eMagin EMA-200015 User manual

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DSVGA DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD
EMA-200015
For Use with all eMagin DSVGA OLED Microdisplays
USER’S MANUAL
REV B

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................1
2. FEATURES ..........................................................................................................................................1
Software Features.........................................................................................................................1
3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................1
System Requirements...................................................................................................................1
DSVGA Design Reference Board.................................................................................................2
4. INTERFACE CONNECTIONS & SETUP.............................................................................................3
Setup Flow Chart ..........................................................................................................................3
Connect Display to the Design Reference Board .........................................................................3
Setup PC for Proper Video Output................................................................................................4
Power Up.......................................................................................................................................4
Power Down..................................................................................................................................4
Brightness .....................................................................................................................................5
5. USING THE DSVGA DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD SOFTWARE..................................................6
DSVGA Design Reference Board Software Utility........................................................................6
5.1.1. Hardware Protocol...............................................................................................................................8
Downloading New Firmware Versions to the Design Reference Board .......................................9
5.2.1. Using the Firmware Download Utility...................................................................................................9
6. ADVANCED USER INFORMATION..................................................................................................11
Microcontroller.............................................................................................................................11
I2C bus.........................................................................................................................................11
Voltages ......................................................................................................................................11
Bias Control.................................................................................................................................11
VCOM Mode................................................................................................................................12
Gamma........................................................................................................................................12
6.6.1. Gamma Coefficients GC(0-8).............................................................................................................12
6.6.2. Using “Update LUT” Button for Auto-Gamma Correction...................................................................13
6.6.3. Loading the LUT from a file................................................................................................................13
6.6.4. The “Read LUT” Button......................................................................................................................13
6.6.5. System Gamma.................................................................................................................................14
7. TROUBLESHOOTING.......................................................................................................................17
8. REVISION HISTORY .........................................................................................................................20

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List of Figures
Figure 3-1 DSVGA Design Reference Board ................................................................................ 2
Figure 4-1 DRK Setup Flow Chart................................................................................................ 3
Figure 5-1 Firmware download utility........................................................................................... 9

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1. INTRODUCTION
The DSVGA Design Reference Kit (EMA-200015) provides the user with a
compact and portable means of operating and testing an eMagin DSVGA OLED
Microdisplay. This product was designed to deliver a complete tool for developers
to evaluate and integrate eMagin DSVGA microdisplays into new products. The
included software package provides access to the microdisplay’s on-board register
settings from any Windows-based PC through a USB port and supports all
different types of DSVGA OLED Microdisplays:
DSVGA Monochrome White OLED-XL with glass cover
DSVGA Color OLED-XL with glass cover
DSVGA Monochrome Green OLED-XLT with glass cover
2. FEATURES
HDMI Video Input
USB interface allows access to microdisplay registers
Supporting Software (Windows)
ON/OFF power switch
Software Features
Read/write capabilities allow adjustments of microdisplay register settings to
fine-tune image characteristics
Software register control over the microdisplay’s brightness
Download and install new firmware files into your DSVGA Design Reference
Board for easy upgrades and expanded functionality
Save feature stores custom register settings for convenience
3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS
System Requirements
For digital RGB inputs: A PC capable of producing a digital video output
compliant with the DVI or HDMI standard.
Support software requires a Windows PC with a USB port

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DSVGA Design Reference Board
The DSVGA Design Reference Board is shown in figure 3-1 below. The major
components are labeled for easier identification. The minimum requirements for
displaying video on the DSVGA Design Reference Board are: a USB cable directly
connected to PC, a digital video source connected to HDMI connector and a DSVGA
OLED connected to the display connector.
Figure 3-1 DSVGA Design Reference Board

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4. INTERFACE CONNECTIONS & SETUP
Setup Flow Chart
Figure 4-1 DRK Setup Flow Chart
Connect Display to the Design Reference Board
The microdisplay connects to the Design Reference Board via a 40-pin board-to-
board connector. The present version of the connector is NOT keyed so it is
important to correctly orient the display. Refer to the picture below for the proper
orientation. . The Display Carrier board is connected as shown in figure 4-2
below.
Note: The DSVGA OLED can be damaged if it is not connected properly.

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Figure 4-2 Display Carrier Board Connection Orientation
Lift the displayby its sides and take care not to press on the glass lid or leave fingerprint
marks on it. Insert the display into the Design Reference Board.
Setup PC for Proper Video Output
The default compatible resolution is SVGA (800x600) with a refresh rate of
60 Hz. If you are using this input set the video resolution for 800x600 in your
PC’s display properties.
Ensure that the refresh rate to set to 60 Hz, or other supported refresh rate per
the display specification.
If you are using a laptop PC, you may need to export the video signal to an
external monitor. This is usually accomplished through a key press including
the Fn key + a designated function key. See your PC’s operation instructions
for more information.
Power Up
Set the power switch to the ON position.
Power Down

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Set the power switch to the OFF position.
Brightness
eMagin strongly recommends that you drive the microdisplay at the minimum
luminance necessary for your application. This will extend the lifetime of the
display to its maximum possible lifetime. As OLED microdisplays are emissive
devices, driving the microdisplay at high bias levels will decrease its overall
lifetime.

