Parade Technologies Intros New Video Repeater Device

Parade Technologies, a provider of digital video interface products, has launched its new PS8121ED DisplayPort Repeater device.

 

The new repeater removes signal distortion imposed by long PCB (printed circuit board) traces and connectors within the DisplayPort signal path, improving the output signal quality of DisplayPort transmitters or “Source” systems.

 

By driving the DisplayPort output receptacle with a clean signal, the PS8121ED also boosts DisplayPort Compliance test margin and enable robust interoperability with a wide variety of receivers.

 

The PS8121ED, the first DisplayPort repeater that responds to Link Training commands between the Source and Sink systems, uses Parade Technologies’ proprietary “Aux Channel interceptor” circuit .

 

The PS8121ED adjusts its output voltage swing and pre-emphasis level based on the Sink system request during Link Training, as well as the number of Main Link (high speed) lanes and Aux Channel managed power states. Though, the originating DisplayPort transmitter within the Source system will respond to these Sink requests, it will over-ride input drive changes and provide the correct drive characteristics at the system output receptacle.

 

The PS8121ED DisplayPort input has Parade’s advanced equalizer circuit that automatically adjusts the voltage gain and pass-band frequency response of the input receiver to compensate for signal loss (attenuation) and distortion over the system’s internal distribution path.

 

“Meeting the DisplayPort specification can be challenging when outputting through a notebook docking station, for example,” said Jimmy Chiu, vice president of marketing at Parade, in a statement. “In this application, the DisplayPort signal originates from the chipset or GPU on the notebook mother board, then travels through PCB traces to the docking connector, through more PCB traces in docking station, and finally to the DisplayPort connector.”

 

Chiu went on: “The 2.7 Gbps (giga-bit-per-second) DisplayPort signal gets quite distorted under these conditions. The PS8121ED was specifically designed to alleviate the distortions inherent in long signal transmission traces, and it is already being designed into several docking stations. We are also finding applications within PC motherboards. With DisplayPort integrated into the chipset, signal routing to the back panel connector can involve long PCB traces and multiple vias.”

 

“The commonly used FR-4 PCB base material does not propagate these high frequencies very well, which results in significant signal loss and distortion. The PS8121ED demonstrably improves DisplayPort signal conditioning in multiple applications,” Chiu concluded.

 

“One attractive aspect of DisplayPort is its ease of integration into chipsets and microprocessors,” said Eric Mentzer, Graphics Development Group General Manager at Intel (News - Alert) Corporation. “Its relative low signal swing and AC coupling allow it to easily scale with Intel’s most advanced manufacturing processes. We are pleased to see technology innovation from companies like Parade that will extend the utility of DisplayPort connections to a wider range of applications as docking stations.”

 

Packaged in a 48-pin QFN package, the PS8121ED is compliant with DisplayPort Standard version 1.1a. In a release, the company announced that the device is available in production quantities now, and sells for $1.40/unit in volume.

 

Parade Technologies, Ltd. is a privately-held fabless semiconductor company that specializes in developing digital video display interface products. The company is located in Sunnyvale, California, the heart of Silicon Valley.