TI launches OMAP4 for 1080p video

Texas Instruments has launched its multicore OMAP4 mobile applications platform with support for 1080p video record and playback, 20 megapixel (MP) imaging and
approximately a week of audio play time. The new platform provides significant improvements in performance and play time compared to today’s most popular Smartphones, with 10x faster Web page loading times, more than 7x higher computing performance, 6x higher video resolution, 10x better graphics performance and 6x longer audio play time.
At the heart of the OMAP 4 platform is a 45nm system-on-chip with four main engines: a programmable multimedia engine based on TI’s C64x DSP and power-efficient, multi-format hardware accelerators; general-purpose processing based on the dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore supporting symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and capable of speeds of more than 1GH per core; a high-performance programmable graphics engine; and an Image
Signal Processor (ISP) for unparalleled video and imaging performance.
“For the past decade, TI has focused on providing an optimal balance of high performance and low power consumption in our OMAP product line to address our customers’ needs to quickly and easily address new market trends,” said Greg Delagi, senior vice president and head of TI's Wireless Business Unit. “The OMAP 4 platform will enable a new class of mobile devices that will redefine the boundaries of smartphones and MIDs.”
The new platform will support popular leading mobile operating systems and is validated for real-world use cases, taking into account the many elements of the mobile consumer’s experience to simplify application creation and help handset manufacturers get to market quickly.
The first members of the family are the OMAP4430 and OMAP4440, including:
o Four powerful, high-performance processing engines:
* General-purpose processing dual-core Cortex-A9 MPCore
* Programmable multimedia engine based on TI’s C64x DSP and power-efficient, multi-format hardware accelerators
* POWERVR SGX540 graphics engine
* Dedicated ISP
o Full 1080p multi-standard HD record and playback
o Digital SLR-like performance with 20 MP imaging
o 3D user interfaces supporting life-like graphics, intuitive touch screens, large local displays beyond WSXGA and HDMI compatible external displays
o Industry-leading power management technology:
* 10+ hours of 1080p HD video playback, 4+ hours of 1080p HD record
* 140+ hours of CD quality audio playback

The OMAP 4 platform will support Linux variants such as the Android Mobile Platform and LiMo, as well as Symbian OS and Microsoft Windows Mobile. Additionally, software for the OMAP 4 platform is tested and validated up to the application level, dramatically reducing development time. Further easing the design process, the OMAP 4 platform includes:
o Pre-integrated support for mobile connectivity, including TI’s current and future combo WiLink Wi-Fi solutions, NaviLink GPS solutions, and BlueLink Bluetooth solutions;
o Pre-validated modem interface software to easily connect the OMAP 4 platform to any external modem;
o New companion power and audio management solutions (TWL6030 and TWL6040 specifically designed to address the performance needs of the OMAP 4 platform; and
o Broad portfolio of other hardware solutions optimized for the OMAP 4 platform, including: DLP Pico projection technology, analogue components and other complementary technologies.
TI's OMAP 4 platform and development tools are expected to sample in the second half of 2009, with production expected by the second half of 2010. These products are intended for high-volume wireless OEMs and ODMs and are not available through distributors.