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5. USING THE DSVGA DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD
SOFTWARE
The DSVGA Design Reference Board includes a support software suite with the
following functionality.
Perform software microdisplay brightness adjustments
Download and install new versions of the DSVGA Design Reference Board
firmware to update or provide new functionality using an USB (RS-232)
connection
Read/write register values to the microdisplay to control various
characteristics (see your microdisplay’s User Specification for more
information)
DSVGA Design Reference Board Software Utility
1. Connect the USB cable to the DSVGA Design Reference Board
2. Connect the video source to the DSVGA Design Reference Board
3. Turn on the DSVGA Design Reference Board
4. Check under the PC’s “Device Manager” window to determine serial COM
PORT number as shown below:
5. Start the DSVGA_SW_V1_1.exe application, enter the correct COM Port
number and a screen should appear like that shown below:

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Figure 5-1 DSVGA Design Reference Board Software Utility
6. The application communicates with the PIC on the DSVGA Design Reference
Board.
7. The read/write buttons shown in the “OLED Registers” panel will read/write
the register settings in their corresponding boxes from/to the OLED
microdisplay.
8. The read/write buttons displayed in the “GAMMA GC()” panel will
read/write the values used in generating a Gamma table that resides in the
display
9. The read/write buttons displayed in the “OLED EEPROM” panel will
read/write the values stored in the display’s non-volatile memory.

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5.1.1. Hardware Protocol
1 stop bit, no parity
9600 baud
No hardware handshake

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Downloading New Firmware Versions to the Design Reference
Board
The ability to download new versions of the firmware ensures that you will have
the latest functionality without having to send your DSVGA Design Reference
Board for reprogramming. A utility that downloads and installs new firmware
versions is included in the software package.
5.2.1.Using the Firmware Download Utility
Firmware files can be downloaded as hex files. Before attempting to download
and install new firmware versions make sure that you have received a firmware
hex file from an eMagin source.
To load your firmware files, follow the following steps:
1. Connect the serial cable to the PC and to the RS232 connector on the
DSVGA Design Reference Board
2. Connect the power cable to the DSVGA Design Reference Board.
3. Disconnect your video source to the DSVGA Design Reference Board.
4. Start the DSVGA_SW_V1_1.exe application. Select the
“Bootloader” tab at the top of the form. A window should appear like
that below:
Figure 5-1 Firmware download utility
5. Click the “Program” button to find the hex file you wish to install.
Note: The power on the DSVGA Design Reference Board should
be off while setting up your download. Only turn on the power to

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the DSVGA Design Reference Board when you are ready to write
your new firmware to the PIC.
6. When you turn on the DSVGA Design Reference Board the hex file
should begin to upload.
7. When the upload is complete, the DSVGA Design Reference Board
will run. Remember to re-connect the video source.

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6. ADVANCED USER INFORMATION
Microcontroller
The DSVGA Design Reference Board utilizes a Microchip PIC18F2523
microcontroller. This is a CMOS Flash microcontroller in a 28 pin package.
Provisions are on the circuit board for in circuit reprogramming. Please refer to
the Microchip PIC18F2523 datasheet available from Microchip Technology Inc.
for additional information about the microcontroller and programming.
The main function of the microcontroller is to communicate with the OLED
display. All communication is over the internal I2C bus and the microcontroller
acts as the bus master. On power up the registers of the OLED is initialized with
the default settings programmed into the microcontroller. After initialization the
microcontroller scans for user input and monitors the OLED.
I2C bus
The microcontroller is the bus master and communication occurs at the standard
100 KHz clock rate. The maximum speed allowed for I2C bus communication is
400 KHz. Please refer to the Philips I2C bus specification available on the Philips
website for detailed information.
Voltages
The power supply section of the DSVGA Design Reference Board consists of
several voltage regulators, some of which are adjustable with potentiometers.
Table 6-1 below describes the voltages and their purpose.
Voltage
Range
Typical
Purpose
Vinput
(USB)
+5.0 Volts
+5Volts
Main Supply
V5
5Volts ±10% (fixed)
5 Volts
LEDS, DAC
V3.3
3.3Volts ±10% (fixed)
3.3 Volts
DVI, RS232
V2.5
2.5Volts ±10% (fixed)
2.5 Volts
VAN
5.0V
5.0 Volts
OLED Anode
VPG
-1.8V
-1.8V
OLED Bias
VDD
1.8V ±10% (fixed)
1.8V
OLED
Table 6-1 shows the board’s various power supplies and their purposes
Bias Control

