Ambarella Pushing These IP Camera Trends

Author: John Honovich, Published on Apr 13, 2016

Will the market soon be ruled by H.265 and 4K Multi-sensor cameras?

Ambarella is the largest supplier of IP camera chipsets to high-end manufacturers like Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Samsung / Hanwha, Nest and many others. What Ambarella develops and advocates often has a major impact on the future of IP cameras as manufacturers adopt Ambarella's chips and use those new features.

We met with them during ISC West 2016 to discuss their new chipsets (the S5) and what they are focusing on, including:

  • 4K Growth
  • H.265 Development
  • Greater Super Low Light
  • Multi-Imager Expansion
  • IoT Growth
  • 8K Cameras

**** *** ****** **** ** ***** ** *.*** *** ** Multi-sensor *******?

*********** *** ******* ******** **** ****** ********** ****-*** ************* **** ********, ****, *****, ******* / ******, Nest *** **** ******. **** ********* ******** *** ********* ***** has * ***** ****** ** *** ****** ** ** ******* as ************* ***** *********'* ***** *** *** ***** *** ********.

** *** **** **** ****** *** **** **** ** ******* their *** ******** (*** **) *** **** **** *** ******** on, *********:

  • ** ******
  • *.*** ***********
  • ******* ***** *** *****
  • *****-****** *********
  • *** ******
  • ** *******

[***************]

4K ******* **** ***

********* ** ********** *** ************* ** *** ** ******** *** sensors **** *** *******.

**** *** *** ** * ********-******** ********** *** *** ********* you **** **** ** ********** ******** *******, ****** **, ***** clearly **.

****** ** * ******* ****** *** ***** ***** ** ******* manufacturing, *** ****** ** **-***** ******** ******* ** *** ******** industry ** ******. * ** *** ******* *** **** *** cost ******* ******* **** ****** ********** ** *******, ******* ************* to **** **** **** ******* *******.

H.265 ********

********* ****** ******* *** *********** **** ******* *.*** ********.

**** ********** ********* **** ********* ** *** ****** **** *.*** chips. ** ****** ***** ******* ***** ** ********* ***** (*.*** ** *.*** *******) *** ***** ***** *.*** ******* *** *** ******* ********** bandwidth *********.

***, ********* ** ****** ****** **** ******* ***** ********* *******.

********* ** ******** ****, **** ***** ***** ********, **** ***** 'smart' *.*** **** ******* **% ********* ********* **** ******* ********** H.265. **** *** * **** ********** ****.

Low ***** ********** ************

** ******** ** ********* *******, ********* *** ******* ******** ******** capabilities ** ***** ** ***-***** ***********, ***** ********, *** ***** detail.

** ***** ** *********'* ********** *****, **** ***** ***** *** S3L **** **** ******* */*" ******* ** ******* ****** *** light *********** **** ******* */*" ****** *******. ** ****, **** could ** *********** ******* ***** *** **** ****** */*" ******* have ****** ***** **** ** *** ***** *********** (*.*.,********* *********** */*" ****** ****** ******,******* ****' */*" ***** ******, ***.) **** **** **** ***** ********* ******* ** *** larger ****** *** ****.

******* ******* ****** ****** **** *** ****, ************ **** ** comes ** ******.

IoT ****** ******* *******

** ******** ** ********* ********, ********* **** ******** "********* *******", or ****** ******** ******* **** *** **** ****** ******* ** show ********* *** ** ***** * **** ******* **** ***** chips. ************* **** ***** *** ********* *******, ****** ** ******** features **** ******* */*'* ** **-**** *****.

*** ***** ** ****** ********* ******* **** *****, * ***** doorbell, *** * ******-********* ****** ******* ** ** ******** ********* concept.

********

*** ******** *** ******** **-***** ********* **** ** **** ** the ** *** ** ******* ********.

**** **** ********* **** ** ****** *** ******* *********** ** enter, **** *** ** **** *** **** ***********.

Motion ********* / ******* ******

** *** ******-********* ******, * *** ****** ******* ******, *** the ********* **** **** ********** ****** ********* ** ****** ***** alarms. *** ****** ******* *** ***** ** * **** *** power ****, *** **** ** ** ******* **** **** *** PIR **** *********.

******* **** ** ~*** **** *** ******* *** *** ********** of * * **-**** ******, **** * ******* *** *** worth ** *********.

** **** *****, **** *** ***** **** ******* ****** *********** attention. *********'* ********* ****** **** ***** **** ******** ***********.

S5 *** Chipset ******* ** *****-*******

** *** ****, ********* ********* * *** ***-*** ****,**. *** ** *** ******* (*) ** *******, *** ** dewarping ** ***** ********* ** *** *******.

**** **** ******** *.*** ******** *** ***** ******** **** *** ability ** ******* **-***** ********* *** ****-*******.

*** *****-****** ****** *** **** ***** ** ******* ***** ********. We **** **** **** (**** ******* *****-****** ******), ******** (******** ** *********** ****** ******), ** (*** *****-****** ********* ********** ** *******) *** ***** (***** ****** **** *****-****** ******) ******* *****-****** ******, ****** **** **** ******* ** *** 2-4MP *****.

