Production-Ready TI Reference Design Brings High-End Performance and Flexible Image Enhancement to Create Digital Still Cameras as Low as $99

Production-Ready TI Reference Design Brings High-End Performance and Flexible Image Enhancement to Create Digital Still Cameras as Low as $99

September 26, 2006

New Digital Media Processor Based on DaVinci(TM) Technology and Turnkey Reference Design Reduces Development and Time to Market Within Months

    HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Guided
by its deep understanding of digital camera architectures
and systems, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE:TXN)
has leveraged its world-class DaVinci? technology to
introduce an optimized digital still camera (DSC) silicon
with a production-ready reference design.  The technology
includes a highly flexible processor, software with
enhanced post-processing algorithms and development
framework; the reference design includes a suite of
development tools, software and technical support.  This
combination will offer an exceptional increase in the core
and advanced features to design digital cameras priced as
low as $99.  The new digital media processor based on
DaVinci technology offers the optimal combination of video
and imaging functionality for the low-end digital camera
market, providing up to 75 megapixels (MP) per second of
hardwired performance.  In addition, a flexible software
pipeline to enable original design manufacturers (ODMs) can
easily and efficiently incorporate differentiating features
that truly set them apart in such a competitive consumer
market.  For more information, see
http://www.ti.com/dscinfo .

    "ODMs require more than just high-quality silicon
and software to bring competitive products to consumers
quickly," said Chris Chute, research manager, IDC. 
"With this latest release, TI once again proves its
commitment to the entire digital camera market by
encapsulating years of engineering effort into a reference
design and expanding their reach to satisfy the needs of
the low-cost camera market."

    Up to 75 MP per second performance translates to lower
latency when taking pictures and the ability to provide
advanced image processing to significantly improve image
quality, enabling consumers to capture the perfect shot
every time.  For example, shot-to-shot delay for a six MP
image is significantly reduced from several seconds, down
to less than 0.8 second, with full noise filtering, red-eye
removal and other image enhancements active.  In burst mode,
consumers will also be able to capture twelve 6 MP images in
one second, bringing SLR performance to low-cost
point-and-shoot DSCs.

    DaVinci Technology Permits Increased Product
Differentiation

    ODMs now have the ability to bring new levels of
product differentiation to the low-end digital still camera
market.  Building from a firm foundation of enhancements
available from TI and its third parties -- including noise
filtering (high ISO 3200) for low-light environments, video
image stabilization, instant red-eye removal, in-camera
editing functions, panoramic stitching and print from
video, to name a few -- ODMs can easily add their own
proprietary processing, such as advanced white balance or
auto focus algorithms, to give their products a sharp
competitive edge.    

    "TI has focused on the high-end camera market in
the past, but with the introduction of this new DaVinci
technology and reference design, TI is now bringing its
expertise to the low-cost camera space." said Marcelo
Vieira, general manager, digital camera solutions group,
TI.  "This reference design will allow customers to
quickly create multiple cameras to offer to consumers in a
very short timeframe."

    TI's low-cost camera reference design includes all the
hardware and software required to bring a digital still
camera to production, including the digital media
processor, LCD, imager subsystem, power subsystem, support
for DDR1/DDR2 memory, 8-16 bit NAND Flash and a rich set of
peripherals.  The new media processor based on DaVinci
technology consists of an ARM(R) core plus imaging
accelerators, offering a highly optimized solution for the
low-cost DSC market.  The cost-optimized reference design
has been designed from a modular perspective, enabling ODMs
to easily spin off multiple designs using the same base
platform.  

    DaVinci reference software from TI includes enhanced
post-processing algorithms such as video stabilization and
noise filtering, integrated peripheral drivers, chip
support libraries, video and audio codecs, image tuning
tools, camera-specific algorithms, application programming
interfaces (APIs), graphical user interface (GUI)
development tools and a development framework.  The new
reference design is also backed by an expansive suite of
development tools, system software, technical support and
TI's systems expertise, and includes TI's MSP430
microcontroller (MCU), the industry's lowest power MCU,
audio codecs and power management components.  With TI's
production-ready digital media software and development
tools, OEMs have the tested and proven tools they need to
focus on product differentiation instead of the development
and debugging of components.  

    TI's new DaVinci technology-based digital media
processor, which is also ideal for low-end end equipments
such as digital photo frames and webcams, is sampling today
and expected to be available in production in the first
quarter of 2007.  The turnkey digital still camera
reference design is expected to be sampling in the fourth
quarter of 2006 and expected to be available in production
in the first quarter of 2007.  

    The portfolio of products based on DaVinci technology
includes processors, software, tools and support,
addressing digital video requirements across a range of
applications.  For more information on TI's DaVinci
technology, please see http://www.thedavincieffect.com . 

    About Texas Instruments

    Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements. In addition to
Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational &
Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in
Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design 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 http://www.ti.com 

    Trademarks

    DaVinci is a trademark of Texas Instruments.  All other
trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their
respective owners.

    For more information, please contact:

     Stephanie Groswirt	
     Texas Instruments
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail] 

     Tara Hanney		
     GolinHarris		
     Tel:   [phone]		
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Texas Instruments Incorporated