STM32F439xxx as graphic controller for DVI output

[alimed]

Posted on March 26, 2014 at 21:00

Hello, for application in medical devices we need to develop a DVI interface to drive a commercial LCD monitor. We are analizing the usefulness of the STM32F439xxx serie as graphic controller. We only will display images in the monitor, not video. The highest resolution that the LCD module could drive in LCD panels is 800x600. Could be possible drive a higher resolution in a display?    

[Tesla DeLorean]

Posted on March 26, 2014 at 21:12

People have wired up analogue VGA by modifying STM32F429I-Discovery boards. You've got 8 MB of SDRAM for a frame buffer, suggest you evaluate something like that.

Larger resolutions are presumably limited by memory and bandwidth. 1920 x 1600 @ 60 Hz, is what, 184.32 MHz, seems a little fanciful to me.

[alimed]

Posted on March 26, 2014 at 21:34

We could use an external SDRAM memory for frame buffer. But for the pixel clock what output i could use and what is the higher frequency that it could be achieved?

[Tesla DeLorean]

Posted on March 26, 2014 at 21:47

You'll need to do you own due diligence, but even optimistically the SDRAM delivers 32-bit at 90 MHz, the usable ceiling is presumably quite below that.

[chen]

Posted on March 27, 2014 at 11:42

Hi

If cost is less of an issue, there are frame store devices specifically designed to convert from one video  format to another. Can you stand $5-10 on the cost ? The last project I was on, we used one of these devices to go from graphics LCD output to composite video output. Single chip device, with the video memory internal. All you had to do was to program up the control registers of the device, give it the video input and it just worked. (I have left that company and I do not remember the device part number - sorry)

[alimed]

Posted on March 27, 2014 at 13:13

The cost is not an issue. I will search for this device. In my specific case, the DVI transmitter receive the same signals of the LCD panel, maybe that is the chip you were talking about?

[chen]

Posted on March 27, 2014 at 13:50

Hi

We used something like this : http://www.intersil.com/content/intersil/en/products/audiovideo/video-decoders-encoders/video-decoders/TW9920.html (but I do not think this was the device that was actually used) However, you are looking for something like this : http://www.chrontel.com/index.php/profile/news/read/id/22/ (specifically says it outputs HDMI/DVI) TI and Analogue Devices might have something as well. Good luck.