Mountain View, California-based Trident Microsystems Inc has announced the TGUI9680, which it is claiming as the first single chip 64-bit graphical user interface and video accelerator capable of overlaying a 24-bit live video display onto a graphical image of any colour depth. The company claims the TGUI9680 can implement a 1,024 by 768 by 256-colour graphical display with the true-colour video overlay, using only 1Mb of memory. This, says Trident, saves personal computer makers money and space on boards. The TGUI9680 is an extension to the TGUI9660 64-bit graphical user interface accelerator that was introduced last year (CI No 2,486). To that basic model, Trident has added the capacity to convert video images stored in the YUV format, into the RGB format that is used in personal computers. By putting this function on the chip, Trident says it has increased the bandwidth, enabling faster video play. The chip can also scale software video standards like the Motion Picture Expert Group, Cinepak and Indeo which means that these images can be played full screen but the ‘blockiness’ of the image that is sometimes seen is minimised. The Dynamic RAM-based TGUI9680 is pin-compatible with the TGUI9660, so users that need this capacity can upgrade more easily. The TGUI9680 accelerator integrates an on-chip 135MHz pixel clock and 24-bit per pixel RAMDAC. It supports mixed-mode, high-quality live-video playback and graphics using the Video Electronic Systems Association Advanced Feature Connector, or VAFC, and/or the Peripheral Component Interconnect bus for a cable-less connection. Trident says the TGUI9680 has a flexible display memory interface that accommodates x4, x8 and x16 configurations so that only two 256K-bit 16-bit dynamics are required to implement a high-resolution 1,024 by 768, 16.7m colour video display. The chip is priced at $30 each in 1,000 units per month quantities. At the moment the part is shipping in sample quantities, with volume scheduled for next quarter.
