Jens Rennert

MPSoCs for Video

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the design of multiprocessor systems-on-chips (MPSoCs) for video applications. Video and multimedia require huge amounts of computational power and real-time performance. Furthermore, video algorithms are still evolving; hence, multiprocessor architectures must be designed for flexibility as well as performance. The programmable single-chip multimedia processors comprise both functional and memory units that allow processing of different tasks under software control, thereby trading area for flexibility. Programmability thus incurs additional hardware cost not only for extra control units and program storage, but also software development. The big advantage is that not only many different algorithms can run on the same programmable hardware, but the flexible control mechanism can also support execution of algorithms with irregular and unpredictable data and operation flows.