QL201B
H.264 Main Profile Video/Audio codec companion chip

Overview

The QL201B is a 2nd generation, low power, high video quality H.264 Main Profile audio and video compression/de-compression processor, for digital consumer electronics devices such as digital cameras/camcorders, set top boxes and video conferencing over IP applications. 

• The QL201B’s advanced video compression algorithms result in products supporting the best balance of superior video quality, low power consumption required in mobile devices for enhanced battery life, and affordability for the mass market consumer.
• The QL201B, with a number of dedicated hardware blocks, has rich video features allowing support for multiple standard video formats, enhanced video effects, and customizable options. The on-chip audio codec is based on a dedicated ARC DSP to support multiple standard audio formats.
• The QL201B provides multiple external interfaces to support key applications, minimizing system level cost and components, and maximizing design flexibility.

Key Features

Superior Video Quality

• H.264 Baseline and Main Profile codec
• Supports full D1 @ 30fps
• Advanced algorithms enable superior video quality in a small die size for competitive pricing

Mobile Focus = Extended Playback

• Innovative power management
• Advanced standby power savings
• 200mW typical

Comprehensive Video Feature Set

• Advanced pre-processing such as scene change and motion detection
• Advanced encoder processing
• Entropy coding (CAVLC/CABAC support)
• User selectable GOP structure
• Optimized single-pass VBR and CBR encoding
• Video input and output scaling
• Full screen OSD with flicker filter and preview

Flexible Audio CODEC

• Dedicated ARC Sound DSP
• 8k, 32k, 44.1k, 48k sampling rate
• DSP architecture adds additional audio formats simply by changing firmware

Network Abstraction Layer

• MPEG Transport and Program Streams
• Elementary audio only and video only streams
• Apple Quicktime

Numerous Interfaces & Protocols

• I2S Digital Audio and BT.656 Digital Video
• I²C protocol
• 16-bit DDR-1 and Mobile DDR memory support
• UART, GPIO, and 2-Wired interfaces

Key Application Targets

The QL201B targets 2 key application segments, bringing valuable features to address mainstream requirements in each market area.

The flexible QL201B architecture and interfaces can be designed as a companion chip to an existing host controller device for compatibility and fast and seamless design upgrades.

Using the QL201B reference kit, customers can quickly get to production, whether they implement the QL201B with a standard or customized feature set targeted for their applications.

Portable Consumer Devices

• Digital Still Camera (DSC)
• Digital Video Camera (DVC)
• Hybrid DSC / DVC & solid-state camcorder
• Portable Media Player (PMP) and portable game console

Digital Home Appliances

• Set top related applications
• Video Conferencing over IP (VCoIP)
• DVR/PVR (time-shift boxes) for higher efficiency storage
• IP-based or wireless media server for location-free content
• PC peripherals
• TV tuner capture and compression devices
• USB compression camera