EXAR Corporation announced the addition of a new single-chip, low power, complete analog video signal processor subsystem for Charged Coupled Device (CCD) video and imaging markets. The XRD9856, operating at either 5 or 3 Volts, and up to 27MSPS, is available today. In addition to the XRD9856, the new XRD9855 is available at 18MSP and 10-bits. Manufactured in CMOS technology, these parts operate at the industry's lowest power consumption levels: 250 mW at 5 volts, and 120 mW at 3 volts, which help extend usage range of battery powered portable devices.

The XRD9856 digitizes images in video camcorders, video cameras, digital still cameras, CCTV/security cameras, PC video cameras and digital copiers, as well as in document and film scanners. The XRD9856 is backwards compatible with earlier generations of Exar CCD imagers (XRD4460 and XRD9853); it has both improved PGA linearity and black-level compensation, and offers a programmable aperture delay (Exar exclusive offering) which improves performance and eases device design.

According to John Sramek, vice president and general manager of EXAR's Video and Imaging Group, "This is an addition to our already industry-proven video subsystem product family. At 27MSPS, the XRD9856 is the best solution for design engineers who want to utilize the latest in mixed-signal processors for their projects. The integration of the signal conditioning (CDS), gain, calibration, and digitization functions provided by the XRD9856 and XRD9855 reduce part count, board size, power consumption and cost."

Technical Description

Although this product sounds a lot like other parts that are out there the XRD9856 is different. The 10-bit processing is now standard, although there are also 12-bit parts available; but, as we have noted before the output of the consumer products are all at 8 bits after gamma correction so that the signals can be handled by ordinary image-manipulation software. What is different here compared to other 10-bit parts is the 27 Msample/s operation. This lines it up with magic numbers for D-1 video and so opens up a completely different arena for the product.

With the extremely low power consumption for this part, together with the 27-MHz, operation you will see the XRD9856 specified in a number of consumer and prosumer digital cameras in short order. The improvements that Exar have made to the linearity of the PGA and the compensation at black level will be welcomed by those who worked with the XRD9853 and they will be able to drop the new part in with no changes in their circuits. The programmable aperture delay may be used by some of the top end products where they will be able to distinguish themselves by offereing products as "sports-optimized." The price of the part at the 1000-piece level is also extremely competitive.