Pixim unveils new 32mm reference board camera design

Jan. 18, 2008
Compact camera design delivers uncompromised image quality in very small form factor

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--January 14, 2008--Pixim Inc., a leading provider of image sensors and processors for enterprise security cameras, today announced the new BDA-2500-32, a 32mm Reference Board Camera, intended to speed time-to-market for security camera developers creating products for compact applications, such as small dome cameras.

The highly compact reference design -- measuring only 32mm (1.26 inches) square, an industry-standard dimension for closed circuit television (CCTV) board cameras -- enables product designers, for the first time, to develop very small cameras with extremely high-quality features and performance.

"Traditionally, camera designers making security cameras for tight spaces did not have the option of delivering high-quality image capture performance," said John Monti, vice president of marketing and business development for Pixim. "This reference design represents a real breakthrough by bringing enterprise-class functionality, such as wide dynamic range, natural color, and greater varifocal lens capabilities, to extremely small applications."

Security cameras based on the BDA-2500-32 reference design are ideally suited for small dome and embedded applications, including installations in taxis, police cars, buses, light rail, trains, yachts, elevators, above cash registers, behind hotel registration counters - and other places where space is at a premium or the cameras need to be unobtrusive. For comparison, the BDA-2500-32 design takes up less than half the volume of Pixim's 38mm reference board camera, the BDB-2500-38.

The BDA-2500-32 reference design allows highly compact and low-cost cameras to take full advantage of the all of Pixim's Orca chipsets (D1400, D1500, D1600 and D2500), providing key features such as ultra-wide dynamic range (WDR), high resolution, accurate color rendering, lack of image artifacts and high image compression.

Compact security cameras based on the BDA-2500-32 reference board camera have access to all Pixim Orca chipset features, including advanced exposure controls, multiple automatic white balance modes, AC line lock, an on-screen display with push-button or remote control of menus, extensive WDR controls, composite video output, activity detection alarms, digital pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) controls and true day/night control functionality for mechanical IR filter switchers. In addition, the new reference design permits the use of longer focal-length lenses, such as 9-22mm varifocal lenses, to provide telephoto functions for the first time in compact dome cameras.

The Orca chipsets are based on Pixim's award-winning Digital Pixel System® (DPS) technology, an image capture and processing innovation that yields the highest image quality for security camera applications. With DPS technology, each pixel of a digital image is individually optimized to show image details and accurate color in both shadow and bright light, simultaneously. As a result, Pixim-powered security cameras are able to deliver usable, actionable images in even the most challenging lighting conditions.