Xilinx Video Kit Drives Innovation for 3DTV

Xilinx Inc. has launched a new version of its Spartan-6 FPGA Consumer Video Kit that gives systems designers a complete development platform for easily tapping into the flexibility and real-time video processing capabilities of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Co-developed with and distributed by Tokyo Electron Device, the Consumer Video Kit supports the latest serial digital TV interfaces, including DisplayPort 1.1a, V-by-One HS, HDMI 1.4a (now supporting 3DTV) and LVDS of up to 1.05Gbps, to help original equipment manufacturers meet the challenges of shorter market windows and focus on the innovation and delivery of stunning 3D, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), Quad HD (4K2K resolution) and many other digital display technologies.

"New consumer video technologies like 3DTV and the standards that support them are proliferating like never before as competition and innovation in digital television development pushes the limits of video processing and bandwidth," said Aaron Behman, Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer Segment, Xilinx. "FPGAs have already made the delivery of 3DTV to consumers possible and are being used by leading manufacturers in their development of new generations of digital TV technologies and features."

At the heart of the Consumer Video Kit is a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA, a low-cost, low-power programmable logic device that designers can use to simulate video algorithms in silicon during the development phase and then move into production without having to worry about coding video interface infrastructure. Spartan-6 FPGAs deliver 30 percent lower power and 15 percent faster performance than competing FPGAs to support emerging technologies such as locally dimmed LED and super-high resolution 4K2K (Quad HD), which are driving up the bandwidth requirements for next-generation displays.

The Spartan-6 FPGA Consumer Video Kit 2.0 is one of many market and application-specific Targeted Design Platforms from Xilinx and its network of third-party vendors that provide system designers with simpler and smarter methodologies for creating FPGA-based system-on-chip solutions. Targeted Design Platforms enable software and hardware designers to leverage open standards, common design methodologies, development tools, and run-time platforms so they can spend less time developing the infrastructure of an application and more time building differentiating features into their products. In addition to domain-optimized silicon devices, these platforms include IP (intellectual property) cores, design environments and reference designs, along with a base set of digital audio/video development boards and industry-standard FPGA Mezzanine Cards (FMCs) supporting specific video interfaces (1.05Gbps LVDS, DisplayPort 1.1a (Tx/Rx), V-by-One HS and HDMI 1.4a).

The Spartan-6 FPGA Consumer Video Kit has been refreshed since its introduction at the CES 2010 as part of Xilinx and Tokyo Electron Device's continuous efforts to improve the out-of-the-box experience for designers.

Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGAs

Tokyo Electron Device

Xilinx