Toshiba America in product frenzy

Electronic News, Nov 27, 1995

Las Vegas--Toshiba America took the wraps off its third generation video and audio decoder at Fall Comdex here--a single-chip, MPEG-2 compliant device with a variety of integrated DAC (digital-to-analog converter) interfaces. At the same time, the company is rolling out new LCD displays and serial audio NAND (A-NAND) flash devices designed to compete with the ubiquitous A-RAM.

The TC81211 features video filters, on-screen display (OSD), clock generation and an audio/video synchronization technique which affects system speed by drawing no computational power from the CPU. The TC81211 is targeted for set-top boxes, digital video disks and multimedia PC boards and game applications.

The new chip decompresses bitstreams of ISO MPEG-2 video and MPEG-1 audio and features real-time decompression of ITU-R601 resolution picture. The TC81211 also includes fast page mode 256-kilobyte x16 DRAM, and hyper page mode 512K x32 DRAM in 4-, 8-, 16- and 32-megabits. An audio/video MPEG decoding system can be constructed using TC81211 and one 16M DRAM, the company said.

The OSD, which superimposes a menu on a television screen, provides a palette with over 16 million colors with a linked structure, allowing faster, user-friendly applications, according to Toshiba. The TC81211 decoder chip is packaged in 208-pin PQFP, works with a single 27MHz clock and utilizes a 3.3V power supply, with 5V tolerant inputs. Sample quantities are expected to be available in 4Q95 for $150 in 10-unit lots. Volume production is slated for 1Q96.

With an eye toward the eventual adoption of 1,024x768 resolution LCDs for desktop applications, Toshiba also is expanding upon its 7.8-, 9.5- and 10.4-inch line of color active matrix thin film transistor displays for the large screen portable PC market.

The company's new 1,024x768 12.1-inch LTM12C025S and LTM12C016, the 800x600 11.3-inch LTM11C016 and 12.1-inch LTM12C263 displays feature chrome oxide black matrix layer with low surface reflection, 100:1 contrast ratio and 6-bit drivers for 262,000 color capacity. With the exception of the high-end LTM12C016, Toshiba's new products utilize one cold cathode fluorescent tube (CCFL) backlighting, typical brightness of 70 candlesence/meter[superscript 2] and weigh 450-600g.

The LTM11C016 features 0.288mm-horizontal x 0.288mm-vertical pixel pitch and an active area of 230.4mm-horizontal x 172.8mm-vertical. Samples are available now for $1,800 with volume production expected for 4Q95. At 9.7mm maximum thickness, the LTM12C263 features a 0.3075mm-horizontal x 0.3075mm-vertical pixel pitch and an active area of 246mm-horizontal x 184.5mm-vertical. Samples are available now for $2,300 with volume production slated for 1Q96.

Toshiba's LTM12C025S comes with an LVDS interface system, 0.24mm-horizontal x 0.24mm-vertical pixel pitch and an active area of 245.76mm-horizontal x 184.32mm-vertical. Samples are available for $2,800. Volume production is set for 1Q96. Weighing in at 915g with a maximum thickness of 15mm, the LTM12C016 features a two CCFL backlighting system, 0.24mm-horizontal x 0.24mm-vertical pixel pitch and an active area of 245.76mm-horizontal x 184.32mm-vertical. The LTM12C016 is in production. Samples are available for $3,800.

Toshiba is also targeting the popular and inexpensive audio RAM (ARAM) market by rolling out a 4-megabit serial audio NAND (A-NAND) flash memory device.

Targeting applications such as digital telephone answering machines, personal voice recorders and low-end personal digital assistants, the TC58A040F A-NAND is based on 16M NAND technology and provides synchronous serial interface compatibility for storing up to 15 minutes of audio data, depending upon the compression algorithm. Unlike volatile ARAM technology, A-NAND does not require battery back-up and, in some cases, the addition of EEPROM, according to Toshiba. With a 28-pin surface mount package requiring only four pins for controlling and accessing memory, the device is suited for pin-limited microprocessors and is said to be more reliable than higher pin-count alternatives.

Samples of the 4M TC58A040F serial A-NAND are available through Toshiba and National Semiconductor for $6.50 in 1,000-unit quantities. Full production is scheduled for 1Q96.