14 DAY TRIAL // Next Christmas might see end-users enjoying seamless video playback on Superspeed USB 3.0 standard devices if DisplayLink manages to get its chip out on schedule. The chip will allow video to be transmitted ten times faster than permitted by the USB 2.0 interface. This will be achieved thanks to a chip that will enable devices to make full use of the data transfer capabilities of the USB 3.0 interface.
According to Dennis Crespo, executive vice-president of marketing and business development at DisplayLink, not only will the throughput exceed that of the USB 2.0, but will reach as much as 480 megabits-per-second. This will even surpass the VGA and DVI video adapters, not just devices using the newer DisplayLink and HDMI formats. The company will base the chip on its USB 2.0 version, which is already being used in laptop docking stations and pocket-sized video adapters or monitors.
The USB 2.0 DisplayLink chip allows games to be displayed at 60 fps, or 26-27 fps when in HD video. The USB 3.0 chip is set to permit such gaming and video content to be rendered without any difficulty or flickers. Still, the company will no longer be struggling to make USB the primary display solution, focusing instead on making it suited for a second or third display.
"We were trying to make USB video the primary solution for desktop machines, but the market has changed a bit towards notebooks and netbooks, so why fight the trend?" Crespo said. "We're now squarely focused on making USB video the solution for your second or third screen."
DisplayLink is planning on showcasing USB 3.0-enabled devices at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in January 2010. The maker expects a good marketing performance, especially considering the fact that it managed to ship 2.3 million USB 2.0 chips during 2009, compared to the 1 million achieved in 2008.