Colorado MicroDisplay Introduces Revolutionary New SVGA MicroDisplay Chipset.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 1999--

First Complete System-Level Microdisplay Chipset Includes

Several Industry Innovations -- Analog Microdisplay with

Digital Interface, Embedded DRAM Microdisplay Interface ASIC

and BGA-Packaged Display

Colorado MicroDisplay, Inc. unveiled the CMD digital microdisplay system, a revolutionary chipset solution and evaluation kit that incorporate a series of breakthrough features.

This high-performance, comprehensive solution offers OEMs a flexible architecture with unsurpassed design-in simplicity, supporting a variety of mobile computing, entertainment, communication and industrial applications. OEMs can design to the existing flat-panel display interface and CMD components "do the rest," simplifying the entire process of getting products to market, while keeping product bill-of-material lists and resulting costs to a minimum.

The chipset is comprised of three main elements: CMD8X6D, an SVGA microdisplay; CMD8X6DDI, a display interface ASIC; and CMD3XLA, an illumination control ASIC. The system includes patent-pending illumination drive circuits and an embedded frame buffer interface ASIC that eliminates the need for external DRAM chips. Unlike other microdisplay vendors that have relied on third-parties to perform the development, system integration and distribution of their chipsets, CMD offers OEMs a single point of contact for sales and support of this microdisplay solution.

"CMD has been working closely with our OEM partners to deliver these industry firsts for the next generation of computing, entertainment and communications products," said Mark Willner, president and chief executive officer of CMD. "Our digital microdisplay system and accompanying evaluation kit provides our partners with the essential tools to quickly and efficiently bring to market innovative products that do not compromise on information delivery, readability or mobility."

First Analog Display with Digital Interface

The CMD8X6D Dynamic Nematic Liquid Crystal on Silicon(TM) (DNLCOS) microdisplay is a high-performance, field-sequential microdisplay that delivers SVGA resolution, rich-color depth and high-optical efficiency. The SVGA microdisplay is the first display in a Ball Grid Array (BGA) package, overcoming the limitations of fixed-length flex leads and the difficulties of designing around left-, right-, top- or bottom-fixed position flex leads.

This microdisplay is also the first analog display with an all digital interface. It includes on-board, digital-to-analog converters as well as color look-up tables. The on-board analog approach to grayscale generation offers greater color depth with none of the visual artifacts of pulse width modulation (PWM) grayscale methods.

First Embedded DRAM Microdisplay Interface

The CMD8X6DDI display interface ASIC is the first microdisplay interface component containing embedded DRAM, offering OEMs a turnkey solution to interfacing to the CMD8X6D SVGA microdisplay. Its single-chip architecture provides the seamless digital connection between the various input sources (analog and digital) and the microdisplay, and performs the role of sequentializing the pixel data required to create images on the microdisplay.

The interface can control multiple microdisplays and its small form factor enables it to be designed into small peripheral hardware and Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards or embedded directly into products. In addition, a licensable core design is available to OEMs who wish to embed the CMD8X6DDI's functionality directly into their own ASICs.

The interface supports the defacto industry standard flat panel digital interface, as well as a VESA-compliant DDC2B (I2C) control interface. Combined with off-the-shelf support components, the chipset supports a wide range of industry standard interfaces, offering OEMs a power-efficient solution and the lowest possible real estate requirements. The interfaces supported include, but are not limited to, the following: -0-

--   Digital: VESA Plug-and-Display, Digital Flat Panel (DFP), Digital
     Display Working Group (DDWG) and DISM

--   Analog: VGA, SVGA and NTSC/PAL

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First Chipset Design to Include Specialized Illumination Control

ASIC

The last component of the microdisplay system is the CMD3XLA Illumination Controller. This ASIC manages the LED illumination system performance and resulting image quality. It performs the role of synchronizing the light emitting diode (LED) illumination with the pixel data sent to the display, and responds to control information (e.g., initiate power saving mode) provided by the system electronics. In addition, its small package type fits in a variety of optical packages. Features of the illumination controller include, but are not limited to, adjustability of LED illumination levels, LED sequencing and color balance.

Additional Key Features and Benefits of the CMD8X6D Microdisplay

System -0-

--   High-resolution to match market requirements for mobile
     computing, entertainment, imaging and communication devices

--   High-refresh rate to eliminate human factors image quality issues

--   High-fill factor to provide high-optical efficiency and abrogate
     pixelization

--   Low-power requirements enabling use in portable applications

--   Rich-color depth that accentuates the full range of content from
     text to full-motion video

--   Compact package to enable small form factor end-user products

--   Package types that facilitate use in high-volume, automated
     manufacturing processes

     CMD8X6D SVGA Microdisplay Chipset Evaluation Kit

     To assist OEMs in their design-in process, CMD offers a CMD8X6D
Chipset Evaluation Kit. The kit includes everything necessary to
evaluate and integrate the CMD8X6D microdisplay solution, from the
input side of the equation to the creation of images on the display.
All of the necessary elements required to do both a qualitative and
quantitative assessment are included in the evaluation system:

--   Integrated Viewing Module

     --   CMD8X6D SVGA Microdisplay
     --   26 degree Field of View (FOV) Imaging Lens Viewer
     --   Red-Green-Blue (RGB) LED Illumination System

-- Chipset Evaluation Board

     --   CMD8X6DDI Display Interface ASIC
     --   CMD3XL Illumination Controller
     --   Supporting discrete electronics

-- Personal Computer (PC) Input Board

     --   Digital Interface - Digital Flat Panel (DFP)
     --   Analog Interface - VGA Input
     --   VGA Loop-Through Output

-- Windows 95/98-based Display Evaluation/Prototyping Software
-- System documentation, cables, image test CD

     Availability and Pricing

-- SVGA Microdisplay Chipset

     --   Chipset prototypes are now shipping; samples will be
          available in 3Q99 and production is expected to begin in
          4Q99
     --   Entire chipset price estimated at less than $100 in OEM
          volumes

-- CMD8X6D SVGA Microdisplay Chipset Evaluation Kit

     --   Kits available in limited quantity in June 1999; general
          availability expected in July 1999
     --   Priced at $5,000

--   The chipset and Evaluation Kit are available through CMD and its
     worldwide distribution partners

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About CMD

Colorado MicroDisplay, Inc. is a privately held technology development and marketing company whose mission is to develop and commercialize microdisplay technologies that enable "no compromise" display solutions for the next class of computing, entertainment, digital imaging, communication and projection products. Based in Boulder, Colo., CMD was founded in 1996 by Chief Scientist Dr. Douglas McKnight; President and CEO Mark Willner; and Chairman of the Board Dr. Robert Epstein. Additional information on the company can be found on http://www.comicro.com.

Note to Editors: We Share Your Vision and Dynamic Nematic Liquid Crystal on Silicon (DNLCOS) are trademarks of Colorado MicroDisplay, Inc. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective holders.