Renesas Electronics introduces a full HD LCD video controller with MIPI-CSI2 input

     Renesas Electronics has announced the automotive industry's first full HD 1080p LCD video controller with 4-channel MIPI-CSI2 inputs. The 4-channel (or 2 dual-channel) MIPI-CSI2 input of the RAA278842 LCD video controller supports rates of up to 1Gbps per channel and can be connected to the latest generation of automotive cameras, application processors and graphics processors.

     The controller also supports a 150 MHz single-channel OpenLDI interface, as well as a variety of video interfaces with resolution up to 1920 x 1080 and LCD panel sizes. The RAA278842 is suitable for automotive central infotainment system displays (CID) with the main engine, dashboards, head-up displays (HUD), and applications where it can be used to replace rearview mirrors, which are critical to the growing demand for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

     Niall Lyne, Senior Director of Mixed Signal/Power and video at Renesas Electronic Automotive, said: "The RAA278842 LCD video controller helps automotive system manufacturers develop versatile and reliable display systems that deliver superior HMI graphics performance for both analog and digital video content. Our expertise in video signal processing for backup cameras and highly differentiated new technologies are favored by global automakers and Tier 1 suppliers."

     The RAA278842 LCD video controller has a 10-bit per color processor built into the image enhancement engine to deliver high-quality video with near zero latency. Its integrated video diagnostics function detects whether incoming video is stuck or damaged and provides a direct path for video captured by the rear camera to display on the LCD, significantly improving the reliability of the rear camera display and virtually eliminating the possibility of incorrect or non-existent display of rear camera video due to software-related issues. Since some application processors take a few seconds to boot (depending on the operating system), the RAA278842 can display camera images on the LCD in 500 milliseconds, thus meeting many Oems' fast boot requirements.

     The RAA278842 with the MIPI-CSI2 output and the RAA278843 with the traditional BT.656 output work with the main system processor to monitor the camera and video data from the SoC or GPU. When the vehicle is fired and the dashboard is activated, the RAA27884x controller can display the automaker's logo or live camera video. The controller's on-screen display also simulates traditional warning light inspections in dashboard applications. Both controllers comply with the FMVSS-111 safety law, which requires the blind spot area behind the vehicle to be displayed for less than two seconds after the driver has placed the vehicle in reverse.