Low-Power Design

Offering Includes Epson-based Graphics Controller Board, Plus VGA & WVGA Touch-Panel Display Boards; Supports 24 bpp Color for Vivid, Photo-Quality User Interfaces power

CHANDLER, Ariz., May 9, 2011 - Microchip Technology Inc. today announced several new development tools that enable higher-performance, larger graphical user interfaces. These tools extend the graphics application space for Microchip’s 16- and 32-bit PICmicrocontrollers, and include an Epson-based graphics-controller board that can be driven by the Explorer 16 Development Board or PIC32 Starter Kit, as well as two VGA and WVGA touch-panel LCD daughter boards that enable up to 7” screens with over 16 million colors available. Example applications include those in the home appliance, industrial, home-security and fitness-equipment markets, among others.

The Epson S1D13517 Graphics Controller PICtail Plus Daughter Board is based upon the Epson S1D13517 controller, featuring an 18-/24-bit Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) interface that is supported by 128 Megabits external SDRAM, and enables up to 24-bit-per-pixel color depth. This low-cost SDRAM also supports multiple-frame-buffering, alpha-blending and picture-in-picture capabilities. The board also includes 64 Megabits serial Flash memory for additional non-volatile storage, as well as connectors for an easy interface with different display boards, and Microchip’s Explorer 16 Development Board, and PIC32 Starter Kit. The Epson S1D13517 Graphics Controller board, and the 5.7” VGA and 7” WVGA boards, along with Microchip’s free graphics library, provide the key building blocks for bringing vivid, photo-quality user interfaces to market.

“Customers are demanding an enhanced graphical user-interface experience,” said Sumit Mitra, vice president of Microchip’s High-Performance Microcontroller Division. “Our new boards help designers to meet these demands with QVGA or WQVGA solutions, and our software makes development easy. With the addition of the Epson graphics controller and these new, larger displays, designers can take their products to the next level, with more advanced and larger 24 bpp-color user interfaces.”

“Our collaboration with Microchip brings a sophisticated display solution to a wide range of industrial applications,” said David Lamar, Epson Electronics America, IC Business Unit General Manager. “The Epson graphics controller offers compelling value and versatility, which designers need to easily differentiate their products in the marketplace.”

The Epson S1D13517 Graphics Controller PICtail Plus Daughter Board (part # AC164127-7, $119.99) and Graphics Display Truly 7” 800 x 480 (WVGA) Board (part # AC164127-9, $269.99) can be purchased today, at http://www.microchip.com/get/KFT7. The Graphics Display Truly 5.7” 640 x 480 (VGA) Board (part # AC164127-8, $269.99) is expected to be available for purchase in June 2011. The Graphics Display Prototype Board (part # AC164139, $20), available today, can be used for connecting to other popular displays. All of these boards work with Microchip’s Explorer 16 Development Board (part # DM240001, $129.99) and PIC32 Starter Kit (part # DM320001, $49.99), also available for purchase today, at http://www.microchip.com/get/KFT7. Additionally, Microchip’s free graphics library is available for download at its online Graphics Design Center, located at http://www.microchip.com/get/K994.

For further information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor, or visit Microchip’s Web site at http://www.microchip.com/get/K994. To purchase products mentioned in this press release, go to microchipDIRECT or contact one of Microchip’s authorized distribution partners.

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