Texas Instruments introduced its new OMAP 3 architecture and application processors designed to power a new class of mobile phones with improved entertainment and productivity features.
TI’s first OMAP 3-based device, the OMAP3430 processor, will be the industry’s highest-performing application processor and is believed to be the first wireless processor to use 65-nanometer (nm) process technology. The OMAP3430 processor will sample this year.
TI said OMAP 3 will the industry’s first application processor platform to be based on the new ARM Cortex-A8 superscalar microprocessor core, which delivers 3X more performance than the ARM11 core used in OMAP 2 processors. Combined with TI’s DSP technology, the increased ARM performance boosts productivity and entertainment applications on the mobile phone, while maintaining power efficiencies expected in a handset.
This new OMAP 3 processor will offer the first high-definition (HD)- quality player in a mobile phone processor, allowing users to download movies onto their phone and watch them on an HD monitor.
The OMAP3430 processor also offers the first DVD-quality camcorder capability in a phone — a 4X improvement from the OMAP2430 processor — enabled by IVA 2+, a second- generation, power-optimized version of TI’s imaging, video and audio accelerator used in TI’s DaVinci technology. Leveraging the increased capabilities of the IVA 2+ accelerator, the chip will enable mobile phones to record and play movies at DVD quality for all popular standards, such as MPEG4, Windows Media Video 9 (VC-1), H.264 and RealVideo(R) 10, in addition to videoconferencing.
The OMAP3430 processor will support all known mobile DTV decode standards worldwide, making it a perfect companion for TI’s Hollywood mobile DTV chip. The OMAP3430 processor will also include S-video output support for higher quality video display on an external TV monitor or projector, enabling easy sharing of multimedia presentations. By leveraging the combination of ARM performance and 2D/3D graphics core, the OMAP3430 processor will further accelerate the rapid momentum of gaming applications in mobile phones.
Capturing images at 12 megapixels with less than one second shot-to-shot delay, the OMAP3430 processor enables capabilities of today’s highest performance point-and-shoot digital still cameras, a 2X improvement over the OMAP2430 processor. This is accomplished through the integration of a camera Image Signal Processor (ISP) to lower system cost and offer handset manufacturers differentiation in image quality.
In addition to being manufactured in 65-nm process technology for low power consumption, the OMAP3430 processor leverages TI’s SmartReflex technologies to dynamically control voltage, frequency and power based on device activity, modes of operation, process technology and temperature variation, saving power.
“Cool consumer electronics products are migrating to the cellular platform, enabling consumers and business travelers to experience mobile entertainment and workplace productivity on the road,” said Gilles Delfassy, senior vice president of TI’s Wireless Terminals Business Unit. “New OMAP 3 processors will enable a radical change in how the mobile phone will be used, making it an indispensable work/life tool.”http://www.ti.com/omap3
