Module supports triple-rate standards

The GQW200 quad split allows broadcast studio engineers to accommodate 270Mbit/s, 1.5Gbit/s and 3Gbit/s SDI signals.

Axon Digital Design has used Altera Stratix II GX transceiver-based FPGAs to create a quad split module that supports triple-rate serial digital interface (SDI) standards.

Applications for the quad split module include high-resolution monitor walls used in the surveillance industry and truck preview monitoring and shading equipment used to deliver live television broadcasts.

It allows broadcast studio engineers to accommodate 270Mbit/s, 1.5Gbit/s and 3Gbit/s SDI signals.

The GQW200 quad split offers four triple-rate SDI inputs, two triple-rate SDI outputs, or a digital video interface (DVI) output.

The module adapts instantly to the three different transmission rates, enabling broadcast studio engineers to work easily with a mix of equipment conforming to standard and high-definition (HD) formats.

"By offering the industry's most comprehensive triple-rate SDI solution, Altera enabled us to complete an aggressive, one-year prototype-to-production schedule", said Peter Schut, Senior Product Manager at Axon.

"Altera's solution made it easy to exploit the superior signal integrity of the Stratix II GX devices, which eased our engineering effort and helped us to offer a more robust product".

"Also, the high-quality and best-in-class productivity of the Quartus II development tools and the Altera intellectual property cores allowed us to quickly tackle significant design challenges like 3Gbit/s SDI implementation and high-speed DDR2 memory interfacing".

Axon's GQW200 module runs on the Linux operating environment.

Its processing power comes primarily from a Stratix II GX FPGA, which supports automatic switching between SDI, HD-SDI and 3Gbit/s SDI data speeds with up to 20 triple-rate SDI full-duplex transceiver channels operating across a range of 270Mbit/s to 3Gbit/s.

Stratix II GX FPGAs offer generous on-chip memory, reliable external DDR2 memory interfaces and powerful digital signal processing (DSP) resources, which are suitable for implementing the post-processing features offered by the GQW200, including colour space conversion, gain, sharpness, graphic overlay and overlay insertion.

Axon was able to reduce component count, which increases the product's overall reliability, lowers the manufacturing cost, and reduces the form factor.

"The shift to 1080p production over 3Gbit/s SDI will take a number of years to complete", said Todd Scott, Senior Director of Altera's Broadcast Business Unit.

"Robust triple-rate SDI solutions are key to future-proofing the studio and enabling the highest quality video results during this transition".

Axon will display its GQW200 quad split module at IBC2007, 7th to 11th September at RAI Congress Centre, Amsterdam (stand 10.111/10.211).

The Altera Audio Video Development Kit, Stratix II GX Edition helped Axon meet its product development timeline.

Broadcast equipment manufacturers can quickly develop triple-rate SDI-based products by taking advantage of this kit, which includes a development board, Quartus II design software, evaluation intellectual property (IP) cores, the SDI reference design and documentation.

The kit, the industry's first and only to support triple-rate SDI with auto detect and switch, allows broadcast audio and video equipment designers to develop their systems on a single programmable platform while addressing cost, performance, quality and time to market requirements.

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