New Matrox DualHead2Go Digital Edition Now Shipping

NEC Develops First Color LCD With Embedded DRAM Frame-Memory System

VIA Announces Pico-ITX Mainboard

Super Talent Announces 1333MHz DDR3 Memory

New Matrox DualHead2Go Digital Edition Now Shipping

Matrox Graphics announced that the new DualHead2Go Digital Edition is now shipping. Part of their Graphics eXpansion Modules (GXM) product line, this external multi-display upgrade device allows you to connect two digital monitors to your notebook or desktop for a dual-monitor set-up.

Matrox Graphics eXpansion Modules (GXM) are small external boxes that are simple to set up–there is no need to open the computer to insert additional parts. The operating system detects the GXM as an ultra-widescreen monitor which is then split into two or more standard resolutions, harnessing your system's existing 2D, 3D, and video acceleration graphics hardware.

DualHead2Go Digital Edition includes support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows XP-64 bit operating systems and Mac OS X v10.4, and is compatible with many desktops and notebooks. For complete details, visit the online compatibility page.

DualHead2Go Digital Edition has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $229USD. This product is available from authorized resellers worldwide or, in North America and Europe, directly from Matrox at http://shopmatrox.com.

Source: Matrox Graphics

NEC Develops First Color LCD With Embedded DRAM Frame-Memory System

NEC LCD Technologies announced development of the world's first thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display prototype module with a DRAM frame memory system, corresponding to 18-bit color (262k colors), embedded onto the glass substrate of the LCD screen. The results of this research are presented on May 24 at SID 2007 at the Long Beach Convention Center in California.

The new LCD module has been realized by a combination of NEC LCD Technologies' own value integrated TFT-LCD (VIT) technology and low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) TFT technology, and includes the following key features.

1. Successful design of a system LSI onto the glass substrate of the screen, utilizing 400,000 transistors in the peripheral circuits. The LCD integrates the peripheral circuits, including the frame memory system that incorporates a 230k-bit DRAM and a front-end picture decoder, a picture encoder, 6-bit DAC, and a controller.
2. Adoption of NEC's proprietary graphical data compression / decompression technology, smart pixel-data codec (SPC), enables a reduction in the amount of memory required to store the data of one screen image by two thirds that required by original data that doesn't employ any kind of codec, thereby contributing to a reduction in circuit area and power consumption.
3. Adoption of a RGB horizontal stripe for the pixel arrangement enables high density, a polychrome display, and optimization of cell layout of the graphics frame memory, simultaneously. This kind of pixel arrangement enables greater minimization of the circuit area on the glass substrate, which generally increases along with pixel density, as compared with RGB vertical stripe arrangements.
4. The newly-developed controller enables simultaneous and independent access for writing and reading in graphics frame memory, and achieves a data transfer rate of approximately 30 frames per second, enabling smooth display of a variety of digital movie contents.

Currently, graphics frame memory is realized by a COG-mounting method that attaches system-LSI chips, made on a silicon substrate, directly onto the glass substrate of the LCD. However, this poses a problem for timely manufacturing of new LCD modules as the lead time for mass production of system LSI chips is very long.

Through further development of its VIT technology to integrate peripheral circuits necessary for LCD image display, NEC LCD Technologies aims to realize a Zero Chip Display, which would enable direct connection to the MPU bus line of the system.

Source: NEC LCD Technologies

VIA Announces Pico-ITX Mainboard

VIA Technologies announced the VIA EPIA PX mainboard, the first commercial mainboard based on VIA's recently unveiled Pico-ITX form factor measuring just 10cm x 7.2cm.

Powered by the 1GHz VIA C7 processor and supporting up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SO-DIMM system memory, the tiny 10-layer VIA EPIA PX mainboard is based around the single-chip VIA VX700 system media processor, which features the VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP 3D/2D graphics core, MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9 hardware decoding acceleration and display flexibility, including support for higher display resolutions of up to HDTV for HD DVD playback.

Onboard connectors and I/O enable developers to harness the full power of the mainboard, though the VIA PX-O, a dedicated daughterboard with multiple digital media I/O ports, is available on request to assist project developers in early system testing.

Power efficiency is integral to the platform, with the maximum power (TDP) of the processor and chipset at 9W and 3.5W respectively combined with low power DDR2 memory enabling the VIA EPIA PX to run standard productivity and multimedia applications at under 13W.

This scale of platform miniaturization has been made possible only by the reduction in size of the core silicon; the 21mm square nanoBGA2 package of the VIA C7 processor and 35mm square VIA VX700 system media processor have a combined area of just 16.7cm2, a board real estate saving of over 50% from previous generation EBGA processors plus twin-chip core logic solutions, and more than that over competing solutions.

Specifications:

• Processor: 1GHz VIA C7 processor
• Chipset: VIA VX700 system media processor
• Memory: 1 socket, up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SODIMM system memory
• Graphics: Integrated VIA UniChrome Pro IGP 3D/2D graphics core, with hardware decoding acceleration for MPEG-2/-4 and WMV9; 1 VGA port
• Audio: VIA VT1708A HD Audio codec
• Storage: 1 SATA connector and 1 UltraDMA 133 connector
• Networking: VIA VT6106S Fast Ethernet controller + 1 RJ-45 LAN port
• Onboard options include: 4 USB connectors for 4 ports, 1 COM port connector, 1 PS2 mouse/keyboard connector, 1 LVDS/DVI connector, 1 multimedia connector to support external TV-out, video capture port interface & LPC interface (add-on card required), 1 audio connector for line-out, line-in, mic-in, S/PDIF in & 7.1 channel audio output, 1 CPU fan connector and 1 Pico-ITX power connector
• Complete specs

The VIA EPIA PX mainboard is available now for developers, and will be available in limited quantities through authorized distributors in late May.

Source: VIA Technologies

Super Talent Announces 1333MHz DDR3 Memory

Super Talent Technology announced a new line of extreme performance 1333MHz and 1066MHz DDR3 modules.

These JEDEC compliant 1GB modules and 2GB kits were designed specifically for the new Intel P35 “Bearlake” platform, and have already been validated on multiple P35 motherboards. These modules are clad in Super Talent’s custom black cast aluminum HE heat spreaders for improved thermal performance.

• W1333UX2G9 - 2GB DDR3 Kit (2x 1GB) 1333MHz PC3-10600 9-9-9-27
• W1333UB1G9 - 1GB DDR3 module 1333MHz PC3-10600 9-9-9-27
• W1066UX2G7 - 2GB DDR3 Kit (2x 1GB) 1066MHz PC3-8500 7-7-7-20
• W1066UB1G7 - 1GB DDR3 module 1066MHz PC3-8500 7-7-7-20

These DDR3 products are designed, built and tested in Super Talent’s San Jose, California headquarters. Every Super Talent module built is hand tested in a motherboard under load to ensure the reliability. These products are all sampling now, and will be shipping in volume in June. W1066UX2G7 is expected to retail for approximately $489.

Source: Super Talent Technology

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