Analog Devices' Display Electronics ICs Improve Image Quality for Digital Cinema and Advanced Television; ADI launches DecDriver ICs for digital cinema and power module for LCD TV designs

Business Wire, May 24, 2005

BOSTON -- Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE:ADI), a global leader in high-performance semiconductors for signal processing applications, today announced new display electronics integrated circuits (ICs) for improving image quality and enabling higher resolution digital displays, such as those used for digital cinema and advanced television applications, which include the increasingly popular LCD TVs. Extending its DecDriver(R) family of LCD microdisplay drivers that provide 12-bit resolution, ADI introduced two ICs that can improve brightness uniformity and contrast, attributes of image quality that are more noticeable on higher performance projection systems, such as digital cinema, home theater projectors and microdisplay-based rear-projection TV (RPTV). ADI also introduced the industry's highest performing single-chip LCD power module, which among other key functions, integrates a patent-pending V(COM) amplifier to drive the common plane shared by all pixels on an LCD panel. This reduces cost and improves image quality in TFT-LCD displays, such as those used in today's advanced LCD-TV systems.

"Consumer demand is rising for digital displays that accept digital and high-definition broadcast formats," said Bob Esdale, product line director, linear products, Analog Devices. "The dramatic growth in demand for LCD TVs, microdisplay-based rear-projection TVs, and home theater projectors, coupled with the emergence of digital cinema, also demonstrates a growing consumer awareness of the benefits of higher resolution digital display technologies. Display designers are faced with the challenge of delivering flawless image quality across a wider viewing area while reducing cost. Today's higher resolution displays must deliver ever-increasing image quality to enhance the viewing experience of the consumer."

ADI's 12-Bit DecDriver ICs Power LCD Microdisplay Projectors

Large digital display applications require 1 million to 8 million pixel resolution displays for optimal viewing. To accommodate this high pixel count, designers are turning to projection systems based on microdisplay technology. Microdisplay projection enables higher resolution images to be enlarged at lower cost than direct-view display technologies, such as plasma TVs. ADI's AD8387 and AD8388 DecDriver ICs are complete, feature-rich solutions for projection system designs. The DecDriver architecture enables a modular design approach for projection systems targeting high resolutions, such as SXGA, WXGA (720p), HD (1080p) as well as 2K and 4K digital cinema standards.

The AD8387 and AD8388 DecDriver ICs deliver better output accuracy than previous generations with improved laser-trimmed resistor matching. The 12-bit input data resolution of both devices improves display uniformity, and better black-level gamma correction takes full advantage of a system design that processes 10-bit imaging data. Driver resolution of 12-bits helps to minimize artifacts, which are most noticeable in bright displays.

The 12-bit input latches of the AD8387 and AD8388 decimate digital input data at 100 and 120 MHz clock rates, respectively. The 12-bit input is sequentially multiplexed into either 12 or 6 separate high speed DACs. These in turn drive 12 or 6 channels of high voltage output amplifiers. The voltage outputs are laser trimmed for high absolute accuracy over a full 9-18 V dynamic range. These devices typically settle into a 200 pF (pico fared) load to 0.25 percent within 33 ns. The output signal can be adjusted for dc signal reference, signal inversion and full scale for optimum fit to the microdisplay bias levels. A flexible digital input interface allows several of these drivers to be used in parallel for higher resolution displays. R/L (right/left) control sets the input data loading for ease of both front and rear-projection system design.

ADI's LCD Power Module Offers Single-chip Solution for Better Images

Addressing the customer need to remove artifacts that negatively affect the image quality of LCD panels, ADI is introducing an LCD power module for TFT-LCD displays that reduces the "cross-talk" that causes these artifacts. In addition, display designers must simplify board design while ensuring their LCD panels provide cutting-edge image quality at a low cost. ADI's ADD8754 offers display designers a complete power module on a single chip. This complete power module reduces board complexity and cost by integrating a high frequency step-up dc-dc converter, logic voltage regulator, dedicated V(COM) amplifier and a gate-pulse-modulation circuit. ADI's proprietary V(COM) amplifier drives the front plane of an LCD panel, which is shared by all the LCD pixels, and is critical to reducing cross-talk in panels. The benefit is superior image quality.

Availability and Pricing

The 12-channel AD8387 and 6-channel AD8388 DecDriver ICs are sampling in 80-lead 12 mm x 12 mm TQFP and 48-lead 7 mm x 7 mm LFCSP packages. The AD8387 and AD8388 are priced at $8.45 and $5.10 per unit, respectively, in 1,000-quantity pieces. Full production will begin in August 2005. For more information, visit www.analog.com/AD8387 and www.analog.com/AD8388.>