–Simplifies Interconnection Implementation & Improves Screen Performance
Milpitas, CA., May 10, 2010 – The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today issued the new Internal DisplayPort (iDPTM) interface standard for inside-the-box connectivity within flat panel TVs. The standard is designed to replace LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) with a simpler and higher-performing connectivity technology based on the widely adopted VESA DisplayPort standard.
The VESA iDP standard addresses the connection between a TV controller SOC (System-on-a-Chip) and a TV panel Timing Controller (TCON) within a TV chassis. Only 17 signals – eight differential pairs and one Hot Plug Detect (HPD) signal – are needed to transport Full HD 240Hz at 10 bits per color over the iDP link, reducing cost and manufacturing complexity compared to the LVDS 96-signal requirement. The open and royalty-free standard will create a healthy competitive environment with component suppliers, further enhancing cost benefits while driving innovation within the consumer electronics industry.
This is a scalable standard, allowing for support of future design needs. For example, with iDP a 4K x 2K at 240Hz display only requires two banks of 16 differential pairs and one HPD for 65 signals. In comparison, LVDS would require 192 differential pairs (or 384 signals) to support this rate. Other iDP advantages include elimination of the many LVDS printed circuit board traces and device pins which result in reduced system form factor and cost, and less shielding requirement due to reduced EMI.
Similar to the existing VESA eDPTM (Embedded DisplayPort) interface standard used within Notebooks and other PC devices with internal displays, iDP is designed around the special needs of flat panel television displays and provides specific optimizations for internal flat panel TV applications.
“Today’s flat panel TV manufacturers are in a constant race to provide better picture quality, more realistic animation, and even 3D video. This continues to push refresh rates higher and has created the need for a new high-speed panel interface standard,” said VESA Executive Director Bill Lempesis. “VESA’s iDP standard meets that need while also helping control costs.”
Industry Quotes
“The ratification of the iDP standard by VESA is a key milestone in acceleration of iDP as an industry-wide standard,” said Luigi Mantellassi, General Manager of TV and Monitor Division at STMicroelectronics. “ST is fully committed to support deployment
of VESA’s iDP standard and plans to expand its implementation across all of our Monitor and TV SOC platforms.”
“LG Display is pleased to adopt the VESA iDP as an optimized interface for the next generation TV panels requiring high video bandwidth and low EMI in 2011,” said In Jae Chung, Executive Vice President and CTO at LG Display. “The VESA iDP standard provides both our customers and display industries with the huge benefits of an open standard.”
“We believe the new VESA iDP standard defines a mechanism for mitigating the impact to the panel interface resulting from increasing resolutions and higher refresh rates,” said Stuart Thomson, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Digital TV at Broadcom Corporation. “Among other benefits, it reduces the complexity of the cabling and supports smaller connectors than are common today. Our commitment to develop and deliver advanced technology in all areas of digital TV, including supporting VESA’s iDP standard, will foster the placement of digital TVs as the hub of entertainment, information and communication in the digital home.”
“It is our pleasure to adopt the VESA iDP as a standard for a high-bandwidth interface particularly with the emergence of 3D TV and the huge demand for high-resolution TV,” said YoonSeok Song, Vice President of TLI. “As a TCON maker, we expect the TCON will have more opportunities to enhance the variety of panel features through the isolation of the SOC and TCON in the TVs.”
“Agilent recognizes the importance of DisplayPort to the consumer electronics industry, especially as it evolves to address key functionality and cost points that will serve the markets now and into the future,” said Jay Alexander, Vice President and General Manager of Agilent’s Oscilloscopes Business. “The rapid development and implementation of VESA’s iDP standard is a testament to the contributions made by this family of standards in display and video applications.”
“Astrodesign supports the VESA iDP standard and intends to provide test equipment/pattern generator for the standard,” said Yasuo Kobayashi, General Manager R&D Department at Astrodesign.
The new VESA iDP standard extends the advantages of DisplayPort, which enables high- bandwidth audio and video signal transmission, and is also delivering major display advantages for laptops, monitors and projectors.