San Jose, CA (DATE)—Chrontel ( www.chrontel.com ), a leading provider of video interface technologies, today announced a new DisplayPort protocol converter device for Personal Computer, Industrial Embedded System and USB Type-C Display manufacturers as they upgrade to the newest high-speed, high-resolution HDMI 2.1™ standard. Chrontel’s new CH7218 video format converter translates DisplayPort 1.4a signals generated by a CPU or GPU into HDMI display interface, today’s global standard for high-definition video with rich stereo audio.  The CH7218 has been selected by Intel to support HDMI 2.1 display on its Tyson Island, Alder Island platforms which are equipped with the latest Intel Tiger Lake or Alder Lake processors.  

         The CH7218 is the latest product update of Chrontel’s popular DisplayPort-to-HDMI product line.  This device’s DisplayPort decoder supports VESA DisplayPort Specification 1.4a up to 8.1 Gbps per lane–32.4 Gbps over 4 lanes.  When CH7218’s HDMI transmitter running at the FRL mode, display resolutions can be achieved up to UHD 8K@60Hz (7680 × 4320 @ 60Hz), 4K@144Hz (4096 x 2160 @ 144Hz) or 2K@240Hz (1920 x 1080 @240Hz).  In the case of supporting HDMI 2.1, VESA’s Display Stream Compression (DSC) version 1.2a algorithm is integrated in the CH7218 DisplayPort’s6 receiver circuit; this compression is necessary for the DisplayPort 1.4a HBR3 to deliver HDMI 2.1 display at 48 Gbps transmission rate. Through the DisplayPort Link Training over the AUX channel, the CH7218 can be can be configured to run 1, 2 or 4 lanes in either the DisplayPort or the Embedded DisplayPort (eDP) standard.  

        In addition to incorporating display conversion logic that delivers stunning video output to the PC computing industry, Chrontel’s CH7218 IC supports multicolor format options including 8/10/12 bpc RGB, YCbCr 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2/4:2:0 at 8/10/12 bpc.  When color space conversion is required between the DisplayPort source and the HDMI sink, the CH7218 will dynamically convert RGB to YCbCr, YCbCr to RGB or YCbCr 4:4:4/4:2:0 to YCbCr 4:2:0 through its firmware settings.  LPCM used for stereo audio signal is also supported by the CH7218’s audio code engine that is capable of delivering high quality 8 channels LPCM up to 192 kHz/24-bit uncompressed digital audio High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology that enriches video quality for HDMI deep color media content playback and improves gaming video contents are implemented in the CH7218 IC’s HDMI and DisplayPort blocks.   To take advantage of 3D HDMI-enabled display devices, the CH7218 IC incorporates HDMI 3D protocol to enhance the user visual experience when playing 3D games or running 3D video applications. Supporting new copy protection for HDMI 2.1, the CH7218 IC is designed with HDCP Copy Protection 2.3 technology which is mandated to prevent illegal copying of digital and audio content when it is streaming 8K video to a HDMI monitor or a sink; the CH7218 IC will automatically fall back into HDCP 1.4 for backward compatibility with HDMI 1.4b display.   

        The CH7218 is equipped with HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) that allows users to control HDMI devices that are connected through HDMI cables by using one of their remote controls.  By executing the DisplayPort CEC tunneling over AUX mechanism defined in the DispalyPort 1.4a Specification, the CH7218 is able to communicate the HDMI-CEC capable sink through translating CEC commands in the DisplayPort CEC DPCD registers, which will be serving as CEC msg buffer between HDMI device and DisplayPort source.  

        USB Type-C ports, a new type of USB connectors with the slim and sleek design are becoming the industrial-standard for transmitting video, data and power.  The CH7218 IC supports USB Power Delivery 3.1 for fast charging and DisplayPort Alt Mode (DP Alt Mode) which leverages the USB-C connectors flexibility, allows a USB-C equipped computer, phone, tablet and other industrial segments to connect directly to a display or monitor. PC accessory manufacturers can design CH7218 into USB-C adapters or docking stations to support HDMI 8K display by taking the advantage of the device’s DisplayPort Alt Mode and powerful video format conversion capabilities.  

Pricing and Availability

Chrontel CH7218 is in production and is offered in a 68-pin QFN package.  The new device will be available at 3.00USD/ea. in high volume. 

Additional information about all Chrontel products can be found on the web at http://www.chrontel.com/products.

About Chrontel, Inc.

Founded in 1986, privately held Chrontel is a leading supplier of video interface ICs and technologies to computer manufacturers worldwide. The company's innovations include the world's first VGA-to-TV encoder. Chrontel video display chips are incorporated into reference designs offered by many microprocessor and graphics processor vendors. The company currently offers the industry's most complete product line of video interface ICs for notebook ,desktop computers, automotive and other display accessory products such as display converter dongles and docking stations and monitors, and its components can be found in PCs, tablets and display accessories sold by dozens of leading manufacturers. Additional information about Chrontel can be found on its website: www.chrontel.com