The relatively popular Amlogic S805 and S812 Cortex A9 processors are soon going to be joined by Amlogic S905 and S912 processors, both featuring ARM Cortex A53 64-bit cores, with the former destined to entry-level media players, and the latter for higher end devices including 4K60 / HDMI 2.0 support, as well as H.265 and AVS+ hardware video codecs. The company is now showcasing its new processors at China Content Broadcasting Network Exhibition (CCBN) 2015 in Beijing until March 28.
Details are sparse, but we still know a few features for the new Amlogic 64-bit ARM processors:
- CPU – Quad Core ARM Cortex A53 CPU @ 2.0 GHz with 512KB unified cache.
- GPU –
- S905: 5 core Mali-450MP to 750MHz with OpenGL ES 11./2.0 and OpenVG 1.1 support, unnamed 2.5D GPU
- S912: TBD
- Video – 4K@60 Hz video decoding 10-bit HEVC and AVS+ codec support; H.264 up to 4K 30 Hz; 1080p60 H.264 encoding
- Video Output – HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2
- Audio – DTS & Dolby support
- Crypto engine for AES-128/192/256, SHA-1/SHA-2 engine
- TrustZone support
- Manufacturing Process – 28 nm
4K might only be supported in S912, just like S805 supports 1080p and S812 is capable of handling 4K video decoding and output. Both processors support 4K video output and deocding. Linux and Android 5.1 SDK will be released for both processors. S905 processor will allegedly be power efficient enough to make it into HDMI dongles too.
Mass production of S905 devices should start in Q2 2015, while high-performance media players based on S912 should become available in Q3 2015.
Information about the S905 and S912 is only available on Chinese websites such as DVBCN, which interviewed Gordon Pan, VP at Amlogic.
Thanks to Harley for the tip.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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It all depends on tegra X1, if it will be only for nvidia console these things will have a market, elsewhere if linux can be put on tegra x1 (20nm maxwell graphics) for a price just a little higher than what needed for S912….
Maybee new Sdk bring for whole Amlogic familly support of HD audio formats.
More info: These will be refresh versions of their existing low-power S805 and high-performance S812 SoCs. These new S905 and S912 SoCs feature true 4K at 60 fps with 60Hz output. Both of these support mainstream DRM, such as Google’s Widevine, Microsoft PlayReady, Verimatrix, Marlin, “and so on”.
Google translate: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=zh-CN&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dvbcn.com%2F2015%2F03%2F26-116330.html&edit-text=
Not related to next gen platform entirely, aml will introduce newer long term supported kernel. Last info I have from Aml engineer that it will be 3.14 probably, but that was before 3.18 was chosen for long term support.
A wetek based on the S912 will be nice 😀
Just ran trough my skype conversation (with my Amlogic contact). If nothing changed, unmentioned specs are:
GPU is quad core Mali 450, 4K decode (as mentioned), 1080p HW encode, 10bit hevc
@Stane1983
Thanks. I’ve updated the post. I’ve also gotten extra info from my contact, and the Mali-450MP GPU will have 5 cores. (3+2).
@Stane1983
ah no, big mistake to use an aging GPU for a 2016 product, it would have been nice to use mali T760 instead like RK3288
S905 looks really good, but S912 is underpowered by the GPU…
No OpenGL ES v3 support,no money from my part
What about HD-Audio ?
Tegra X1 – 20nm, Intel Cherry Trail 14nm, (2015) and S912 – 28nm (2016) Amlogic has a very huge lag behind big names …
@DaXo
but still they sell it cheap
Of course it will be cheap because it’s old tehnology 28nm, Mali450 …
@natsu
If true then I guess it’s primary designed for media players and set-top boxes, and not really meant for making Android game console combo devices.
Amlogic S805 uses an ARM Mali-450 MP2 which is an Quad-Core GPU.
Amlogic S812 uses an ARM Mali-450 MP6 which is an Octo-Core GPU.
Can we not simply assume that the S905 and S912 uses same GPUs?
@Harley
no, not that, I don’t care about Android games either, but having KODI running at 60fps silky smooth is very important for the user experience
@natsu Well a Quad-Core ARM Mali-450 MP2 GPU running at 750 MHz should be more enough graphics power for Kodi to render the most complexed even if inefficiently written skins for XBMC/Kodi as long as the skin resolution is only native 1080p. Upscaling all and any 1080p skins to 4K/UltraHD should work fine too, but I don’t believe there are any native 4K/UltraHD skins available for XBMC/Kodi yet, however most such skins should work too. The GUI engine in Kodi/XBMC have been vastly improved to run more efficient on embedded system with every new version ever since Raspberry Pi proved… Read more »
@Harley
I’ve seldom seen the default skin rendered @ 60 Hz in Kodi Android. More often that not it’s around 30 fps in the System Info section, but I still find it’s OK to use.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
For example on Amlogic S805: https://youtu.be/C3jysy2uFW4?t=5m30s
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
30fps is ok but, I like the butter smooth rendering on my intel HD4000 and allwinner A80, is a constant 60 FPS, the difference is obvious, and feels great to use
Amlogic S912 will have a Mali-T7xx GPU.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
very nice GPU, finally, Amlogic is stepping up in the game
then, I think the GPU will be the main difference between the S905 and the low end S912, crossing finger for a nice clocks boost for the latter
Does anyone know anymore detail information about S905?
It’s bandwidth? 32bit LPDDR3 or 64 bit LPDDR3?
According to the specification, it supports TRUE 4K60 decoder and 4K60 display. Is it possible to support it with 32bit LPDDR3?
I’ve received some recent price info for Amlogic processors (in quantities):
Amlogic S805 – $3
Amlogic S905 – $4.5
Amlogic S812 – $9
Amlogic S812(-H) with DTS and Dolby licenses – $12
Amlogic S908 might be in the works with 3TS and 3 demux for dual tuner support with time-shifting/PVR.
That’s all I know so far.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
A bit more info… Amlogic S908 will support 4K VP9 for YouTube support and Android TV certification.
So the S908 is the new rumoured variation of the S905 ?
Is VP9 capability given from some new hardware capability that can’t be added using firmware to the S905 ?
and the obvious question: DD/DTS licenses ? (or will that be a a different S908-H )
cheers
Who is the best-S812 with 2gb(M8S) ram or S905 with 1gb ram(Mini MX)?
@mix
If you don’t need 4K @ 60Hz, then go with Amlogic S812.
Does Amlogic S905 has SDIO interface option for connecting embedded wifi/bluetooth?
I have a s905x 64 bit quad core send a TV box it asked me to upgrade my SU and when I did I can’t get it to work anymore could I get some advice