Analogix, the creator of SlimPort video cables, today announced its latest product: a mobile chip that can handle desktop-class video output over USB-C.
The mobile transmitter is the first single-chip solution capable of providing 4K video (3840 by 2160) at 60 frames per second. You can also transmit double-rate Full HD (1920 by 1080) at 120 frames per second. That’s pretty wild for a mobile device like a smartphone or a tablet, where space and power are so limited, and it’s only possible thanks to the massive bandwidth provided by the new USB 3.1 Type-C standard.
So what good is this? Well, apart from being able to connect your smartphone to a 4K monitor or TV (via USB-C, HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4) without suffering low frame rates, it’s also quite good for augmented reality / virtual reality, which tends to have higher bandwidth requirements than simple 2D video.
The chip can be built into any phone or tablet with a Qualcomm chipset and a USB-C port, so chances are we’ll see it on at least one device in the coming months. Analogix is demonstrating the chip’s capabilities at the Mobile World Congress this week, and surely will be meeting with as many interested smartphone and tablet makers as possible.
If you’d like to read more about the chip, you can have a look at the Analogix ANX7688 product page, which is replete with nerdy info.