Parade Technologies New Low-Power, Low Cost Display Timing Controller IC with Integrated Switching Regulator Accelerates DisplayPort™ Adoption
Posted August 10th, 2010
Parade Maintains Leadership with First T-CON Designed to Meet New eDP v1.2 Spec
San Jose, Calif.—9 August 2010—Parade Technologies Ltd. (www.paradetech.com), a leading video display and interface IC supplier, released the world’s fist video display timing controller (T-CON) IC that satisfies the recently updated VESA® eDP v1.2 specification. Parade’s new DP616 is designed specifically to help accelerate DisplayPort adoption by system OEMs. The chip lowers total system cost and system power requirements by eliminating the need for an external voltage regulator.
“Our first-generation eDP T-CON was very successful. Its widespread adoption enabled Parade to accumulate valuable OEM feedback to develop our second-generation device, which emphasizes total system cost reduction and power efficiency,” explains Jimmy Chiu, VP of Marketing at Parade Technologies. “As a key contributor to the DisplayPort effort, Parade was ready with our v1.2 device as soon as the new eDP spec was finalized.”
The DP616 is an eDP sink device that accepts video input from a CPU or GPU and converts it into mini-LVDS row and column video data for use by a display panel. The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) announced the version 1.2 upgrade of its embedded DisplayPort (eDP) spec last month. The DP616 is a one-lane main link T-CON that supports eDP link rates up to 2.7Gbps. The device supports all panel resolutions up to WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) with 18-bit color depth, and WXGA+ (1440 x 900) with 24-bit color depth.
Innovative Design Integrates Switching Regulator to Slice System Power
To significantly reduce total system power requirements, the DP616 incorporates an internal switching regulator. By eliminating the need for an external linear regulator—used in almost all panel designs to step down standard eDP supply voltage from 3.3 to 1.2 volts—the Parade DP616 reduces both the bill-of-materials cost and total system power requirements. Parade estimates that eliminating a discrete linear regulator from a panel design will reduce system power consumption by as much as 175mW. The DP616 also uses crystal-free technology, has an integrated color engine and supports the new dynamic backlight control capabilities that are part of the v1.2 spec.
eDP Replacing LVDS as Link between CPU/GPU and Display
VESA’s eDP standard is replacing LVDS as the common standard for linking CPUs and graphic controllers with displays in mobile computers. The new v1.2 specification now supports higher data rates and other new capabilities that further reduce the number of interconnect wires required over the link.
Notebook computer designs are converting to eDP because it requires fewer pins than LVDS, and because it employs low-voltage AC-coupled technology that is compatible with sub-micron fabrication. eDP also allows OEMs to design computer systems that use a common interface specification—DisplayPort—for both external and internal display panels. Major CPU vendors are actively migrating their designs from LVDS to eDP, and industry analysts expect this transition to be largely complete by 2013.
Price and Availability
The DP616 is sampling now, and production volumes will be available in 4Q10. The DP616 will be available for $1.45 /ea. in high volume.
About Parade Technologies, Ltd. and Parade Technologies, Inc.
Parade Technologies, Ltd. is a privately held fabless semiconductor company that specializes in developing video display and high-speed interface ICs. The company seeks to leverage a combination of high-speed analog, mixed-signal and digital design expertise, along with system level knowledge, to take product performance, power efficiency and customer satisfaction to new heights. Parade was recently acknowledged by the Global Semiconductor Alliance as a finalist for its 2009 ‘Startups to Watch’ Award.
Parade Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parade Technologies, Ltd, is located in San Jose, California, the heart of Silicon Valley. As Parade Technologies, Ltd’s marketing representative in the United States, Parade Technologies, Inc. can be reached at (408) 329-5540, or on the Internet at http://www.paradetech.com.
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