Automotive Controller IC enables HD video transmission.
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Press Release Summary:
Designed to realize HD video transmission over 1394 Automotive in-vehicle multimedia network protocol, Model MB88395 uses 800 Mbps physical layer and SmartCODEC compression codec to stream HD video from Blu-ray DVDs, digital TV, and car navigation images simultaneously around vehicle. SmartCODEC can compress video to ¼ of original size, and enables compression and decompression in 2-3 ms without perceptible time lag or out-of-sync contents.
Original Press Release:
Fujitsu Launches World's First 1394 Automotive IC for HD Video
Contributes to reduced costs and higher fuel efficiency
Langen, Germany, April 22, 2009 - Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME) today announced the world's first '1394 Automotive'(*1) controller IC that realises HD (1,280 dots x 720 lines) video transmission over the 1394 Automotive in-vehicle multimedia network protocol. The new IC, the MB88395, can transmit multiple streams simultaneously around the vehicle, such as HD video from Blu-ray DVDs, digital TV, and car navigation images. The MB88395 does this by using a high-speed 800Mbps physical layer(*2) as well as Fujitsu's proprietary SmartCODEC, which provides high compression and can transmit HD video without perceptible lag. This not only brings the rich HD experience to rear-seat entertainment, but lowers the system cost of in-vehicle multimedia networks by up to 30%, and the number of wire harnesses (cables) by up to 70%, thus reducing vehicle weight and improving fuel efficiency.
Increasing attention is being paid to 1394 Automotive for in-vehicle multimedia networking and it is expected to become commonplace in the automotive market. The reasons for this include the gradual shift to digital TV in each country, the increased availability of HD content, as well as the ceasing of analogue output from Blu-ray players from 2013. These factors make 1394 Automotive necessary to satisfy the expected flood of digital transmissions across in-car networks. Anticipating the future requirements of rear-seat entertainment systems, Fujitsu led other vendors in introducing 1394 Automotive controllers in 2005. This new controller, co-developed with Fujitsu VLSI, allows more HD video content to be viewed easily and flexibly throughout the vehicle.
This technology is supported by Yuji Kawaguchi, Operating Officer of Honda R&D Co., "Honda R&D welcomes the MB88395, the first IC to provide the 800Mbps speeds of the 1394 Automotive specification. The importance of high-speed digital transmissions will increase further in the future to handle in-vehicle multimedia as well as to reduce weight. 1394 Automotive is an in-vehicle network that can enrich entertainment and comfort. We plan to promptly evaluate the MB88395."
Key to the MB88395's capabilities is its physical layer, which is compliant with the 800Mbps set out in the 1394 Automotive specification and is double the 400Mbps of the previous product. This is combined with the latest version of Fujitsu's SmartCODEC compression codec for video, which has an even higher compression ratio, compressing video to 1/4 of its original size - compared to 1/3 of the previous product. The SmartCODEC, developed by Fujitsu Laboratories and used in the BT.601 Transport Over IEEE-1394(*3) standard, can compress and decompress high-resolution video in 2-3ms without any perceptible time lag or out of sync contents, which can be a problem when watching the same contents on the front and rear-seat monitors.
These features make the MB88395 the first IC in the world to allow multiple streams of HD video and navigation images over 1394 Automotive. For example, an HD video stream (1,280 dots x 720 lines) from a Blu-ray DVD that has been decompressed has a rate of 885Mbps. With subsequent compression to 1/4 using to the SmartCODEC, the rate becomes 249Mbps, so two channels can be transmitted in the 800Mbps bandwidth, which was not possible over 400Mbps products.
Fujitsu plans to expand its line-up of 1394 Automotive ICs further to handle the increasing information streams in vehicles, such as video content and peripheral cameras, as well as to drive further reductions in system costs. These in-vehicle networking chips complement Fujitsu's strong presence in automotive ICs for processing graphics and video.
Fujitsu Microelectronics will be speaking about, and presenting a demo of this product at the 1394 Automotive Tech seminar to be held in Detroit, USA, April 30, 2009.
