Digital Visual Interface Adoption Accelerates as Industry Prepares for Next Wave of DVI-Compliant Products.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Intel Developer Forum 

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 2000

DVI Gains Momentum on All Fronts as Chrontel, InFocus, Silicon Image,

Texas Instruments, THine Announce New DVI-Based Products

The Digital Display Working Group (DDWG), led by Compaq, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, NEC and Silicon Image, demonstrated continued momentum today for its Digital Visual Interface (DVI) specification as several manufacturers announced the next wave of DVI-compliant products at the Intel Developer Forum.

The specification, which addresses industry requirements for digital connectivity for digital displays and high-performance PCs, replaces analog functions on the motherboard while enhancing users' visual experience.

"The growing number of suppliers supporting DVI shows strong support along all major technology fronts critical to widespread adoption of the DVI specification," said Mark Waring, Intel DVI strategic initiatives manager and secretary for the DDWG.

DVI is an open industry specification introduced by the DDWG, which enables high-performance, robust interfacing solutions for high-resolution digital displays. DVI addresses the issues of replacing legacy analog technology, such as VGA, with digital technology. This enhances users' visual experience over analog LCDs or analog CRTs. The interface is based on TMDS(R) (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) technology, a registered trademark of Silicon Image, Inc., and is used in flat panel, CRTs and projectors.

Manufacturers are on board from every technology front integral to the success of DVI, including silicon, connector/cable, PC and display technologies. For example, new silicon products are being introduced by Chrontel Inc., Silicon Image, Texas Instruments and THine Electronics. DVI connector solutions are now available from Foxconn, JAE and Molex. In addition, leading PC, display and projector OEMs are each introducing new DVI products, including recent product introductions from Dell and Fujitsu.

"Texas Instruments is excited to enable the DVI interface among PC OEMs and manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, LCD monitors, digital CRTs and digital projectors, among other products," said Gregory B. Davis, TI's worldwide PanelBus(TM)(a) marketing manager. "TI's PanelBus products leverage our worldwide leadership in DSP, LCD and LVDS (FlatLink(TM)) solutions to provide high-quality solutions allowing manufacturers to implement next-generation digital displays. Our customers are excited about our entry into this business, especially with TI's worldwide fabrication, testing and assembly facilities that allow absolute control over PanelBus manufacturing, meeting their high-volume production needs."

THine Electronics Inc. of Japan, a leading mixed signal silicon provider, has introduced DVI 1.0-compliant silicon transmitters and receivers. The company is demonstrating two DVI-based systems in the DDWG suite at the IDF Demo Showcase this week. The THine demos include DVI transmitters and DVI evaluation boards, which include graphics cards with dual DVI-compliant outputs. Volume production of the company's DVI-based silicon transmitters and receivers is expected to start this spring, according to THine.

Also at IDF, Chrontel announced three additions to its PC-to-TV encoder family. One of the featured products, the Chrontel CH7009(a), is a multifunction display controller device that features both a DVI-compliant link at a pixel rate of up to 165 MHz and a VGA-to-TV encoder supporting NTSC and PAL standards with composite, s-video and RGB output formats.

The DVI specification is based on technology developed by DDWG member Silicon Image. "We have received tremendous market response to our DVI-compliant PanelLink(R) product family," said Steve Tirado, Silicon Image executive vice president of marketing. "We are pleased to see several suppliers come into the market, adding momentum to DVI and the industry's transition to digital. Major CRT manufacturers have embraced our receiver chip, while our flat panel monitor controller chips and transmitter chips are both gaining recognition and design wins in their respective markets."

Major PC OEMs are continuing to ramp DVI-based systems, including recent product introductions by Dell and Fujitsu, according to Waring. "DVI has gained widespread acceptance as the digital display interface solution for the PC market. The first production digital CRT displays incorporating DVI will begin shipping in the second quarter of 2000," he said.

Specifically, ViewSonic, a leading display manufacturer, has announced advanced digital CRT displays incorporating DVI. InFocus, a leading data/video projection products manufacturer, has also introduced plans to implement InFocus Digital Connect(a), based on DVI, in all its projectors under development.

Also this week at IDF, Intel is releasing its High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) Rev. 1.0 specification aimed at adding a robust data protection layer on top of DVI. The first prototype silicon is being demoed at IDF.

"The combination of DVI with HDCP offers a high-bandwidth solution suitable for both PC and consumer electronics digital display interfaces," Waring said.

The formation of DDWG, an open industry group, was announced at the August 1998 IDF, and now has more than 100 members. Since that time the DVI 1.0 specification was completed with more than 15 display, PC OEM, silicon and connector manufacturers announcing and/or demoing DVI-compliant products at the IDF last August. More than 50 companies are currently participating in the DDWG Implementers Forum, which is focused on the adoption of DVI. More information about the DDWG and DVI 1.0 specification can be obtained at www.ddwg.org.

(a) Third-party names and brands are the property of their respective owners.