eMagin SXGA096 User manual

D01-501152-01 Rev A SXGA096 Design Reference Board User’s Manual
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SXGA096 DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD
For Use with all eMagin SXGA096 OLED Microdisplays
USER’S MANUAL
REVISION A
TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................1
2. KIT CONTENTS...................................................................................................................................1
3. FEATURES ..........................................................................................................................................1
Software Features.........................................................................................................................1
4. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................1
System Requirements...................................................................................................................2
SXGA096 Design Reference Board..............................................................................................2
5. 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..................................................................................................................................5
Brightness .....................................................................................................................................5
6. USING THE SXGA096 DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD SOFTWARE ..............................................5
SXGA096 Design Reference Board Software Utility ....................................................................5
6.1.1. Hardware Protocol...............................................................................................................................8
Downloading New Firmware Versions to the Design Reference Board .......................................8
6.2.1. Using the Firmware Download Utility...................................................................................................8
7. ADVANCED USER INFORMATION....................................................................................................9
Microcontroller...............................................................................................................................9
I2C bus.........................................................................................................................................10
Voltages ......................................................................................................................................10
Bias Control.................................................................................................................................10
VCOM Mode................................................................................................................................10
Gamma........................................................................................................................................10
7.6.1. Gamma Coefficients GC(0-8).............................................................................................................11
7.6.2. Using “Update LUT” Button for Auto-Gamma Correction...................................................................12
7.6.3. Loading the LUT from a file................................................................................................................12
7.6.4. The “Read LUT” Button......................................................................................................................12
7.6.5. System Gamma.................................................................................................................................12
8. REVISION HISTORY .........................................................................................................................15

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List of Figures
Figure 3-1 SXGA096 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 SXGA096 Design Reference Kit (A01-501369) provides the user with a
compact and portable means of operating and testing an eMagin SXGA096
OLED Microdisplay. This product was designed to deliver a complete tool for
developers to evaluate and integrate eMagin SXGA096 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 four different types of SXGA096 OLED Microdisplays:
SXGA096 Monochrome White OLED-XL with glass cover
SXGA096 Color OLED-XL with glass cover
SXGA096 Monochrome White OLED-XLS with glass cover
SXGA096 Color OLED-XLS with glass cover
2. KIT CONTENTS
SXGA096 Design Reference Board (A01-501369)
7V Power Supply
USB-A to USB-B Cable
DVI to HDMI Cable
CD with schematics, firmware, User’s Manual, Supporting Software
(Windows)
3. 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 SXGA096 Design
Reference Board for easy upgrades and expanded functionality
Save feature stores custom register settings for convenience
4. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS

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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
SXGA096 Design Reference Board
The SXGA096 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 SXGA096 Design Reference Board are: a USB cable directly
connected to PC, a digital video source connected to HDMI connector and a
SXGA096 OLED connected to the display connector.
Figure 4-1 SXGA096 Design Reference Board

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5. 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 30-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 SXGA096 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 SXGA (1280x1024) with a refresh rate of
60 Hz. If you are using this input set the video resolution for 1280x1024 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.

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Power Down
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.
6. USING THE SXGA096 DESIGN REFERENCE BOARD
SOFTWARE
The SXGA096 Design Reference Board includes a support software suite with the
following functionality.
Perform software microdisplay brightness adjustments
Download and install new versions of the SXGA096 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)
SXGA096 Design Reference Board Software Utility
1. Connect the USB cable to the SXGA096 Design Reference Board
2. Connect the video source to the SXGA096 Design Reference Board
3. Turn on the SXGA096 Design Reference Board
4. Check under the PC’s “Device Manager” window to determine serial COM
PORT number as shown below:

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5. Start the SXGA096_SW.exe application, enter the correct COM Port number
and a screen should appear like that shown below:
Figure 6-1 SXGA096 Design Reference Board Software Utility

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6. The application communicates with the PIC on the SXGA096 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 Gamma read/write buttons displayed in the “GAMMA” panel will
read/write the Gamma values used in generating a Gamma table that resides in
the display
9. The FPGA read/write buttons displayed in the “GAMMA” panel will
read/write the FPGA values stored in the FPGA.
10. The VGN read/write buttons displayed in the “GAMMA” panel will read the
VGN values from the Oled.

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6.1.1. Hardware Protocol
1 stop bit, no parity
9600 baud
No hardware handshake
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 SXGA096 Design Reference
Board for reprogramming. A utility that downloads and installs new firmware
versions is included in the software package.
6.2.1.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 USB cable to the PC and to the RS232 connector on the
SXGA096 Design Reference Board
2. Connect the power cable to the SXGA096 Design Reference Board.
3. Connect your video source to the SXGA096 Design Reference Board.
4. Start the SXGA096_SW.exe application. Select the “Bootloader” tab
at the top of the form. A window should appear like that below:

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Figure 6-1 Firmware download utility
5. Click the “Program” button to find the hex file you wish to install.
Note: The power on the SXGA096 Design Reference Board should
be off while setting up your download. Only turn on the power to
the SXGA096 Design Reference Board when you are ready to
write your new firmware to the PIC.
6. When you turn on the SXGA096 Design Reference Board the hex file
should begin to upload.
7. When the upload is complete, the SXGA096 Design Reference Board
will run.
7. ADVANCED USER INFORMATION
Microcontroller
The SXGA096 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

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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 SXGA096 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
BIASN: Normal board –BIASN=3 gives the best results.
VCOM Mode
VCOMMODE:
Dimming: use register VCOM to set brightness level in Manual mode.
Gamma

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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
7.6.1.Gamma Coefficients GC(0-8)
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.

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7.6.2.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 SXGA096 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 SXGA096 Microdisplay.
7.6.3.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.
7.6.4.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.
7.6.5.System Gamma

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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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8. REVISION HISTORY
Revision Level
Date
ECN
Description
00
10/6/2014
Initial draft
01
4/24/2015
2015-55
Updated for New DRK
01
6/9/2015
2015-72
Updated cover, minor changes, retain Rev 01
-
01/28/2016
-
Move to new Document Control System
A
08/11/2020
001007
Corrected connector size (5.2, page 3) to 30 pins