BIOS: Technology Means Business

Fabless semiconductor company Newnham has announced NIVO, its high-performance graphics system that connects monitors to PCs over USB 2.0, and its first design win with Kensington, who will use the NIVO in a universal laptop docking station.

NIVO enables simple and cost-effective multi-monitor computing and is targeted at manufacturers of digital displays, personal computers or PC accessories who are looking to take advantage of the simplicity and universal understanding of USB.

Newnham’s NIVO technology is apparently the first technology to enable high-quality display response over a USB 2.0 connection. This means that the user experience with mouse, monitor and keyboard is comparable to a conventionally connected monitor.

Static images in 24-bit true colour are displayed without quality loss or colour reduction and distortion while full-motion video plays in real-time. Connection is simple and intuitive via USB.

The Kensington product allows a laptop user to attach a VGA monitor, an Ethernet network, microphone and speakers, and up to four USB peripherals, to their laptop via a single USB 2.0 connection.

In addition to docking station and multi-monitor computing USB NIVO opens up a range of new applications aimed at knowledge workers and road warriors who need to view multiple information sources at the same time, such as application-specific monitors that attach to the user’s main display and support a single application such as instant messaging, or lower cost real-time multi-tasking solutions for data-intensive workers such as stock traders, IT managers and others that need real-time data access on four or more monitors.

The NIVO solution is comprised of Virtual Graphics Card (VGC) software that runs on a Windows XP host PC and a silicon-based Hardware Rendering Engine (HRE) module that is connected to, or embedded into, a monitor. The VGC software processes a stream of display information using the company’s patented lossless graphics transport format and transmits it over a USB 2.0 link to the HRE device. The HRE then transforms the data back into pixels to be displayed on the monitor.

The solution is compatible with all CRT and flat panel monitors with screen resolutions up to 1280x1024 pixels at 75Hz. It offers VESA-compliant scan and refresh rates and 24-bit true colour depth at all resolutions. The VGC software supports all Windows XP desktop extend display modes as well as a desktop clone mode.

It is silently installed using Microsoft digitally signed drivers and allows display management using the standard Windows Display Properties control panel - without a proprietary GUI. The HRE module has a VGA port and an application specific interface with USB signals, and power system control.

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