Renesas introduced the RAA278842 LCD video controller – the automotive industry’s first full HD 1080p LCD video controller to include a 4-lane MIPI-CSI2 input, designed to help automotive system manufacturers develop versatile and reliable display systems to promote the highest level of HMI graphics for analog and digital video content.

Built with a 4-lane (or dual 2-lane) MIPI-CSI2 input that supports up to 1 Gbps per lane to interface with the latest generation of automotive cameras, application processors and graphics processors, the RAA278842 is ideal for automotive central infotainment displays and head units, instrument clusters, head-up displays, and mirror replacement display applications that are essential for the growing needs of ADAS.

Application examples

• The RAA278842 LCD video controller has 10-bit per color processing built into the image enhancement engine to provide near-zero latency, high quality video. Its integrated video diagnostics detect if/when incoming video is frozen or corrupted and can provide a direct path for the rear camera video to be displayed on the LCD instead, significantly improving rear camera display reliability and virtually eliminating the possibility of a software related problem causing rear camera videos to display incorrect information.
• The RAA278842 with MIPI-CSI2 output and the RAA278843 with traditional BT.656 output work with the system’s main processor to monitor camera and video data coming from the SoC or GPU. After vehicle ignition, the RAA27884x controller can display the carmaker’s logo or live camera video, with the controller’s on-screen display feature also simulating traditional tell-tale warning lamp checks in an instrument cluster application. Both controllers enable compliance with the FMVSS-111 safety law requiring the blind spot area behind the vehicle is displayed in less than two seconds after the driver places the vehicle in reverse gear.

Both the RAA278842 with MIPI-CSI2 and RAA278843 with BT.656 output are available now, and are AEC-Q100 Grade-2 qualified and specified for operation from -40°C to +105°C.