Key Features
1. Reduces system costs for rear-seat entertainment
The MB88395 IC includes the 1394 Automotive physical layer and link layer(*4) as well as DTCP digital rights management(*5) on one chip, while encoding occurs only within the SmartCODEC's internal line memory, making an external frame buffer unnecessary. This reduces the number of necessary system components and total multimedia network system costs by a maximum of 30%. Also, by being able to simultaneously transmit at high speed several video and audio streams as well as control signals on one network line, not peer-to-peer, it reduces the number of wire-harnesses by a maximum of 70%. This contributes to reducing vehicle weight and thus better fuel efficiency.
2. HD video compression, decompression and transmission with no perceptible time lag
Included in this new IC is Fujitsu's proprietary SmartCODEC, which can compress video data to 1/4 in size, an improvement compared to the previous product, which compressed data to 1/3 of its original size. The SmartCODEC also enables the compression and decompression of video to take place within 2-3ms. Such low latency, combined with the doubling of the speed of the physical layer to 800Mbps, allows transmission of HD video from Blu-ray DVDs and digital TV, around the vehicle without any perceptible time lag, which can be a problem when watching the same contents on the front and rear monitors. With an MPEG CODEC, there would be a perceptible time lag in transmission.
Key Specifications of the MB88395 1394 Automotive IC
Product MB88395
Physical layer Complies with IEEE-1394-2008 (*1)
Maximum data bandwidth 800Mbps, 2 beta ports
Link layer Complies with IEEE1394-2008
DTCP functionality Simultaneous encryption and decryption of two streams
Transport protocol support IEC61883-Part 8 (BT.601) (*2)
IEC61883-Part 6(Audio) (*3)
Video interface BT.656 or Digital RGB I/O (switchable)
Audio interface I2S (*4) 8-channel or IEC60958 (*5) I/O (switchable)
SmartCODEC Included
Operating voltage 3.3V±0.3V (I/O), 1.2V±0.1V (Internal)
Operating temperature -40°C ~ +95°C
Packaging FBGA
224-pins, 0.8mm pitch, 16 x 16mm
*1. IEEE-1394-2008: This is an extension to the older IEEE1394a-2000 high-speed serial-bus standard used for PCs and audio-visual equipment. It enables faster transmission speeds and transmission across longer distances. This standard has also been has been adopted for IDB-1394. *2. IEC61883-Part 8 (BT.601): IEC611883 is a transmission protocol established by the International Electrotechnical Commission for the digital interfaces of audio and visual equipment. BT.601 Transport over IEEE-1394 is in the process of being ratified as Part 8. *3. IEC61883-Part 6 (Audio): This is a protocol for streaming audio over 1394 Automotive. *4. I2S: This stands for 'Inter-IC Sound Bus' and is an interface standard for connecting digital audio equipment. *5. IEC60958: This is a standard established by the International Electrotechnical Commission for digitally transmitting audio signals.
Availability
Sample shipping of the new MB88395 begins on April 22, 2009.
Glossary and Notes:
*1. 1394 Automotive: An automotive network protocol for high-speed multimedia applications promulgated by the 1394 Trade Association's Automotive Working Group.
*2. Physical layer: The first of seven layers when transmission functions are divided into seven layers, as defined by the OSI Reference Model. A key part of network hardware through which bit arrays are transmitted.
*3. BT.601 Transport over IEEE-1394: A transport protocol for sending BT.601 video streams (YUV, RGB, etc.) over 1394 Automotive, promulgated by the 1394 Trade Association.
*4. Link layer: The second layer in the OSI Reference Model, in which packets are formed and transport is managed.
*5. DTCP: Digital Transmission Content Protection. An encryption protocol that prevents unauthorised duplication, download or alteration of audio or visual media.
About Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe
Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME) is a major supplier of semiconductor products. The company provides advanced systems solutions to the automotive, digital TV, mobile telephony, networking and industrial markets. Engineers from design centres dedicated to microcontrollers, graphics controllers, mixed-signal, wireless, multimedia ICs, ASIC products and software development, work closely with FME's marketing and sales teams throughout EMEA to help satisfy customers' systems development requirements. This solutions approach is supported by a broad range of advanced semiconductor devices, IP, building blocks and software.
For more information, please see: http://emea.fujitsu.com/microelectronics
Issued on behalf of:
Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe
Pittlerstrasse 47
63225 Langen
Germany
Tel: +49 (0)6103 69 00
Fax: +49 (0)6103 69 01 22
E-mail: jim.bryant@fme.fujitsu.com
Contacts: Jim Bryant
