When the DisplayPort 1.1 standard was approved earlier this year by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), most of the attention focused on the fact that the standard would allow support for DHCP security - something the HDMI standard already supported. What was not really highlighted was the fact that the DisplayPort 1.1 standard also includes support for Hybrid Devices. This means the transmission of data does not have to be done over copper wires, but can also be done on fiberoptic cables to provide additional performance and benefits when connecting PCs to flat panel displays and other applications.

Chris Chinnock
Senior Analyst and Editor
for Insight Media

The company behind this development is Luxtera, which headed up a sub group within the DisplayPort Task Force to refine the proposal for Hybrid Devices that was eventually ratified by VESA. Other members of this sub group include Xponent Photonics, Intel and Kotura.

The key advantage of using a fiberoptic cable for transmitting video within the home between appliances is that there are no practical restrictions on cable length because of the very high bandwidth the fiber can support. Copper cables can have limitations in length, especially as the bandwidth of the signal goes up. In addition, the fiberoptic cable is free of electro-magnetic interference.

Luxtera’s Director of Marketing, Eileen Robarge, told us in an interview that their connection/transmission photonic technology can be used to support multiple standards such as HDMI, DVI, HD-SDI as well as DisplayPort. "The real advantage of implementing this technology in DisplayPort is that it is self powered. The DisplayPort connector can provide the power needed for the transmit and receive modules, whereas the other standards need external power sources."

The Luxtera solution allows for two, bi-directional 10Gbps digital channels. The company has made great strides in being able to integrate all of the components in a small CMOS package including transmit/receive modules, waveguides and 1550nm lasers.

"Optical technology, particularly single mode technology, can most effectively address the longer reach (cable runs) market needs for digital signage, projectors, imaging, quiet office and digital home and support much higher performance picture quality for the end user at both short and longer distances," said Robarge. "At 10Gbps, if the cable run is over about 10-15 meters, you want to consider going to optical cable."

Robarge says their photonic technology can allow for the much higher data rates that will be needed to meet these consumer and professional transmission needs in the coming years. The company expects to launch its first 10Gbps product in 2008.