Intel, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, NEC, Silicon Image Form Digital Display Working Group To Define Digital Connectivity Specification

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Sept. 17, 1998 - Intel Corporation announced today at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) the formation of a Digital Display Working Group which will address the industry's requirements for a digital connectivity specification for digital displays and high-performance PCs. The working group, a cooperative effort by Intel, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, NEC and Silicon Image will define a robust, comprehensive and extensible interface specification addressing protocol, electrical, and mechanical definitions.

"Digital displays will free the industry to deliver lower cost, higher quality innovative form-factor solutions to enhance the visual computing experience on Intel® Architecture-based PC platforms," said Pat Gelsinger, vice president of Intel's Desktop Products Group. "By delivering a robust, comprehensive and extensible interface specification, the Digital Display Working Group will help clear the path for product integration and legacy removal within the platform, thereby reducing cost and increasing performance."

To date, several specifications and consortiums exist for digital displays, causing a confusing environment for system manufacturers and end users. The objective of the Digital Display Working Group is to deliver a single industry specification that defines the interface between digital displays and high-performance PCs in order to eliminate the confusion.

"As a leader in delivering Digital Flat Panel Displays to the consumer market, Compaq is very excited to join the Digital Display Working Group to advance the next generation of digital display technology," said Rod Schrock, senior vice president, Compaq. "This new, robust industry specification for advanced digital connectivity will enhance the end user's future PC experience while protecting consumers' investments today. This will make it easier and quicker to take advantage of new, high-quality digital display technologies."

"As a strong advocate of industry-standard technologies, Dell recognizes that customers who use external digital displays need greater selection and choice regarding the interoperability of the monitor and system," said Eric Harslem, senior vice president, product and technology strategy, Dell. "Dell is committed to the goal of offering easy access to new display technologies through the support of standard, high-performance digital interfaces, and it supports the formation of the Digital Display Working Group as a way to accomplish this."

"Creation of a single Digital Connectivity standard is important to the PC industry and to PC users as it will enable interchangeable use of a wide variety of display technologies with very high quality," said Carl Stork, general manager, Windows Operating Systems Division, Microsoft Corporation. "With the formation of the Digital Display Working Group, there is now a forum for the industry to quickly achieve this. We are pleased to have played a major part in the process of establishing this working group and are very pleased that everybody has agreed to back the same standard."

By working together on establishing an industry connectivity specification, members of the Digital Display Working Group hope to deliver a complete, open specification that will accelerate the adoption and implementation of high-quality digital displays on the PC platform, allowing for a better visual experience. The working group expects to complete the specification by the first quarter of 1999.

Silicon Image's PanelLink* technology, which is the basis for Transition Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS), will provide the technical basis for the working group's proposed interface specification.

"Silicon Image is very pleased about the formation of this working group," said Scott Macomber, president of Silicon Image, "All-digital displays can bring the highest quality visual experience to computer users and consumers at the lowest possible cost. By using our PanelLink (TMDS) technology to define a universal, open standard designed for the long term, this working group's efforts will ensure that PC, display, add-in card, and consumer electronics manufacturers will be able to get products to this burgeoning market quickly and reap the benefits of the market's significant growth potential."

"HP remains committed to the development of open standards for high-performance digital display interfaces, to ensure that our customers will enjoy easy access to new display technologies," says Gregoire Genot, Hewlett Packard Display Program Group manager. "We intend to fully support this effort as an important step toward this goal."

As an increasing number of technologies become digital, the importance of a specification which takes into account current and future technologies is considerable. The Digital Display working group will also provide a specification roadmap to ensure flexibility and extensibility of the digital connectivity technology.

"IBM is pleased to cooperate with other leaders in the PC industry to help refine the interface for the next generation of digital flat panel displays," said Kevin Barry, general manager, IBM PC Options and Monitors. "We were an active participant in industry efforts to standardize on the TMDS interface, which is shipping today in digital flat panel monitors from several companies, including IBM. We look forward to working with other industry leaders to advance this standard, and to set a roadmap for future enhancements."

"NEC Corporation is very supportive of the Digital Display Working Group proposed by Intel, and will participate in the activity," says Katsuichi Tomita, executive general manager, 1st Personal C&C Operations unit, NEC Corporation.

"An industrywide Digital Display interface specification is a key initiative for the growth of the PC," says Kouichi Inoue, general manager, Personal System Division, Fujitsu Limited. "Fujitsu will actively support the working group's activities and objectives."

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.