DisplayPort cable assemblies: Makers step up R&D for market takeoff

Anticipating a surge in DisplayPort-enabled devices later this year, suppliers of cables and assemblies in China are bolstering R&D and gearing up for manufacture on a larger scale. Many believe HDMI will continue leading the mainstream interconnect segment but expect rising adoption in the computer industry to boost demand for DisplayPort products.

Makers see 2010 as the breakout year for this digital display interface standard from the Video Electronics Standards Association or VESA. With backing from major international players in the PC and component markets, upcoming LCD monitors, laptops and netbooks will feature DisplayPort.

Global shipments of devices supporting the interface will reach 263.3 million units by 2012, a big jump from zero two years ago, according to iSuppli. HDMI exports, meanwhile, will jump to 772.8 million units from 193 million in 2007.

Fifty of China’s 1,000 or so cable makers are currently engaged in DisplayPort R&D and manufacture.

Most are in the early-development stage and do not devote a large percentage of production to this line. Even so, the supplier pool will likely expand as demand rises.

In addition to increasing orders, DisplayPort’s cost advantage over HDMI is expected to attract more new players. Unlike the latter, DisplayPort does not require a license fee, which reduces manufacturing outlay and allows companies to offer lower prices. Projected quote reductions of 8 to 10 percent will further boost its edge.

Despite the competition being hyped by industry insiders, suppliers in China believe the two standards will coexist as they can establish their respective niches in different application markets.

HDMI will be widely adopted in consumer electronics, while DisplayPort is for computer products.

DisplayPort cable makers in China generally offer all kinds of connectors and cables. Many also carry battery, coaxial and HDMI connectors, HDMI and DisplayPort adapters, phone jacks and USB cables in their lineups.

Most DisplayPort cables are 1 to 3m long. Some suppliers have models extendible to 15m. Hinen Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, said to be the first in China to develop Mini DisplayPort products, is working on units 30m in length. Such long cables can be used in supermarkets or similar establishments.

Mainstream types adopt DisplayPort version 1.1, supporting 10.8Gbps bandwidth, faster than the 10.2Gbps maximum data rate enabled by HDMI 1.3. The former also delivers enhanced resolution at 2560x1600pixels WQXGA and 2048x1536pixels QXGA with 30 or 36-bit color depth.

In a move to enhance interface efficiency, VESA released the 1.2 specification in Computex last June.Designed to improve performance, it offers double bandwidth at 5.4Gbps per lane, resulting in 21.6Gbps total.

More companies are expressing interest in the Mini DisplayPort. Freeport Resources Enterprises Corp. is studying the standard, while Comlink Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd is in the early stages of development.

The current monthly output at most companies averages 100,000 units, all of which is shipped overseas. The main export destinations are North America and the EU.

Some suppliers offer cables under their own brands, although about 80 percent of DisplayPort devices are released for OEM or ODM projects.

The manufacturing processes are similar to those for other cable types, although the connector requires a more-complex procedure because of the importance given to welding in ensuring efficiency.

Most companies conduct production in-house, with some outsourcing plating.

The cables undergo compliance tests stipulated by VESA. These include jitter tolerance, eye diagram, slope compensation and other link layer checks such as EDID.

Materials are generally sourced locally, although several companies use adapter ICs from Taiwan and the US.

This article "DisplayPort cable assemblies: Makers step up R&D for market takeoff" is originally posted in Global Sources.

Aerotek Innovations Limited
Bafo Technologies Corp
Comlink Electronics Co.,Ltd
Freeport Resources Enterprises Corp
Hinen Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd
Hip Hing Cable & Plug Mfy Ltd
Joinsoon Electronics Manufacturing Company Ltd
Lin Shiung Enterprise Co Ltd
Ningbo Hentek Dragon Electronics Co. Ltd