Smartphones get display-smart with MHL 3.0

Recently announced MHL 3.0 (Mobile High Definition Link) by Silicon Image, the Nasdaq-listed connectivity technology company, has unleashed the capacity and processing power of the smartphone. It supports 4K ultra HD, bringing to life breathtaking visuals in fine detail on 32-inch+ screens. The company is a champion of standards such as HDMI (High Definition Multi-Media Interface), Wireless HD and MHL.

Vipin Sawhney, General Manager of Silicon Image India elaborates on how the leap in the technology standard is challenging the traditional usage models of ICT products in India. "Desktops for work, television screens for entertainment and displays for gaming, these are no longer standalone devices. The MHL allows these to be connected to the smartphone, enabling accessing of all the video that resides in the phone or the cloud for display on a screen the phone connects to. Besides, this does not require an upgrade in the TV remote or the gaming console that is to be used. What is needed is an MHL connecting cord that turns your phone into a PC or the entertainment console," he says.

Samsung, Sony, ZTE, HTC, Huawei - all have launched their MHL-enabled phones in India market. In 2013, 22 percent of phones were shipped with MHL, globally. Overall, the installed base of MHL enabled products is close to half-a-billion, globally and at least 28 percent of TVs shipped globally were MHL-enabled. Samsung, Sony, LG and Toshiba already have MHL-enabled TVs available in the India market.

So, what does MHL capability bring to the device?

First released in September 2013, MHL 3.0 brings ultra high definition (4K @ 30 Hz resolution), high speed data transfer channel, high quality audio that supports stereo, Dolby digital, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. It also allows power charging up to 10 watts. So, while in use, the mobile remains charged and ready for use the moment it is plugged out, effectively turning the mobile into the "mother of all devices" - a core infotainment hub with applications ranging from home theater to a touch screen GPS access in your car.

In India, Silicon Image has its R&D center in Hyderabad. It has 90 employees and the engineering team here is focused on design and development of semiconductor and intellectual property core technologies for mobile, wireless and CE products. The company's other 2 centers are in Shanghai and Sunnyvale in the US.

Given the vast base of legacy devices, Silicon Image has partnered with Mediatek for its analog to MHL adapter circuit to make MHL standard available for use in legacy consumer electronics. These Silicon Image converter integrated circuits (ICs) provide OEMs with cost-optimized adapter solutions for connecting analog sources to HDMI or MHL-enabled DTVs. With these new adapters, consumers can enjoy content from legacy VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, set-top-boxes, and console games that have analog outputs on the latest HDMI or MHL-enabled displays - including 4K ultra high definition TVs. In addition, these new ICs - when integrated into DTVs and displays - allow manufacturers to remove expensive and bulky legacy analog inputs on the TV, saving board space and overall cost.

The MHL technology standard has been developed and promoted by a consortium of companies including Nokia, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba along with Silicon Image. The MHL Consortium now has approximately 200 adopters and members supporting the MHL standard, including some of the largest mobile device and consumer electronics companies in the world. MHL-enabled products include smartphones, tablets, DTVs, monitors, projectors, A/V receivers, Blu-ray Disc players, cables, TV accessories, adapters, and automotive accessories among others.