HD to RGB video decoder IC is industry's first Single chip uses analog technology to increase compatibility between video standards and formats Available in a TSSOP-24 package, the LMH1251 video decoder is offered as the first decoder with an integrated 2:1 multiplexing video switch that uses analog technology (via a color-space conversion matrix) to accurately convert standard and high-definition video (YPbPr) signals to a computer video (RGB) format. Avoiding the external circuitry and additional chips required by digital solutions, the device increases compatibility between different video standards and formats, allowing consumers to output video directly from DVD players, gaming devices, and other devices to their personal computer monitors. The decoder converts video to within 1% accuracy based on vector scope analysis and accepts one set of YPbPr inputs and one set of RGB/HSync/VSync inputs. The device's RGB path has 400 MHz of bandwidth, enabling it to accept up to 1600 x 1200 UXGA video resolutions. The YPbPr video path has a bandwidth of 70 MHz and is equipped with a smart video detection circuit that automatically senses 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p video formats. ($3.49 ea/1,000 available now.) Santa Clara, CA Design Support Group 800-272-9959 Fax 810-885-4650 new.feedback@nsc.com http://www.national.com
Video decoder IC expands compatibility among analog video standards As the video market grows and manufacturers scramble to keep up with ever-improving video signal quality, designers are faced with increasing challenges interfacing to the plethora of video standards available today. The LMH1251 HD-to-RGB video decoder from Introduced as the industry's first Component (YPbPr) to RGBHV (VGA) video decoder IC, the LMH1251 (see Electronic Products, November 2005, p. 87) addresses this by allowing highquality video from DVD players, gaming consoles, HDTV receivers, and other devices to be displayed directly on a personal computer monitor, regardless of monitor technology. Santa Clara, CA Design Support Group 800-272-9959 Fax 810-885-4650 new.feedback@nsc.com http://www.national.com
July 2006 Story Behind the Story THIS ISSUE: National Semi's LMH1251 video converter Electronic Products' 2005 Product of the Year awards - the 30th annual such awards (see our 30-year retrospective) - represent our editors' choices of the most outstanding products introduced during the last year. In the article below - part of our Story Behind the Story series - we go beyond the specs to uncover how these innovative products came to be. Product of the Year archives: 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 LMH1251 HD-to-RGB video converter We spoke to National Semiconductor's Tushar Patel and Peyman Hojabri to go beyond the specs of the Product of the Year Awardwinning LMH1251 HD-to-RGB video converter. Why analog technology... Most high-definition converter solutions today are in the digital domain. And basically when you go from high-definition analog video to RGB, you convert first to digital. You do your converting, then you convert back to analog. When the video is displayed on a monitor, you actually add a lot of noise and lose picture clarify. The digital method can add a lot of discrepancies in the video. So by choosing analog technology, the company wanted to keep a straight analog signal path. With analog technology, you get a clearer picture. You get fewer video artifacts as you move forward through the video signal path in analog as opposed to going through with the digital path. Discrete analog solutions are another alternative, but they require a lot of design expertise and second can require anywhere from 15 to 30 components-depending on how good the quality of video you're looking for is. The LMH1251 reduces board space and at the same time makes it easy for engineers who don't have the expertise and background knowledge of video to add high-definition capability to RGB-based video systems. Starting from scratch... Everything that the team did was straight from scratch, unlike other products released out on the market today that are improvements on what competitors have done or improvements on what National did five, ten years ago or even a year ago. One of the difficulties of the LMH1251 is that the team really didn't have anything to work from. As National recalls, "It was honestly from the back of the envelope down to simulation to silicon." Teamwork... The technology development team consisted of 10 to 12 engineers. In addition, a lot of collaboration during the development of the product happened among the company's display group, CRT group, and amplifier group. And looking into all the disciplines that were involved in getting this product out the door, they had design engineering, product engineering, application engineering, test engineering, layout engineering, and marketing individuals. Completion... From concept to press release it took about a good year and a half to get this product out the door. The company was initially expecting this product design to take even longer. 2005 Product of the Year Award winners LTM4600 µmodule synchronous switch-mode dc/dc converter Linear Technology Heliodisplay laser color video projector IO2 Technology ALD110x00 Series zero-threshold MOSFETs Advanced Linear Devices Non-Phosphor White LED American Opto Plus CoolAir DC backup power system Active Power imp PMBus ac/dc power supply Astec Power DPL20C nonisolated dc/dc POL Artesyn Technologies LMH1251 HD-to-RGB video decoder PA78 op amp Apex Microtechnology AK8970N 3-D compass IC AKM Semiconductor AD7745 capacitance-to-digital converter Analog Devices CoreMP7 soft IP Actel Cortex 8 processor core ARM PIC24F and 'H 16-bit microcontrollers Microchip Technology LabVIEW 8 system development tool National Instruments WaveExpert 100-GHz near real-time oscilloscope LeCroy
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