TI implements H.265 on KeyStone multicore DSPs to deliver high- performing, differentiated real-time video infrastructure solutions

LAS VEGAS (08 Apr 2013)

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today announced the availability of a pre-production codec based on the industry’s newest video encoding standard, H.265. This codec is optimized for TI’s TMS320C6678 KeyStone-based multicore digital signal processor (DSP). The H.265 standard has been designed to take advantage of parallel processing, making the C6678 multicore DSP an ideal platform for H.265 implementation via its eight 1.25 GHz DSP cores capable of delivering 320 GMACs and 160 GFLOPs of combined fixed- and floating-point performance.

TI’s software-based implementation of the H.265 standard offers customers plenty of room to add differentiation in the codec and other pre- and post-processing algorithms. In addition, TI’s design provides flexibility and scalability in developing real-time video infrastructure equipment such as multimedia gateways, IMS media servers, video conferencing servers and video broadcast equipment. Customers can harness a pool of C6678 multicore DSPs to achieve flexibility in creating products that can scale across a number of dimensions such as video resolution, bit rates and quality. With a fully programmable approach, customers can amortize their platform investment across their entire product portfolio as well as keep up with the standard as it evolves and gains widespread acceptance.

“We are proud to support TI’s software-based implementation of H.265,” said Aaron Caldwell, CEO, Z3 Technology. “Our module, built on TI’s C6678 multicore DSP, will enable customers to quickly integrate H.265 technology into their product line at an affordable price and short development schedule. We have a long and storied history with TI’s DaVinciTM family of processors and are very excited to now extend our technology and customer-base utilizing TI’s KeyStone-based C6678 multicore DSPs. Our C6678 system not only provides our customers access to H.265, but also provides support for JPEG-2000, H.264 HBR and H.264 4:2:2.”

“The highly-efficient video coding algorithms employed in TI’s H.265 codec are optimized for execution on Advantech’s DSPC-8681 and DSPC-8682 PCIe cards to help customers accelerate the evolution of their media processing solutions,” said David Lin, Senior Director DSP Solutions, Advantech. “Our customers can upgrade their installed base to H.265 with no extra hardware costs while new solutions can be quickly deployed with greater density and lower cost- per-channel.”

H.265 is an attractive video encoding standard for customers needing to relay more high- definition video as it uses up to 50 percent less bandwidth, or two times compression, over the current H.264 standard while providing the same video quality. Because H.265 uses less bandwidth than existing standards, customers can utilize the existing infrastructure to deliver more video, which will reduce network operating costs for video delivery, making HD and ultra- HD streaming a reality.

The performance of the C6678 coupled with TI’s tools, software and support help ease and accelerate video infrastructure development. For example, by simply plugging in a PCIe-based commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) card in a Linux desktop, customers can get to their development rapidly by using a video-based multicore software development kit (MCSDK- video) from TI. To further ease development, TI’s C6678 multimedia solution includes a comprehensive portfolio of video codecs, including the H.265 codec, which will be accessible through TI’s website. TI’s full portfolio of video codecs also includes the H.264, H.263, MPEG4, MPEG2, JPEG, JPEG2000, AVC Intra, VC1, Soren Spark encoders and decoders.

Hands-on with H.265

TI’s H.265 based demonstrations will be on display April 8 – 9, at the Las Vegas Hotel in conjunction with the 2013 NAB Show in Las Vegas. To book an appointment, please contact Atul Verma (averma@ti.com).

Customers interested in sampling the pre-production software codec should contact Atul Verma (averma@ti.com). The final download will be available on www.ti.com.

For more information:   

• Read TI’s C6678 product bulletin

• Discover more about high-performance video processing

• Hear about the significance of H.265 in TI’s Ask The Experts series

• Engage with engineers and TI experts on the TI E2ETM Community and Multicore Mix

• Follow TI on Twitter

• Become a fan of TI on Facebook

About TI’s KeyStone multicore architecture

Texas Instruments’ KeyStone multicore architecture is the platform for true multicore innovation, offering developers a robust portfolio of high performance, low-power multicore devices. Unleashing breakthrough performance, the KeyStone architecture is the foundation upon which TI’s new TMS320C66x DSP generation was developed. KeyStone differs from any other multicore architecture as it has the capacity to provide full processing capability to every core in a multicore device. KeyStone-based devices are optimized for high performance markets including wireless base stations, mission critical, test and automation, medical imaging and high performance computing. Learn more at www.ti.com/multicore.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog ICs and embedded processors. By employing the world’s brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.