Silicon Image Inc, the company responsible for much of the cornerstone technology behind the merging DVI (digital video interface) standard, is reaping its reward, in the shape of orders for digital CRT controller chips from manufacturers who, between them, account for 40% of world CRT production.
The Cupertino, California-based company has announced licensing agreements for its SiI 901 chipset with Acer, NEC, Samsung and Viewsonic. Added to existing agreements with ADI, AmTran, KDS LG, and Mitsubishi, these agreements are providing a rich reward for SII’s decision to hand over its patented PanelLink technology to the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), which has since become the foundation of the DVI standard.
Initially, digital CRT chipset volumes are not expected to be huge, since the technology will be limited to the high-end display market. But with companies such as Intel and IBM pushing hard to see DVI completely supplant old display interconnect standards, it is only a matter of time before it becomes the generic interface for all screens, including LCDs for portables.
