Date: 25/03/2011

Digital video recorder and IP camera reference designs from TI

Texas Instruments Incorporated has introduced two new, out-of-the-box reference designs, a digital video recorder (DVR) and Internet Protocol (IP) camera based on a TMS320DM81xx DaVinci digital media processor generation.

TI says the DVR reference design can support analog cameras or serve as a hybrid DVR, allowing the combination of various analog and IP camera configurations, providing maximum reuse and preventing costly replacement of existing infrastructure. With more than 32 channels of real-time D1, H.264 high-profile video processing capability, the DVR offers 2.6 times greater H.264 compression ratio than any other DVR on the market at this video quality, claims TI.

The new DVR reference design is based on TI's TMS320DM8168 DaVinci digital media processor, running at 1 GHz. The DM8168 DaVinci digital media processor contains a fixed- and floating-point digital signal processor (DSP), allowing multi-channel analytics capability for constant examination of video inputs to detect an event and automatically respond. With network capability for remote accessibility, the reference design provides high- quality video and up to three independent displays, including HDMI outputs.

The intelligent IP camera reference design provides up to 10 megapixels resolution at a reduced frame rate in low power, enabling smaller products such as mini domes making it suitable HD video surveillance in low-light conditions and capturing minute details, such as license plate numbers and human facial feature recognition. The DM812x DaVinci digital media processor also allows video analytics through its DSP for targeted intelligence in the camera. This intelligence allows only necessary video sequences to be recorded, streamed and stored to make video security systems more efficient and prevent the need for 24/7 manual monitoring.