OmniVision Launches OA805: Ultra‑Low‑Power 4K Video Processor for Battery‑Powered Security Cameras

OmniVision Technologies has unveiled the OA805, a cutting‑edge video processor that delivers high‑efficiency video coding (HEVC) compression while achieving the lowest power consumption in the industry. Designed for battery‑operated security cameras and video doorbells, the OA805 makes 4K HEVC video practical for the first time in battery‑powered devices.

The OA805 builds on OmniVision’s OV798 platform, adding HEVC capability, higher‑resolution support, and a reduced power envelope. It accepts input from up to 16‑megapixel sensors and outputs 4K video at 30 fps using HEVC encoding and decoding. The processor also handles multiple lower‑resolution streams, including H.264 1080p at 60 fps, HDR, and RGB‑IR processing.

HEVC (H.265) is the advanced compression standard that dramatically cuts storage needs and enables 4K video streaming over wireless links. Although the algorithm is computationally intensive, the OA805’s power‑efficient architecture turns this challenge into an opportunity, allowing high‑quality video without sacrificing battery life.

One of the OA805’s standout features is its rapid boot‑up time—just 0.1 seconds from a fully powered‑off state to full functionality. This instant readiness means the camera can begin recording the moment motion is detected, eliminating the need for standby or sleep modes.

“Because the processor consumes no power when it is off, the overall power consumption of the security camera is extremely low and allows the camera to have up to two years of battery life,” said OmniVision.

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OmniVision OA805 4K video processor block diagram. (Source: OmniVision)

The OA805 SoC features dual embedded Arm Cortex‑A5 CPU cores with Neon acceleration for audio and video encoding/decoding, alongside dedicated image processing, video encoding hardware, and RGB/IR support. Its high‑dynamic‑range (HDR) processing allows the processor to ingest input from RGB/IR sensors and deliver clear footage in both bright daylight and low‑light conditions.

The OA805 is now available, and OmniVision will showcase the processor in action at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).