website. This upgradeable functionality will enable extended features in the future that may not have been installed on the camera but are already present on the chip, such as a digital audio player.
This level of programmability is also vital to manufacturers who can use a single image processing engine, the TMS320DSC21 chip, to develop an entire family of digital still cameras from entry-level models to advanced designs. The programmability of the DSC21 allows manufacturers to keep up with changing standards and continuously realize their innovations in image quality by optimizing software. These capabilities are unique to a programmable DSP- based solution, in which camera functions are enabled in software and can be easily changed. In contrast, a hardware-based solution requires a new application-specific device to be created each time modifications or enhancements are made. This flexibility translates into greatly reduced development time and costs while enabling broad product differentiation: all crucial elements to success in a growth industry.
``The digital still camera market is expected to grow at a compound average growth rate of 44.6% between 1999 to 2004,'' said Ron Glaz, market analyst at IDC. ``Given the introduction of a fully programmable DSP-based solution demonstrating multiple functions, TI is directing the market to diversify and expand into new directions of video and audio.''
TI expects applications for the new chip to continue to evolve. The chip's future roadmap includes support of advanced image processing in other end equipment areas, including scanners, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless devices, digital video camcorders and photo printers.
``The introduction of the DSC21 is part of the company's overall strategic focus to proliferate DSPs into high-growth areas such as imaging,'' said Kun Lin, Vice President of the WW Imaging Business Unit, Texas Instruments. ``We expect that the combination of TI's world leading DSP technology, innovative software solutions and imaging systems know-how will have a profound impact in the digital still camera space, in addition to the converging Internet appliance space.''
The TMS320DSC21 is a digital still camera system on a single chip that combines a TMS320C5000(TM) DSP and an ARM7TDMI® RISC processor to perform the media processing and system control functions. The chip integrates a video encoder with on-screen display, SDRAM controller with a bandwidth transfer rate of 320 Mb/sec., a preview engine that performs 30 frame-per- second NTSC and PAL previewing, and can also achieve real time frame capture in burst mode to the full resolution of the 2 Mpixel image sensor.
Samples of the DSC21 are available today and production devices are expected to be available Q42000. Price in quantities of 100,000 pieces or more is expected to be less than $15.
Safe Harbor Statement: Statements contained in this press release regarding the performance of the announced digital signal processors, digital still camera market growth and other statements of management's beliefs, goals and expectations may be considered ``forward-looking statements'' as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. Expectations of product performance are based on testing and simulations by TI. Expectations of digital still camera market growth are based on analyst reports compiled by International Data Corporation. Please refer to TI's most recent Form 10-K for more information on the risks and uncertainties that could materially affect future results of operations. The company disclaims any intention or obligations to update any forward-looking statement as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.
Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet Age. The company's businesses also include materials and controls, and educational and productivity solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at ti.com.
Please refer all reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated
Semiconductor Group, SC-00104
Literature Response Center
P. O. Box 954
Santa Clara, CA 91380
1-800-477-8924, ext. 4500
TMS320C5000 is a trademark of Texas Instruments Incorporated. TMS320DSC21 is a trademark of Texas Instruments Incorporated.
ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. ARM, Thumb, ARM Powered and StrongARM are registered trademarks of ARM Limited. ARM7, ARM9 and ARM10 are trademarks of ARM Limited.
SOURCE: Texas Instruments Incorporated |
