Cost reduction by up to 30 percent (0203)

Single-chip scan-rate converter moves 100 Hertz and progressive scan television into consumer mass markets.

Freiburg, Germany - January 8, 2002 - Micronas announced today that the company will start volume production of its scan-rate converter chips VSP 94x7B in the second quarter of 2002. In addition to 100-Hz conversion, the VSP 94x7B chips support conversion in to progressive scan display formats as required for optimized image quality in NTSC TV-sets (NTSC is a broadcasting standard in the USA, Japan and Korea) and for new flat panel technologies such as LCDs and plasma displays.

To complete front-end processing, including the input switching matrix with the ITU-656 interface for IDTV decoders and two integrated multi-standard video decoders, all functions required for a simultaneous processing of two video channels and for improved image quality are integrated on this chip.

No other manufacturer today offers a comparable level of integration. "This unique single-chip solution will help make 100-Hz and progressive scan TV the standard product for mid-range and high-end consumer markets," said Johann Weierer, marketing manager video & graphic at Micronas.

Micronas integrated both a video main and slave channel on the chip, which enables the simultaneous presentation of two separate video sources. It is therefore possible to display side-by-side, picture-in-picture and multi-picture presentations.

The integrated video memory (embedded DRAM) with a capacity of 8 MBit supports higher data bandwidths than systems with external memories, enabling highly dynamic display formats like the flicker-free zooming of PIP part images to the full image.

No external DRAMs, additional color decoder or scan-rate converter chips are required for a complete solution. Compared to a conventional solution consisting of up to six single chips, the VSP 94X7B saves the manufacturer 30 percent of the costs.

Other features of the VSP 94x7B include a 3D motion detector, noise measurement and noise reduction, CTI color transient improvement, DCI dynamic contrast improvement, adaptive peaking, letter box detection, and horizontal and vertical linear and panorama scaler.

The VSP 94x7B is able to differentiate between video data coming from film cameras (film mode) and video data coming from studio cameras (camera mode). Film cameras expose 24 frames per second, while studio cameras scan 50 to 60 fields per second in the interlaced format. In progressive scan conversion mode, the chip processes the data applying reversed 2:2-pull-down-(PAL), and 3:2-pull-down-(NTSC)-algorithms and converts them with significantly improved quality.

Analog and digital interfaces for connecting the display processor are located at the chip output. The DDP 3315C to control CRTs (cathode ray tubes) and the new DPS 9450, developed for LCDs and plasma displays, can be employed as display processors.

With the pin-compatible VSP 94xy family members, Micronas offers a wide range of single-chip ICs enabling 100 Hz and progressive scan television designs at very competitive prices.

"We offer the most integrated, pin-compatible, scalable platform concept for multi standard 100 Hz and progressive scan TV sets that is optimized for CRTs and flat-panel displays," explained Weierer. "With the new VSP 94xy family, system manufacturers are able to simplify the system architecture and thereby reduce system and development costs drastically."

The VSP 94x7B operates with 3,3 V and 1,8 V. The chip is available in a P-MQFP80 and P-MQFP144 package at a cost of below $30 in high quantities.