Squid Systems HEVC codec IP available for licensing

Squid Systems Video Codec Hardware IP Available for Licensing

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Squid Systems today announced availability of its programmable SQ400 multi-core architecture and hardware IP for video coding/decoding applications. The scalable SQ400 provides a coherent approach to IC design for multiple video standards and resolutions, for applications including broadcast equipment, cloud-based video servers, consumer DVRs and media gateways, IP cameras, surveillance servers and automotive driver assistance systems.

According to Dr. Renga Sundararajan, Squid Systems V.P. of products and marketing, “We are entering a period of transition in video technology. The H.264 standard dominates commercial video markets, but the compelling bit-rate advantage of H.265 HEVC means that participants in the market must consider their roadmaps for the coming years. Squid’s programmable, scalable solution provides compelling advantages in this environment.”

Key Features

The SQ400 is a programmable design optimized for video compression and image processing. It provides a low-power programmable solution for video encoding, decoding, pre- and post-processing, video analytics and display rendering, and is scalable for resolutions from standard definition (480) up to Ultra High Definition (4K).

The SQ400 architecture consists of multiple Squid Systems Vivid processor cores. Four Vivid cores with associated interconnect comprise the SQ400 block. Multiple SQ400 blocks can be used to build a codec solution. The SQ400 supports 8 bit and 10 bit profiles for popular video standards. A solution utilizing two SQ400 blocks has the flexibility to provide real-time encoding of one or more 1080p video streams or multiple lower resolution streams, depending on the video standard and video quality requirements.

The SQ400 is a fully synthesizable design, using the AMBA High-performance Bus (AHB) interface with AXI to facilitate integration into larger System-on-Chip (SoC) products. The SQ400 block includes internal caches to reduce system memory traffic, and requires minimal processing support from the host CPU.

Squid firmware for the SQ400 will provide fully compliant H.265 HEVC and H.264 AVC encoding for Main-8 and Main-10 profiles, meeting the highest video quality requirements of broadcast and streaming server applications as well as the low bit-rate requirements of surveillance and consumer markets.

Encoding Software

Squid Systems also licenses broadcast quality HEVC encoder software on Intel processors. The Squid Systems HEVC software provides the highest broadcast quality real-time encoding in the industry.

Availability

The SQ400 multi-core processor is available for licensing today for 40nm and 28nm processes. A customer SoC, with two SQ400s, has already been implemented in silicon and is expected to be announced soon.