Transcoding key to video market growth, IDC says Dylan McGrath EE Times (11/06/2006 6:00 PM EST) SAN FRANCISCO — Development of multi-format transcoding technology—the ability to change the format, bit rate and/or resolution of video content to port it to another device—is a critical challenge that needs to be addressed in order to drive the continued expansion of the video entertainment market, according to a new research study conducted by market research analyst International Data Corp. (IDC). Transcoding a single video format is possible today, but not in a format that will not meet consumers' needs to easily navigate the changing video environment, according to Texas Instruments Inc., which released a statement touting the IDC report Monday (Nov. 6) as part of a campaign to generate market awareness for transcoding technology. The ability to view content on any device requires the need to transcode many video formats, making multi-format transcoding crucial, according to TI. Developing a robust multi-format transcoding technology requires a combination of developing a flexible hardware architecture and a good deal of algorithm R&D on transcoding software, according to Jeremiah Golston, chief technology officer of TI's streaming media business. "Our belief is that there's a definite need," Golston said. "We believe that the technology is going to become feasible." Currently, Golston said, transcoding to done mostly by a full decoder changing resolutions through a scaling function and then feed into a separate encoder chip. Ultimately, he said, this solution is inefficient. "If you start thinking about what it's going to take to make this technology affordable, you are going to have to use fewer components," Golston said. When dealing with the slew of formats, bit rates and resolutions currently on the market, "the full encode/full decode approach runs into bandwidth issues," Golston said. According to the IDC report, "Transcoding: The Future of the Video Market Depends on It," consumers are demanding that their content be easily portable and available on multiple devices. The ability to seamlessly move content in real-time is only made possible by transcoding, the company said. Service providers and electronics companies are currently developing transcoding because they see it as a critical technology that consumers will eventually demand, according to the report. IDC said it believes that transcoding will be most important to telecommunications companies, which will adopt the technology first for delivering content over Internet Protocol television. A massive increase in the amount of high-definition content and bandwidth constraint are the two most important business drivers for transcoding, according to the report. Ultimately, IDC said it believes transcoding will become prevalent in networks, homes and businesses. No one of these segments will emerge as dramatically ahead of the others, IDC said. Few technologies are currently in place for effective transcoding, IDC said, particularly HD transcoding. A PC microprocessor generally doesn't offer enough power to perform real-time transcoding and set top box chips will also need to provide more performance, IDC said. Because video standards are rapidly changing, a hardwired device is not the best solution, IDC said. Many vendors are looking at developing solutions based on DSPs, according to the report. IDC's report can be found on TI's Web site. TI plans to host an online discussion on this topic, moderated by IDC, on Dec. 7. Registration for the panel is also available via the company's Web site.