FTDI announces EVE, Embedded Video Engine chip
FTDI has announced the introduction of the FT800, Embedded Video Engine (EVE).
FTDI Chip is redefining the cost and quality paradigm for graphic user interface (GUI) development with the introduction of the FT800, Embedded Video Engine (EVE). With 3 in 1 functionality including display, audio, and touch operations, engineers now have an advanced solution to easily create and output state-of-the-art interactive display systems. Targeted at QVGA and WQVGA TFT display panels, EVE’s object orientated approach eliminates the traditional frame buffer memory as it renders an image, on a line by line basis, to 1/16th pixel resolution.Simply, initialize the object memory, then control the objects and their attributes by creating and manipulating a small display list buffer, which can be done even with a low-end 8-bit CPU. The embedded audio controller allows midi-like sounds or PCM audio playback. Packaged in a space-saving 48LD QFN package, the FT800 comes preloaded with a useful set of fonts and sounds in ROM, making it suitable for many applications.
Further information can be found in FTDI’s product brochure or on their website.
They anticipate mass market release later in 2013.
Drone via the contact form.
This entry was posted in components, News and tagged embedded video engine, EVE, FT800, FTDI.
Comments
There isn’t a datasheet yet and we’ll see but I’m guessing there isn’t an available frame buffer from the outside.
For similar devices, also see 4D systems and MMC Electronics -
http://www.4dsystems.com.au/
http://www.mmselectronics.co.uk/lcdedip.htm
http://hackaday.com/2013/01/04/touchscreen-control-for-a-reprap/
(last one is a control for a reprap which uses one of 4D systems’ displays)
Currently, in order to have video, people are thinking about using the Raspberry Pi, FPGA, the EVE chip, the 4D system board or something else. There is an Arm device that has a GPU built in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allwinner_A1X
The Allwinner A1X, known under Linux as sunxi, is a family of single-core SoC devices designed by Allwinner Technology from Zhuhai, China. Currently the family consists of the A10,[1] A13,[2] A10s[3] and A12. The SoCs incorporate the ARM Cortex-A8 as its main processor[4] and the Mali 400 as the GPU.
The video formats include:
Quote:
Multi-channel HD displays
Built-in HDMI
YPbPr, CVBS, VGA
LCD interfaces: CPU, RGB, LVDS up to Full 1080P HDTV
-Wikipedia
A full-on ARM SOC is probably not something that FTDI intends to compete with with this family though; I guess the target market is probably those who would want to add a display to existing (low-end) projects?
There seems to be quite a few Cortex-Mx chips with LCD interfaces too. But then you would still have to write all the GUI code and poke at the frame buffer yourself, presumably..
Most of the boards using those chips don’t expose the LCD interface directly.
Anyway, the FTDI chip looks interesting, but it will be worthless if not coupled with a good GUI design tool.