Triple-skew-compensating Video Delay Line IC Features Best Colour Accuracy

The AD8120 triple video delay line IC consumes 50 percent less than its closest competitors; while all 3 channels at maximum delay and its 0.8 percent channel-to-channel gain matching delivers the most accurate RGB colour video available – seven times better than competing products. The AD8120’s 150 MHz (mega hertz) bandwidth multiplied by its 50 ns (nanosecond) total delay provides an industry-leading performance benchmark of 7500MHz-ns BWxD (bandwidth x delay benchmark). The BWxD is an industry benchmark that allows designers and manufacturers to accurately compare performance specifications of triple video delay line ICs.

Low Power and High Bandwidth is Best Performance Combination

The AD8120 compensates for the skew created by Cat5, Cat6 or Cat7 cables when transmitting analogue video over long distance cables.

Skew, or arrival time mismatch, between video signals occurs during video transmission in unshielded twisted pair cables due to the different twist rates that are used for each pair. For this reason, some pairs are longer than others, and in long cables, the difference in propagation time between two pairs can be well into the tens of nanoseconds, creating a noticeable degradation in video performance.

To solve this problem, the AD8120 contains three delay paths that provide broadband delays up to 50 ns in 0.8 ns increments using 64 digital control steps or analog control adjustment. The delay technique used in the AD8120 minimizes noise and offset at the outputs making the AD8120 ideal for use in applications that receive high-resolution video over UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cables.

The AD8120 provides individual delay controls for each channel. The delay times are set independently using a standard 4-wire SPI bus or a standard I2C bus, or by applying analogue control voltages to the VCR (voltage control red), VCG (voltage control green), and VCB (voltage control blue) pins. Analogue control offers a simple solution for systems that do not have digital control available.

The AD8120 is designed for use with ADI’s AD8123 triple UTP equalizer in video over UTP applications, and it can also be used in other applications where similar controllable broadband delays are required.