Ambarella A9 Brings H.264 Encoder to 4K UHDTV Consumer Realm

Ambarella announces the A9 SoC supporting H.264 encoding in 4K/30fps UHDTV. Manufactured in 32nm process, the A9 also supports high frame-rate video for capturing of 1080p at 120fps or 720p video at 240fps. Other A9 features include multi-exposure HDR support, including local tone mapping, Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) with rolling shutter correction, 3D Motion-Compensated Temporal Filtering (MCTF) with de-ghosting for reduced artifacts, and burst capture of up to sixty 12MP still images per second.

"The A9 unleashes 4K Ultra HD video into the consumer camera marketplace," said Fermi Wang, president & CEO of Ambarella. "Using A9, our customers can create camera products with a unique combination of advanced fast-action video features, exceptional still image quality, and full wireless connectivity."

Ambarella A9 4K Ultra HDSoC System Diagram.

Ambarella also introduces the A7L-A family of automotive SoCs and reference designs, enabling 1080p30 HD single and dual-view camera configurations, supporting video recording through the front windshield as well as through the rear window or inside the vehicle. The A7L-A’s feature WDR, smart auto exposure, and full-resolution over-sampling allowing the capture of license plates and other details. The SoCs include a high speed 700MHz ARM CPU to support advanced analytics including a Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS). Fabbed in 32nm process, the A7L-A SoCs require no external DRAM and support single stream video encoding up to 8MP @ 30fps or dual stream encoding up to 1080p30.

"With the introduction of our new A7L-A SoC family, Ambarella further strengthens our position in the fast growing automotive after-market," said Fermi Wang. "Combining full HD dual-view recording with outstanding video quality, the A7L-A family will inspire the next generation of advanced automotive cameras."

The A9 and A7L-A family of SoCs and reference designs are available now for qualified customers.