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BIASN: Normal board –BIASN=3 gives the best results.
VCOM Mode
VCOMMODE:
Dimming: use register VCOM to set brightness level in Manual mode.
Gamma
To compensate for the non-linear dependency of luminance on the voltage of the
OLED diode, the R, G and B signals include internal gamma correction to
linearize the pixel response as a function of the input video signal. This gamma
correction takes place in the PIC microcontroller.
The gamma correction consists of a nine segment piece-wise-linear function whose
parameters are set from the pull-down menu or via registers in the “Gamma” panel on
the windows software. All three color channels have the same PWL shape.
There are multiple ways to set the Gamma using the windows software. The Gamma
section of the software is shown below.
Figure 6-5 Gamma Section of the Software
6.6.1.Gamma Coefficients GC(0-8)

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The 9 boxes in the Gamma section represent the 9 segment piece-wise-linear
function that defines the gamma curve. These 9 values are used to calculate the
256 element look-up-table (LUT) that is required to transform input video data into a
gamma-corrected data signal for the microdisplay input port. The “Read” button will
retrieve the current 9 values from the microcontroller. The user can change any of the 9
values and see the resulting gamma corrected video by pressing the “Write” button.
6.6.2.Using “Update LUT” Button for Auto-Gamma Correction
The software allows for the immediate update of the gamma tables with the push
of a button, “Update LUT”. This button, located in the center of the software
form, tells the firmware to calculate the Gamma coefficients using the VGN
signal provided by the DSVGA microdisplay. This feature allows the display
gamma to be automatically adjusted for any operating conditions of temperature
and brightness. The firmware calculates the 9 Gamma coefficients and then the
full 256 value lookup table. This lookup table is then loaded, by the firmware,
into the DSVGA Microdisplay.
6.6.3.Loading the LUT from a file
The software allows for the loading of the gamma tables from a text file. The
format is as follows;
1
174
396
529
575
583
591
599
607
612
618
.
.
1023
Each of the 256 values is on a separate line. This lookup table is then loaded, by
the firmware, into the display.
6.6.4.The “Read LUT” Button
The software allows for the reading of the full 256 values of the LUT using this
button. The result is displayed in the message box at the bottom of the software.
The user can scroll through all the values or select and save to a text file. These
LUT values are the values before being gray-coded.

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6.6.5.System Gamma
The software allows for the overall System Gamma to be set between 0.5 and 2.5
when using the Auto-Gamma feature. This System Gamma can be used to
compensate for the gamma of the input video. For example, if the source video is
gamma corrected to 2 then setting the System Gamma to 1.9 and pressing the
“Set” button will give a better overall gamma response. This does not mean that
there is a 1 to 1 relationship between input gamma and the System Gamma.
Figures 6-6 to 6-8 show the grayscale response for a display at several luminance
settings obtained by using the “Update LUT” feature and the System Gamma set
to 1.
Figure 6-6 Luminance Response for Auto Gamma at Low Luminance
AUTO GAMMA
for Low Luminance
0
5
10
15
20
25
050 100 150 200 250 300
GRAYSCALE
LUMINANCE
AUTO

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Figure 6-7 Luminance Response for Auto Gamma at Typical Luminance
Figure 6-8 Luminance Response for Auto Gamma at High Luminance
AUTO GAMMA
for Typical Luminance
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
050 100 150 200 250 300
GRAYSCALE
LUMINANCE
AUTO
AUTO GAMMA
for High Luminance
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
050 100 150 200 250 300
GRAYSCALE
LUMINANCE
AUTO

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7. TROUBLESHOOTING
Communication Issues
COM Port issues
Error message comes up after COM port selection and attempt to read the
registers (Read button under register table)
Read/Write issues
Register read results in FF values in all registers
Register read stops partway through the register table
Register write stops partway through the register table
Color bars on display
The color bars display on the screen indicates an issue with the video source. The
DRK firmware does not detect a valid Vsync signal and configures the DSVGA
microdisplay to display a color bar pattern.
Check the video source (format) and connection
No light /No Image on display
Check second monitor video format and configuration
If the second monitor background is set to black, so will the display.
Check registers for DISPMODE, IDRF, DIMCTL
In the main application tab, click on the Load Defaults button, then on the Write
button (left of the Load Defaults button). This will ensure working settings have been
written to the display. The display should then reproduce the image seen on the host
computer screen.
If the file DSVGA.txt does not exist in the folder where the Windows app
resides, launch Notepad and copy the values listed below under Default Settings, one
value per line. Save the file as a text file with the name DSVGA. Make sure it is in the
same folder as the S04-501058-00-DSVGA_SW.exe file.
Close the app if it is open. Make sure the DRK board is turned on and cables connected,
then launch the app. Click on the Load Defaults button located at the bottom right of the
GUI window. Then click on the Write button located to the left of the Load Defaults
button, below the register list.
Default Settings
01
20
70
00
00
00
00
80
80