*** *****-****** ****** *** **** ****** ** ******* ******* ************, but *** ** ******** **** **-***** *********.

* ** *****-****** **** *** **+***, **** *** ******* ** run **** ********* ***** ** * **** *********** *********** ** the *****-****** *****.

8K ***** ** ****?

*** ** ******* *** **** ** ** ********** *** * single ******. ** *********, ** ******** * **** *****. ******* would ** *********, ** ***** ******* *** ** ***** ****** that *****, ******* ******** *** ***** ***** ** ** ***** some ******* ** *** ****** ******* ** **** ***** *****.

********* **** ******* ******* ******** ** ***** * ****** ****** with ***** ****-********** *******, ********* ** *** *********** ******** *********** to ****** ** ****-****** ***** **** ********** ******.

*******

********* **** **** * ***** ****** ** ******* ** ****** new ******** (*.*., **, ***** ******, ***** *** ***** ***********, Dropcam's, ***.). ** **** ***, **** **** * ****** ****** to ** ********* *** *.***, ***, *****-*******, **, ***.

*** **** ******** ** ****. **** ******* ********* ******** * chip **** *** ********* **** *** ****, *** ******* *******. It ***** **** *** ************* ** ***** / ********* / optimize / *******, ***. **** ** **** **** ******* **** for ************* ** ***** * ******** **** ** ********* **** will **** *** ***** / *********** ********* *** *** **** market.

Comments (13)

Undisclosed #1

04/13/16 05:46pm

Wow, this chip still hasn't made it in a production camera yet?

H.265 IP Camera Chip Announced (Ambarella S3)

Did they give any indication what model or manufacturer might get them first and when?

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/14/16 09:40pm

Ambarella couldn't comment on deployments of the S3 chip. Given that it was just announced 18 months ago, when you factor in time to production and time for manufacturers to develop, test, and ship product based around a new chipset it's not surprising that it may not be incorporated into many (or any) products yet.

They are recommending the S5 chip for all new designs, though we do not know price delta between the two chips and if manufacturers would decide to leap to the S5, or if S3 will start showing up in more products soon.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Brian Karas | 04/14/16 09:52pm

...it's not surprising that it may not be incorporated into many (or any) products yet.

IMHO, 18 months is long enough that Ambarella should be shipping some chips even if the cameras themselves have not.

Though as you would be quick to point out, they may not wish, or be able to disclose this info.

Were all the 'demo' cameras just breadboarded, with no finished goods displayed?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 04/14/16 10:17pm

long enough that Ambarella should be shipping some chips even if the cameras themselves have not.

Sure, that is reasonable.

but you asked originally:

this chip still hasn't made it in a production camera yet?

So that's what we were addressing. I assumed Ambarella has shipped chips to a number of manufacturers but I also assume that not a lot are shipping right now. That said, based on historical patterns, I suspect this would ramp up in the next year.

Thumbnail usa shield

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | 04/13/16 05:49pm

Cool article, Brian. But you have to work on your subject titles. Next time try...

Ambarella Aiming to Mercilessly Crush Competition!

Chips that can auto stitch multiple imagers would be a welcome development and offering.

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Luis Carmona | 04/14/16 09:41pm

Thanks. If I'm stuck for a headline in the future I'll make sure to reach out to you :)

Truman HW

In reply to Luis Carmona | 11/28/17 12:22pm

Heyell yeah. Each of the categories they crush... alone! Including the "Apparently Vapor-Ware" category.

Where........ are they? :-o Me wants

Undisclosed #1

04/13/16 11:24pm

Customers have rightly accused Avigilon of being a closed system with their high-resolution cameras, Ambarella is now potentially allowing competitors to create an open-format super high resolution camera.

Is the image processing chip on the Avigilon HD Pro cameras today something that can't be procured by others? Is it designed by Avigilon?

Have no idea, but I always assumed it was a chipset for pro photography...

Undisclosed End User #2

04/14/16 06:28pm

A rival just popped into the news today.

Their self written TechCrunch Article

Movidius Website

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #2 | 04/14/16 07:06pm

I'm not sure Movidius is a direct rival to Ambarella.

Ambarella chips handle things like encoding the data from the image sensor into a video stream.

Movidius looks more like an alternative to a DSP, that is usually downstream of the encoder chip (Ambarellas product) in the video pipeline, analyzing the image stream produced by the camera.

Ambarellas newer chips have the ability to perform some level of analytics/analysis on the encoder chip itself, eliminating the need for an external DSP (which has commonly been a Texas Instruments chip). So in some sense they could be competitors.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

In reply to Brian Karas | 04/15/16 02:26am

Hi Brian,

Being heavily in the mix of both those companies right now, I can tell you that they ABSOLUTELY consider each other as competitors. Ambarella even lists Movidius in the quarterly shareholder conference calls under the "threats" category. Movidius is a new software designed SoC/Image Pipeline with a ton of processing power on chip. It is going directly after Ambarella in the drone and surveillance camera space.

