Leading high-speed interface, video display, and touch controller IC supplier, Parade Technologies has announced that its customers can sample its new DisplayPort 2.0 to HDMI 2.1 protocol converters, with "the best power performance available on the market". The Parade PS195 and PS196 chips are said to be fully compliant with the VESA DisplayPort v2.0 and HDMI v2.1 specifications and aimed at markers of motherboards, docking stations, and video dongles. The Parade ICs are the first DP 2.0 products we have reported on, and might be important to consumer-facing devices arriving from later this year.
"PS19x HDMI 2.1 converter family enables HDMI 2.1 on host systems and accessories to bring about 8K and higher display resolution," said Jimmy Chiu, Executive VP of Marketing at Parade Technologies. "Parade continues the success of the PS185/PS186 DP 1.4 – HDMI 2.0 converter family."
Parade provides some technical data about its PS195 and PS196 protocol converter chips, which are provided to partners in a 7mm x 8mm 74-pin QFN package. It says the DP receiver "supports up to 4 lanes at the HBR3 (8.1Gbps) link rate and supports optional DSC compression, both in decoding of the DP input or pass-through to the HDMI output." Meanwhile, the HDMI output "supports up to 4 lanes of FRL at 12Gbps data rate per lane, enabling display resolutions up to 10K when using DSC pass-through."
It is worth mentioning that the HDMI output is backward compatible with HDMI 2.0 and earlier versions. Moreover, support for features such as "TMDS signalling up to 6.0Gbps. HDMI 2.1 enhanced refresh rate and low latency features including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Media Switching (QMS), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)," will be of interest to some HEXUS readers.
As mentioned in the intro, these ICs are low power performers, making them suitable for both desktop and portable solutions. However, with regard to the claimed "best" power consumption figures, the press release isn't very enlightening, and neither is the PS196, product page (I can't find the PS195 product page, at the time of writing). Parade doesn't say how much these ICs will sell for.
The first DP 2.0 products are expected to usher in improved refresh rates and HDR support at higher resolutions, as well as help spearhead the adoption of 'beyond 8K' displays.
Thanks to the HEXUS reader for the tip.
