Video and image processing design using FPGAs

FPGAs are an ideal fit for video and image processing applications where there is a need to have a scalable solution for improving cost, performance, and flexibility while meeting time-to-market goals.

By Brian J. Jent, Altera Corp.
Courtesy of Video/Imaging DesignLine (07/07/2006 0:40 AM EDT)

New trends in video and image processing are forcing developers to re-examine the design architectures they have used previously when considering the numerous tradeoffs of using different architectures that are key to the decision process.

Consumer demand and exciting innovations, such as HDTV and digital cinema, revolve around video and image processing and the rapid evolution of the technology. Major advancements in image capture and display resolutions, advanced compression techniques, and video intelligence are the driving forces behind these technological innovations. At the same time, rapid change in standards and higher resolutions are pushing designers away from off-the-shelf technology.

Resolutions in particular have increased dramatically in just the last few years. The following table illustrates current state-of-the-art resolutions in different end types of applications.

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