21 February 2006

STMicroelectronics Samples Mobile Multimedia Processor

STMicroelectronics (STM) is sampling a new chip in its mobile multimedia processor family which adds level-two cache to the ARM core, Smart Imaging Accelerator and more memory to boost performance, whilst ensuring software reuse for next generation mobile devices.

The STn88215 is the third Nomadik device which is pin compatible with the STn8810. Its ARM926EJ processor core includes an MMU (memory management unit), 16KB of data and instruction caches and 128KB of level-2 cache. STM claims it can deliver 1000 MIPs performance when clocked at 334 Mhz.

The CPU is an ARM926EJ RISC processor core, to ensure full backward compatibility with existing Nomadik processor software and the significant ARM9-based software legacy in the industry, STM said. The new device builds on the fundamental Nomadik features of ultra-low power consumption, open platform strategy, exceptional video and audio quality, very small footprint, and scalable performance.

Nomadik's Smart Imaging Accelerator (SIA) delivers multimedia quality without sacrificing battery life, according to STM. It operates a real-time, programmable image-reconstruction engine at up to 80 Mpixels/sec. This capability enables camera-phone systems, based on 5 Mpixel sensors, to execute noise reduction, auto-focus and exposure control, and other fundamental algorithms, therefore eliminating the need for an external imaging co-processor and reducing the system BOM (bill-of-materials).

STn8815 supports high-quality camcorder applications, via its accelerated 30-frame/s SDTV (standard-definition) MPEG-4 encoding which runs in parallel to complex audio processing. The H264/AVC decoding, accelerated via the SVA, and supporting up to VGA format at 30 frames per second, enables significantly improved performance for mobile TV. The Smart Audio Accelerator supports multiple audio standards such as MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, Midi synthesis, plus all major speech codecs, with a 24-bit audio data path, and noise reduction, echo cancelling, stereo enhancements, and surround effects.

The compact 14 x 14mm BGA (ball-grid-array) packages are pin-to-pin compatible with the STn8810, and use the same stacked-chip technology to provide memory variants, including SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) and NAND Flash memory within the same package. In addition, the STn8815 will be available in package-on-package versions bringing extra functionality within the same footprint, the company said.

The STn8815, which is available to key customers in engineering sample quantities, is expected to be in volume production in Q4 2006.