The newly-developed DisplayPort interface proposal, which has been designed to simplify display interfaces in computer and consumer electronics systems, has been turned over to the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) for finalization and approval as a standard, the industry organization recently announced.

The DisplayPort is designed to enable a common interface approach across both internal and external display connections. Internal connections include display interfaces within a notebook PC or within an LCD display. External display connections include the interface between a source device such as a desktop PC, set-top box, DVD player or game console, and a display device such as a direct view flat panel or projection display for viewing video and graphics. The DisplayPort standard will also include an optional digital audio capability allowing streaming of high definition digital audio-video content over the interface, and provides performance scalability to enable the next generation of displays featuring higher color depths, refresh rates, and display resolutions.

DisplayPort incorporates a Main Link, a high-bandwidth, low-latency, unidirectional connection supporting isochronous stream transport. One stream video with associated audio is supported in Version.1.0, but DisplayPort is seamlessly extensible, enabling support of multiple video streams. Version 1.0 also includes an Auxiliary Channel to provide consistent-bandwidth, low-latency, bi-directional connectivity with Main Link management, and device control based on VESA’s E-DDC, E-EDID, DDC/CI and MCCS standards. The Link configuration enables true “Plug-and-Play”. The Main Link bandwidth enables data transfer at up to 10.8Gb/s using a total of four lanes.

In May, VESA announced the DisplayPort development program by a group of industry-leading companies dedicated to creating a new digital display interface specification for broad application within computer monitors, TV displays, projectors, PCs and other sources of image content.

“The plan in May was to submit a comprehensive version of the interface proposal to VESA during the third quarter for ratification and adoption,” said Ian Miller, chairman of VESA. “The group has met its internal timetable and delivered to us a very comprehensive specification, which VESA will now administer and provide a forum for future revisions.”

Known as DisplayPort, the interface specification will accelerate the adoption of protected digital outputs on PCs to broadly support viewing of high definition and other types of protected content through an optional content protection capability, while enabling higher levels of display performance.

The detailed proposal was submitted by a group of companies, including ATI Technologies, Dell, Genesis Microchip, HP, Molex Incorporated, NVIDIA, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, and Tyco Electronics.