A manufacturer of information display systems required Picture-in-Picture (PiP) for an embedded security system.

 

The goal was to build a low cost based embedded video system to support multiple PiP displays on a single Flat Panel Display. The system required dynamic scaling with selectable switching between video sources. Image overlays were required for display of alpha/numeric and graphic information.

 

Using Altera’s Avalon-ST video framework, Microtronix developed video system capable of supporting PiP of multiple video sources and having the ability to dynamically upscale and downscale video as required by the user. An embedded Nios processor was used to select and control the display of video streams and for the dynamic loading of the video overlay information.

 

By building on the Altera’s Avalon-ST video framework in conjunction with the Microtronix Avalon Memory Controller, engineers were able to rapidly prototype a proof-of-concept design using a ViClaro development board and validate the essential system functionality prior to undertaking a full custom development.