Hantro and Freescale enable highest resolution video capability for mobile devices

Hantro, the leading provider of mobile video technology, announced today that Freescale Semiconductor has integrated their MPEG-4 encoder System on Chip (SoC) design into the newly announced i.MX31 and i.MX31L multimedia applications processors. Integrating Hantro’s encoder into silicon together with other leading-edge Freescale multimedia technology the i.MX31 processors provide uncompromised video performance with VGA (640x480) resolution at 30 frames per second enabling a rich and rewarding multimedia user experience.

Video capture capability has become a pre-requisite feature for camera enabled mobile handsets. When Hantro launched the first camcorder application for smartphones in 2001, the maximum resolution possible was subQCIF (128x96) at 7-10 frames per second. This application, which enabled the launch of video messaging, started a revolution in the development of mobile handsets which is ultimately leading to the convergence of the digital video camera with the mobile phone / PDA. The exceptional video capability of the i.MX31 processors make this convergence a reality.

“By combining our 5250 VGA MPEG-4 hardware technology design with our 4200 software decoder Freescale is able to provide an optimal value and performance proposition for their customers” said Eero Kaikkonen, CEO of Hantro. “Coupled with our multimedia application development platform, significant development cost savings and a faster time to market can also be achieved when integrating video capability into any i.MX31 powered device.”

“Encoding video is a computationally complex and highly demanding task,” said Brandon Tolany, director of multimedia operations, Wireless and Mobile Systems Group, Freescale. “To encode VGA resolution at 30 frames per second in software would demand a power-hungry CPU running at about 1 GHz. With Hantro’s hardware solution, our i.MX31 multimedia processors are able to provide optimal performance at around 1 MHz, which is a very critical differentiator for us in the mobile entertainment market.”