New DaVinci DM37x video processors from Texas Instruments combine 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 and 800MHz C64x+ DSP, enabling 720p HD video for media-rich applications

Hardware offers 50 percent increase in ARM performance, 40 percent increase in DSP performance, double the graphics performance with 40 percent less power consumption over OMAP3530 device

DALLAS (Aug. 16, 2010) — Software and hardware engineers can easily design more media-rich, portable applications utilizing the new DaVinci™ DM37x video processors from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN). The DM3730 and DM3725 with their ARM® Cortex™-A8 and C64x+™ DSP core, imaging and video accelerator (IVA), 3D graphics processor (DM3730 only) and high-performance peripherals (USB 2.0, SD/MMC) integrated on a single system-on-chip (SoC), are suitable for applications requiring HD video processing or a large amount of data processing.  These applications include navigation systems, media players, medical patient monitoring devices, industrial test and measurement devices, industrial vision and portable communications. 

DM37x processors are software compatible with the OMAP35x generation of processors and pin-to-pin compatible with Sitara™ AM37x devices allowing for an easy product migration strategy to higher performing options. The differentiation between the DM3730 and DM3725 is that the DM3725 does not have a 3D graphics accelerator.  Customers moving to the DM3730 from the OMAP3530 can look forward to a 50 percent increase in ARM performance, a 40 percent increase in DSP performance, double the graphics performance and uses approximately 40 percent less power.

The 800MHz C64x+™ DSP and hardware video accelerator enable audio and HD 720p video decoding and encoding (audio and video codecs included) independent of the ARM processor.  This allows additional expansion on the ARM processor to run more high-level applications and a rich, responsive 2D or 3D graphical user interface, for applications such as an industrial personal digital assistant (PDA).

The DSP engine is programmable, allowing multiple general signal processing tasks such as digital filtering, math functions and image processing and analysis.  For example, in a camera-enabled industrial application, the DSP can run an edge-detection algorithm on the video coming from a camera to detect the presence or absence of people or objects.

Minimizing development costs and accelerating time to market, TI offers a complete software development kit (SDK) containing everything developers need to evaluate the device and begin development on the DM3730 evaluation module (EVM) in minutes.  To learn more, visit http://www.ti.com/dm3730-prpf.

DM3730 key features and benefits:

 

Key Features	Benefits
DM3730 and DM3725 are pin-compatible and software compatible with each other, as well as with Sitara™ AM3715 and AM3703 processors.  Each device can be configured to operate at multiple operating points enabling low power or high performance modes.	Offers numerous price, feature and power options to enable a range of end products from a single software and hardware investment
Up to 800MHz TMS320C64x+ DSP with 720p 30 frames per second (fps) HD video encoding and decoding	Allows intensive signal analysis and processing and seamless HD video decoding for multi-media applications
DM3730 has a PowerVR 200MHz graphics accelerator, supports OpenGL ES 2.0 and renders 20 million polygons per second, coupled with the advanced display subsystem	Enables developers to create a user interface enabling stunning 3D graphics navigation with life-like effects
20 percent increase in LPDDR controller performance and 100 percent increase in L1 cache compared to OMAP3530 (increased memory bandwidth)	Provides increased multi processor performance and reduces latency

Software and support

Helping make development easier, customers can start developing their designs today with the TMDXEVM3730 EVM, which includes a TI Bluetooth WiFi module. The SDK includes Linux kernel 2.6.32 board support package complete with graphical user interface, graphics, applications, demonstrations and development utilities.  The SDK also offers a royalty-free library of DSP-optimized signal processing algorithms accessible from the ARM processor through a set of easy-to-use application programming interfaces (APIs).  The DSP library contains more than 80 algorithms, including multi-media decoders and encoders, math functions, digital filtering including Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and image processing including image filtering and analysis. 

Support for the Linux and Android operating systems is available today.  Windows CE™ support will be available in 4Q10. 

Pricing and availability:

Customers can begin designing by downloading the DM3730 software for use on the DM3730 evaluation module, TMDXEVM3730, available for $1,495 USD from TI.  Customers may also develop on the BeagleBoard-xM, a low-cost, open-source community board equipped with the DM3730 available for $179 from Digi-Key.  The DM3730 will be available for purchase starting at $25.60 in 1,000 unit quantities (1ku) at http://www.ti.com/dm3730-prpf.

Find out more about TI’s DM3730 and DM3725 by visiting the links below:

• DaVinci DM37x home: http://www.ti.com/dm37x-prlp 
• DM3730 product information: http://www.ti.com/dm3730-prpf  
• DM3730 datasheet:  http://www.ti.com/dm3730-prds2     
• DM3725 product information: http://www.ti.com/dm3725-prpf
• DM3725 datasheet:  http://www.ti.com/dm3725-prds     
• AM/DM37x evaluation module: http://www.ti.com/dm37x-prtf

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through design, sales and manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries.  For more information, go to www.ti.com.