As video-based applications such as surveillance, networked video, and access control systems become more prevalent, they are increasingly being integrated into industrial inspection equipment and medical display systems. From a technical standpoint, the seamless integration of video data with control systems is essential. This presents significant challenges for engineering teams, who must find efficient Solutions to connect video streams and integrate them into their system designs while minimizing component count, reducing PCB space, and lowering overall system costs.
Modern Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) require a combination of video and control to support remote monitoring and real-time interaction. These interfaces enable users to watch video while operating the system through a single control interface. However, building such systems using high-performance graphics controllers, microcontrollers, and separate components often leads to complex and costly designs. The camera, microcontroller, display processing, and component compatibility require extensive features and functions. Additionally, the graphics controller needs large frame buffers and fast flash memory, which take up board space, increase power consumption, and raise the system’s total cost.
What engineers truly need is a highly integrated, off-the-shelf chip tailored for specific applications. Such a solution can simplify the design process, reduce complexity, and lower costs while delivering the desired performance. A well-optimized chip can eliminate the need for multiple discrete components and streamline system development.
Figure 1 illustrates a remote camera system designed for monitoring or security applications, powered by a standard 5V DC supply. It uses a simplified system architecture that delivers high-quality video streaming for such applications. Its key feature is an innovative microcontroller with advanced interconnect technology and graphics control capabilities.
Figure 1: Functional block diagram of the FT900 and FT800 in the remote camera application
The system is built around the newly released FT900 Application-Oriented Controller (AOC) and the FT800 Embedded Video Engine (EVE). In this setup, the designer can choose to display the camera video locally on a QVGA LCD screen or remotely via another FT900 module connected to the camera. With a touch screen, users can pause the video to examine details more closely.
Let’s now explore the main components of this system: the microcontroller, the graphics controller, and the firmware that works with both devices.
Microcontroller
The FT900 is a 32-bit microcontroller designed for high-speed operations, running at clock speeds up to 100MHz. It features a proprietary FT32 processor core that delivers up to 2.93 DMIPs/MHz. Thanks to its zero-wait state program memory, it can achieve processing performance of up to 281 DMIPs. The FT900 eliminates the need for complex direct memory access (DMA) interfaces by using a unique data stream architecture. It supports VGA resolution video input, an SD card interface, 10/100M Ethernet, I2C master/slave communication, and an I2S audio interface.
Graphics Controller
The FT800 integrates display, audio, and touch functions into a single chip, making it ideal for developing next-generation smart displays. It uses an object-oriented approach, allowing users to define images, fonts, widgets, and sounds directly within the system. Unlike traditional approaches, it does not require flash memory or framebuffers and eliminates the need for a separate touch controller. It includes a 4-wire touch screen controller and a single-channel audio DAC, saving space and reducing material costs. By using low-bandwidth SPI or I2C interfaces instead of wide parallel buses, the FT800 significantly reduces pin count and IO power consumption, making it an excellent choice for resource-constrained systems.
Firmware
The system’s firmware is developed using the FT900 IDE, based on the Eclipse open-source project and GCC compiler. It is available for free from the FTDI website, including peripheral drivers, libraries, and example code. Upon startup, the firmware configures the camera module, high-speed Ethernet MAC, IP stack, and the FT800 display module before initiating the data flow between the FT800, camera, and Ethernet interface. The FT900 fully leverages the FT800’s built-in display, audio, and touch capabilities to provide user controls, including video playback, sound adjustments, and touch input. The data rate must match the camera’s resolution and frame rate. The FT900 can stream 640x480 pixel video at 15 frames per second via its high-speed Ethernet interface.
In conclusion, engineers frequently face complex technical challenges when designing systems that handle large amounts of data. Traditional methods may not be sufficient to overcome these hurdles. As shown in this article, adopting a new perspective can lead to innovative and efficient solutions that simplify the design process, shorten development time, and reduce costs. The integration of Ethernet, SPI interface, and flash memory into the FT900, along with the inclusion of touch, sound, and graphics in the FT800, demonstrates how combining key features of these ICs can produce results that stand out from conventional systems.
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