Re: TV Charater Overlay - food for thought

["David Buckley" <db@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Keith Doxey <ukha@d...> wrote:
> It would be superb *IF* it was back into production but the
> only thing I could find on www.st.com was the datasheet
> under "Obsolete Products". Last year I asked my Account
Manager
> at Rapid Electronics to check on the availability and
> whist she could have obtained some I was told that it was
> being discontinued

Yes, I did a big google today, it seems that ST did an extra final
run, with advice to buyers that this really is it, now or never.
For the reasons you detail, the ST chip is not coming back, and all
the similar chips have either gone or going.  There are stocks, many
distributors have thousands of chips, but they are going down and
prices are rising.

Its time someone took this problem by the horns. Alternatives are
possible.  You can entirely generate video in software, but its hard
and time critical.  Looks like an inflexible approach.
Alternatively, once you've got video synchronisation signals, most
of the rest of the job is counters.  This is FPGA territory.

Trouble is, neither you nor I have the time(!), and although I (and
I'm sure you) can theorise how to do this, we aint gonna do it.

Unless someone (or some group, or some student does it for his
thesis) takes this bull by the horns, then OSD for amateurs (and I
guess lots of real products, judging by some of the screaming in the
isles) is going to be history.

The perfect product, of course, is a RGB out, RGB + component + SVid
+ CV in converter with overlay facility.  With ethernet, supporting
both of the x?? OSD schemas and simple UDP update as well.  I can
dream.  <sigh>



UK Home Automation Meet 2004 - BOOK NOW!
http://www.ukha2004.com

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx
Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx