The Rising Technical Standard (2): MHL

 

Along with the mature high-definition video display technology, people have higher expectations on audio/video experience today. For consumer electronics (CE) devices and home entertainment products, supporting HD audio/video transmission has become an essential requirement. However, while the tendency of mobile devices' form factor is smaller and smaller, making a product design embedded HD signal transmission interface has become challenging than ever. Also, the high power consumption of HD signal transmission is also a key element that impact the standby time of mobile devices. With these above situation and the increasing needs of mobile audio /video streaming, the latest mobile HD connectivity technical standard – MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) is therefore released.

The Rising Technical Standards (1): Continua Health Alliance

To pursue a better quality of life, people put a lot more efforts into exercise and diet today. The healthcare market is getting bigger while the rate of aging is rising, many kinds of reasons have raised the importance of medical electronics, and the increasing importance  allows healthcare industry to come up with its own technical standard.

SSD Quality and Performance Comparison - A Testing and Evaluation Report for SSDs in the Market Today (2)

Since the last article “Exploring the Quality of SSD – A Testing and Evaluation Report for SSDs in the Market Today” was released in the end of 2010, we have received a large amount of positive feedback from readers and followers. In order to response to all the requests from our followers, we are releasing a follow up test report with latest SSD products. Hoping this report could provide valuable information when you purchasing a SSD drive.

Standard Program Recent Update (2): UPnP and DisplayPort

UPnP List Allion as Independent Certification Vendor for UPnP Pre-Certification Testing

For those seeking for UPnP Pre-Certification Testing, UPnP Forum has officially listed Allion as its Independent Certification Vendors (ICVs). Allion is also the only ICV to be listed on the website. Members can feel free to contact Allion for pre-certification testing services and obtain the test logs for further submission. Please go to the resources page of UPnP website for the announcement.

Standard Program Recent Update (1): HDMI and WHQL

 

Clarification to HDMI Adopted Trademark and Logo Usage Guidelines

For those Adopters who want to ensure the way of getting HDMI royalty discounted rate (which is $0.05 per unit sold), HDMI Licensing, LLC has recently released a statement to clarify its guidelines. In Attachment B of the Adopter Agreement, it is indicated that Adopter must “reasonably incorporates the Adopted Trademarks on its Licensed Products and related documentation and promotional materials” to receive the royalty discount. HDMI Licensing, LLC also provides a simple understandable formula which is shown below:

To Look at Developing Point of Technology Standardization from New Technology – TransferJet as the Example

In our daily life, many different techniques are applied on countless electronic products to render its function. If those techniques are self-developed by each individual company, it is highly possible to limit the industry's evolvement and the technique's further advancement. To avoid the hydra-headed situation, the concept of“technology standardization”is thus given birth to universalize popular technologies in the market. The purpose of technology standardization is to formulate a usable technology to become the applicable standard for all vendors to adopt and use. Therefore it can not only make a technology to be widely adopted, but also to avoid industrial monopoly on particular technology to pursue one's own commercial interests.

Visit Allion at Flash Memory Summit 2011

Allion is pleased to invite you to come see us at Flash Memory Summit 2011 during August 9-11. As the world’s-leading expert in product validation/ testing, Allion will be showcasing our unique test solutions in Solid State Drive (SSD) field on the spot. Our recent competitive analysis result will also be presented for the first time ever. Moreover, our professional lab staff specialized in SSD test plan developing will explain you our signature test methodology and lead you go deep into this technology. For those who are eager to let your product stand out in the market, this is definitely a great opportunity to find out the best solution!

[Detailed Information] 

Event: Flash Memory Summit 2011

Time: Aug 9-11, 2011

Place: Santa Clara Convention Center, CA. USA

booth: #215

[Listen to Allion's SSD Expert]

Topic: The Myth of SSD Testing

          - When It Is Done Right, The Result Can Be Astonishing and Instrumental for SSD's Design

Speaker: Frank Shu, Associate Vice President of R&D at Allion

Session:105 - SSD Testing / Benchmarking

Time: Aug 9^th 2011 2:10 - 3:20 pm

Is Thunderbolt A New Threat to USB 3.0?

 

Thunderbolt, formerly called ‘Lightpeak’, is Intel's new high-speed I/O technology through a single port that is first available on new Apple MacBook Pro notebooks lately. Fast data transfers are Intel's main claim, such as 10 gigabits per second transfers and dual-protocol support. The dual-channel design allows for two channels on the same connector at up to 10 gigabits per second that can support both PCI Express and DisplayPort technologies. Compared with existing technologies, Thunderbolt is regarded as a combination of HDMI and USB 3.0, the loading quantity is spectacularly huge through its co-invented PCI Express 4x, which can connect external devices directly to Macbook Pro.

Key Points of Product Testing in Automobile Electronics Market: In-Vehicle Infotainment System V.S. Bluetooth Cell Phones

Along with the trend of smart portable devices, automobile electronics market is now taking a spot besides of smartphone and smart TV. Recently, the majority of people are getting familiar with the term “Smart Car”; user-friendly design that combines automobile with three fields: information, communication and entertainment. In-vehicle infotainment system is now the major trend in automobile electronics product development.

Top Leading Industry Standards (2): HDMI, DisplayPort and SATA

In the second article, we will continue introducing the next three industry standards: HDMI, DisplayPort and SATA.

4. HDMI

＊HDMI Logo

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital interface standard for connecting all HD components. HDMI supports all video/audio formats by one single cable. The CEC allows HDMI devices to control each other when necessary and allows the user to operate multiple devices with one remote control handset. HDMI technology is promoted by HDMI, LLC. According to HDMI Testing Policies, each Adopter must submit the first product of each Licensed Product type (i.e. source, sink, repeater, or cable) to an HDMI Authorized Testing Center (ATC) for testing. Once an Adopter product of each type has passed testing, it is not required to submit to the ATC subsequent products of that type. However, to help ensure HDMI interoperability, we encourage Adopters to use the ATCs.

Top Leading Industry Standards (1): Windows, USB and Wi-Fi

Along with the fast-growing technology, technology standardization is not only promoting technology development but also providing a clear purchase direction to consumers.

According to today's market, Allion Test Labs has collected six top industry standards and specifications here below, which includes Microsoft Windows, USB, Wi-Fi, HDMI, DisplayPort and SATA. In the first article, we will introduce the first three industry standards.

Challenges of Porting Android: Hardware-Software Integration

Along with the growing of technology, consumers are expecting to get multi-tasking mobile phones with wireless Internet and multimedia entertainment applications even more. According to numbers from research firm Canalys for the fourth quarter of 2010, Android owned 32.9% of the worldwide smartphone market compared with iOS, which held 16% of the market. Google’s Android operating system has been phenomenal to be compatible with Apple iPhone currently because its growth rate of the market share and the unit sales are going up rapidly.

Smart TV Revolution – the Combination of Humanity and Technology

To overturn our stereotypes, Smart TV manufacturers have tried to build a bridge between traditional television set and contemporary computer. Smart TVs and Connected TVs were the most eye-catching home electronic products while Tablet PCs were the most outstanding consumer electronic products at CES 2011. Big and thin LCD screens are not the only features to make high-end TV products but more advanced features, such as integrated Internet capabilities and computing ability.

 

Tablet War – Unlimited Creativity & Innovation

The 2011 world's largest International Consumer Electronics Tradeshow was finished perfectly in Vegas; CES is used to be the best timing to show off the latest devices from various vendors. Every electronic company is in a rush to launch new products and techniques such as computers, cameras, smart phones and TVs, and here we will discuss the hottest technology product – Tablet PC.