Tom Hill
Xilinx

Along with next-generation video compression standards, the industry shift from basic video processing to more complex and integrated processing solutions are driving system requirements for video performance beyond what stand-alone digital signal processors (DSPs) can deliver. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), such as the Xilinx Spartan-3A DSP, fill this gap for a variety of cost-sensitive applications, providing logic, embedded processing, OS support, and drivers for a complete end-to-end solution for video.

This article discusses the XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit (VSK), which provides a complete and easy-to-use design environment. Example applications and full support for standard Xilinx tool flows help accelerate the design process, yet still allow for end-product differentiation.