Analogix Semiconductor and Granite River Labs (GRL) announced the expansion of the SlimPort Adopters Program (SAP) to include the USB Type-C connector. Available to any USB Type-C device manufacturer, the program offers SlimPort certification including signal quality pre-test for DisplayPort, HDMI and VGA, interoperability testing to confirm the maximum display resolution with devices available in the market, and functional testing of power, data, audio and video transfer.
The benefit for mobile device manufacturers is to ensure that their devices work with the USB-C accessories available in the market. This includes the first wave of USB-C devices such as Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter and the Google USB Type-C to HDMI Adapter.
With USB Type-C, a completely uniform standard for a number of cable connections is finally available. The new extremely narrow port is no longer dependent on the plug-in direction and can also be controlled, in addition to pure data transmission to screens, providing peripherals with up to 100 watts power.
Analogix, like many other semiconductor companies, has recently introduced a new USB Type-C Controller, which combines all the necessary electronics in a single chip and is particularly suitable for use in mobile devices.
The new USB Type-C single-chip controllers include a cable configuration controller, which detects the cables and adapters used. In addition, a high-speed switch is integrated, connected between the USB and DisplayPort switch operation, for use with external displays. The chip also offers all basic USB Type-C standard support, such as the power supply via USB Power Delivery to supply up to 100 watts power, data transfer rates for USB 3.1 Generation 1 standard with 5 Gb per second and for display provides support of 4K and even 8K resolution, depending on the trim level and the display used.
Depending on the device class, there are six different versions of the chip. While the largest model, the ANX7428 includes all components, including 8K resolution by four DisplayPort lanes, the smaller version for smartphones and ARM-based tablets is designed to support only 2 DisplayPort lanes. Other models dispense DisplayPort, high-speed switch or the USB power supply.
The benefit of the newly announced certification program for accessory makers is to ensure that accessories work with the many video source devices with USB-C connector supporting DisplayPort Alternate Mode already released in the market, as well as the many smartphones, tablets and notebook computers coming soon that will support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Since its adoption by the 12-inch Apple MacBook and the Google Pixel 2 Chromebook, as well as the recommendation from Microsoft in their New Guidelines for USB for Windows 10, DisplayPort Alternate Mode has become the de facto standard for sending video over the USB Type-C port.
“Most leading mobile device manufacturers and accessory makers are aggressively switching to USB-C connectivity and SAP is in place to provide cost efficient solutions for interoperability testing and compliance reporting. This is increasingly important as resolutions increase on mobile devices. With USB-C, DisplayPort supports 4K 60Hz and beyond simultaneously with USB3 data transfer,” explains Andre Bouwer, vice president of marketing for Analogix. “The SlimPort trademark signifies to the end user that the device interoperates with products available in the market, and with other SlimPort devices.”
Testing is performed in the Analogix EasyHD Lab in Beijing, which was established in 2006 to address the interoperability issues in HDMI and DisplayPort devices, and at Granite River Labs with testing facilities in the US, Taiwan, Japan and India. GRL is amongst the first test houses able to certify devices with USB Type-C connectors and DisplayPort Alternate Mode support.
“In addition to the USB and DisplayPort certifications, we are delighted to expand our offering of test services with the SlimPort Adopters Program. This program includes interoperability and functional tests that go beyond the standard CTS tests helping device makers release their product with greater confidence and faster time to market in the growing USB-C ecosystem,” said Quintin Anderson, Co-Founder and COO for GRL.
Once products receive certification, adopters will have access to marketing collaterals and technical support, receive listings on www.slimport.com and the option to use the SlimPort trademark on their products to highlight the video-out capability.
www.analogix.com | www.graniteriverlabs.com
www.slimport.com | www.usb.org/developers/usbtypec/
