Marvell ARMADA 610 App Processor: 1080p, HDMI, 3D Graphics, More

Along with the new Plug Computer 3.0, Marvell have also announced a new HD-capable chipset – the ARMADA 610 Application Processor – which promises a gigahertz-class CPU, Open GL ES 2.0 and 1.1 and Open VG support, full 1080p encode/decode and 3D graphics.  Marvell reckon the ARMADA 610 will find its way into future MIDs, e-readers and other always-on portable devices, which will take advantage of the application processor's various connectivity options including HDMI and USB 2.0.

In fact, the Marvell ARMADA 610 can support up to four simultaneous displays at 2,000 x 2,000 resolution.  There's also onboard memory card controller support, various peripheral and legacy peripheral support and compatibility with Linux, Android, Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded CE.

Marvell will offer the ARMADA 610 to manufacturing partners as-is, or as part of a "Bonnell" reference platform which couples the application processor with both WiFi and cellular connectivity options.  Early samples are currently in the hands of OEMs, though there's no telling when we might see the first shipping products based on the chipset.

Press Release:

Marvell Changes the Game Again – the ARMADA 610 Application Processor First to Bring HD-Quality, 3D Multimedia Performance to Mobile Connected Devices and Smartphones

On a Mission to Deliver the Always-On Lifestyle to Mobile Consumers, New Gigahertz-Class Application Processor Uses Extremely Low Power for Greater Portability

CES – Las Vegas, Nevada (January 5, 2010) — Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL), a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, today announced the newest addition to the ARMADA family of application processors – the Marvell® ARMADA™ 610 series. Designed for mobility, the ARMADA 610 features a gigahertz-class CPU, integrated 1080p full HD encode and decode, and 3D graphics to offer high performance and visual and entertaining experiences for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), connected portable media players, eReaders, smartphones, and new personal information appliances. Apart from its family members, the ARMADA 610 is designed to use extremely low power while maintaining high processing performance and attractive price points for manufacturers.

"Marvell is on a mission to change the way consumers enjoy media on their mobile devices – live news and sporting events, on-demand movies, and high-end games," said Ms. Weili Dai, Marvell's Co-founder and Vice President and General Manager of the Company's Consumer and Computing Business Unit. "We're thinking beyond the traditional PC-laptop with entirely new entertainment experiences – HD quality live video, high performance 3D graphics, super-fast connectivity, and super-long battery life – in mobile products priced for mass consumer market adoption."

The new ARMADA 610 enables unprecedented video support for MIDs, smartphones and other mobile devices. As full HD 1080p content becomes the standard for video and movies on-demand, streaming live news, as well as inexpensive consumer friendly HD digital camcorders, the need for full 1080p decode and encode support becomes critical for mobile devices. The ARMADA 610 features Marvell's award winning Qdeo™ technology that can seamlessly encode and decode 1080p video, enabling applications, previously impossible for this class of device, such as full HD camcorders, HD IP cameras, and HD video playback.

About ARMADA 610

The ARMADA 610 is based on a Marvell-designed ARM v7 compatible CPU offering best-in-class performance. It offers the flexibility to use any standard memory (LP-DDR and DDR) based on customers' cost and power considerations, a highly flexible display controller capable of four simultaneous displays at 2K x 2K resolution (greater than WUXGA) and a highly robust security subsystem that includes a secure execution processor. In addition, it features a powerful 3D engine that renders full 2D/3D graphics with a complete floating point pipeline and unified vertex and fragment/pixel shading, generating contrast-rich scenes with high-definition resolution and color.

Technical Specifications

The ARMADA 610 supports Open GL ES 2.0 and 1.1 and Open VG for compatibility with anticipated game titles and is able to render 45M triangles per second for an immersive gameplay experience. It also supports advanced peripherals including: MIPI DSI display, MIPI CSI camera, MIPI HSI, and MIPI SLIMbus. Additional IO's include: USB 2.0 HSIC, SD/SDIO/MMC, embedded MMC (eMMC), HDMI with PHY and a standard set of lower bandwidth peripherals. The ARMADA 610 maintains support for legacy peripherals such as Parallel LCD and Parallel Camera interfaces with integrated laser scanner support. This superior class of integrated peripheral support enables manufacturers to offer smaller, lighter consumer devices with extended battery life.

Marvell's extensive experience in producing board support packages and reference boards enable a full suite of operating system platforms for the ARMADA 610. The Bonnell reference platform is a turnkey solution that includes the ARMADA 610 and Marvell's latest Wi-Fi and cellular technologies, all in a compact form factor for software development. And with support for Linux, Android, Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded CE, ARMADA 610 customers will have one of the broadest choices of platform solutions in the industry.

Availability and Pricing

The ARMADA 610 will be demonstrated at the Marvell Booth (South Hall 30642) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. The ARMADA 610 is currently sampling to early customers. For more information please contact a sales representative or visit www.marvell.com.