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 04/15/16 07:24am

Thanks for the additional detail. We will continue to watch Movidius, do you know of anyone using their chips in security cameras yet?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

04/15/16 01:42am

Amba S3L (4K) and S3Lm (upto 5MP) still have juice in them and I still don't see too many main stream CCTV products using S3L out there right now. Most companies using AMBA are still on S2L (correct me if I'm wrong?). I wonder whether one should skip S3 and move straight to S5 generation?

@Brian - is the H.265 HEVC implementation (achieving 128 Kbps bit rates on 1080p) for S5 significantly different than the H.265 implementation for S3? If not, will AMBA port the CODEC efficiency for S3 as well?

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Axis Vs. Hikvision IR PTZ Shootout on Sep 20, 2018
Hikvision has their high-end dual-sensor DarkfighterX. Axis has their high-end concealed IR Q6125-LE. Which is better? We bought both and tested...
October 2018 Camera Course on Sep 13, 2018
Today is the last day to save $50 on the October 2018 Camera Course, register now. This is the only independent surveillance camera course,...
SNMP / Network Monitoring For Surveillance 2018 on Aug 21, 2018
Surveillance systems typically rely on the the VMS to report issues, but this most often just means knowing a camera is "down" with no warning or...
Axis First IR PTZ Tested (Q6125-LE) on Aug 21, 2018
Axis is very late in releasing IR PTZs. While competitors such as Hikvision and Dahua have offered them for years, Axis has just released their...
Hikvision PanoVu Mini Tested (Multi-imager + PTZ For ~$500) on Aug 07, 2018
Hikvision has released their first PanoVu Mini multi imager, the PanoVu DS-2PT3326IZ-DE3, with four 1080p imagers, including a PTZ and integrated...
Panasonic 9MP Panoramic Fisheye Tested (WV-X4571L) on Aug 02, 2018
Panasonic has released their latest fisheye camera, the WV-X4571L, with 12MP sensor and 9MP resolution, claiming "extreme image quality" under...
Eagle Eye Networks Cloud VMS Tested on Jul 26, 2018
Eagle Eye has become one of the most significant players in the industry in the past few years: Eagle Eye's Owner Acquired Brivo Eagle Eye...
July 2018 IP Networking Course on Jul 12, 2018
Registration is closed. This is the only networking course designed specifically for video surveillance professionals.  Lots of network training...
Panoramic Fisheye Camera Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Oncam And Vivotek on Jun 27, 2018
IPVM tested Avigilon, Axis, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Oncam And Vivotek 12MP panoramic fisheye cameras head to head, as shown in the test setup...
Hikvision 12MP Fisheye Camera Tested (DS-2CD63C2F-IV) on Jun 14, 2018
Hikvision's DS-2CD63C2F-IV is their flagship panoramic camera, with a 12MP imager, 15m integrated IR, smart codec, and more. We tested the 63C2 in...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Alexa Guard Expands Amazon's Security Offerings, Boosts ADT's Stock on Sep 21, 2018
Amazon is expanding their security offerings yet again, this time with Alexa Guard that delivers security audio analytics and a virtual "Fake...
UTC, Owner of Lenel, Acquires S2 on Sep 20, 2018
UTC now owns two of the biggest access control providers, one of integrator's most hated access control platforms, Lenel, and one of their...
BluePoint Aims To Bring Life-Safety Mind-Set To Police Pull Stations on Sep 20, 2018
Fire alarm pull stations are commonplace but police ones are not. A self-funded startup, BluePoint Alert Solutions is aiming to make police pull...
SIA Plays Dumb On OEMs And Hikua Ban on Sep 20, 2018
OEMs widely pretend to be 'manufacturers', deceiving their customers and putting them at risk for cybersecurity attacks and, soon, violation of US...
Axis Vs. Hikvision IR PTZ Shootout on Sep 20, 2018
Hikvision has their high-end dual-sensor DarkfighterX. Axis has their high-end concealed IR Q6125-LE. Which is better? We bought both and tested...
Avigilon Announces AI-Powered H5 Camera Development on Sep 19, 2018
Avigilon will be showcasing "next-generation AI" at next week's ASIS GSX. In an atypical move, the company is not actually releasing these...
Favorite Request-to-Exit (RTE) Manufacturers 2018 on Sep 19, 2018
Request To Exit devices like motion sensors and lock releasing push-buttons are a part of almost every access install, but who makes the equipment...
25% China Tariffs Finalized For 2019, 10% Start Now, Includes Select Video Surveillance on Sep 18, 2018
A surprise move: In July, when the most recent tariff round was first announced, the tariffs were only scheduled for 10%. However, now, the US...
Central Stations Face Off Against NFPA On Fire Monitoring on Sep 18, 2018
Central stations are facing off against the NFPA over what they call anti-competitive language in NFPA 72, the standard that covers fire alarms....
Hikvision USA Starts Layoffs on Sep 18, 2018
Hikvision USA has started layoffs, just weeks after the US government ban was passed into law. Inside this note, we examine: The important...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact