Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: National Semiconductor | Subject: FPD80200 and FPD48084
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 28 May 2004
Chipset improves the image of
large-screen LCDs
Claiming a breakthrough for display technology, National Semiconductor has released a new point-to-point differential signalling digital interface architecture and chipset for LCD TVs.
Claiming a breakthrough for display technology, National Semiconductor has released a new point-to-point differential signalling digital interface architecture and chipset for LCD TVs The PPDS architecture enables cinema-quality display performance and smaller bezels, and can support LCD TVs up to 90in diagonal
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 5 Jan 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The architecture also simplifies the design of the intra-panel interconnect, which significantly reduces the total number of column driver input signals by up to 50%.
National is actively working with TV designers and technology partners to drive adoption of the PPDS architecture as a new standard for LCD TVs.
"The worldwide market for 23in and larger LCD TVs will increase from 3.5 million units in 2004 to more than 47 million units in 2008, at which time 85% of all LCD TVs will be in that larger category", said Bert McComas, Director of Display Electronics Research at DisplaySearch.
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"Consumers' demand for larger panels and thinner bezels, along with the migration to 10bit driver ICs, sets the stage for this technology transition".
"National has the upper hand because of its experience leading the industry's migration from TTL to LVDS and RSDS technologies for LCD".
"Consumers expect large, thin-profile LCD TVs to match the performance standards of today's CRT and plasma displays, but features such as higher colour depth, cinema-quality motion video and high resolution cannot be delivered cost-effectively in LCDs with traditional intra-panel architectures", said Dick McCartney, Principal Display Technologist for National Semiconductor.
"National developed the PPDS architecture to bring these features to the consumer while dramatically simplifying the display interconnect and reducing cost for manufacturers".
National's PPDS architecture combines a physical layer interface with high-level protocol to create an efficient interface that reduces the overall required printed circuit board size.
Capable of delivering more than one billion colours to the display for true 30bit colour, the PPDS architecture is designed to drive large panels up to 90in at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 lines.
National Semiconductor is the technology leader in LCD display interconnects and the pioneer of both LVDS (low voltage differential signalling) and RSDS (reduced swing differential signalling) interface technologies.
RSDS technology is a derivative of the LVDS technology used in National's FPD-Link interface chipset, now a widely used standard for the notebook motherboard to flat panel display interface.
National also has developed a new timing controller and column driver to support its new PPDS architecture.
The FPD80200 timing controller uses the industry standard FPD-Link input to receive video data and a unique PPDS interface output for communication with the column drivers.
Its advanced data manipulation algorithms, such as National's response time compensation, create cinema-quality video images.
Unlike traditional panel driving schemes, the gamma conversion occurs in the timing controller instead of the column driver.
This enables digitally programmable and independent gamma curves for red, green and blue, providing best-in-class colour temperature control.
The FPD80200 operates off a 2.5V digital supply for lower power and lower EMI, but includes 3.3V I/O cells to be compatible with typical gate driver ICs.
All of the functions of the timing controller can be programmed with an external EEPROM to enable rapid prototype and product development.
The FPD48084 column driver receives data via the PPDS interface and uses a linear DAC to convert the incoming data to the appropriate output voltage.
The column driver also operates at a 2.5V digital supply.
Because the column driver uses a linear DAC instead of the traditional nonlinear R-DAC, the total number of reference voltages needed for the gamma curve has been reduced from 18 to six.
Overall, the PPDS interface significantly reduces (by up to 50%) the total number of column driver input signals.
The FPD80200 timing controller is available in a 144-pin low profile quad flatpack (LQFP) and the FPD48084 column driver is in a tape carrier package (TCP)/chip on film (COF) package.
Both are manufactured at National Semiconductor's fabrication facility in South Portland, Maine.
Samples of the FPD80200 timing controller and FPD48084 column driver are available to select customers now, with production quantities available in September 2004.
In 1000-unit quantities, the FPD80200 is priced at $10.00 and the FPD48084 is priced at $5.00.
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