Brompton advances its 8K Tessera SQ200 processor at NAB 2024

And NAB 2024, Brompton is showcasing the new 8K Tessera SQ2000 processor. Known as the Gen 3 range, it is based on Intel's latest Agilex 7 FPGA technology and offers Brompton functionality, image quality and reliability, plus support for the latest video standards.

The first product in the Gen 3 range is the flagship 8K Tessera SQ200 processor, which is announced at this year's show. It follows in the footsteps of the multi-award-winning SX40, offering the same core feature set and full compatibility with Brompton LED panels and power units. XD data distribution, but now with 8K and 4x4K workflows and added support for AV-over-IP protocols such as ST2110 and IPMX.

El SQ200 multiply the power of the SX40 by 20, making it the most powerful 8K LED video processor in the world and ensuring plenty of room to continue innovating for many years to come.

Chris Deighton, CTO and co-founder of Brompton Technology, notes that Brompton “always tries to do more than just tick boxes – we aim to deliver products that respond to real-world needs and are future-proof to ensure a great return on investment for our customers.” With this in mind, the SQ200 offers 100Gb Ethernet connectivity to support 8K video over IP at 60 fps and 12 bpc over a single cable. There is also a second 100Gb Ethernet input for a fully redundant video over IP network, meeting the requirements of Brompton's most demanding customers.

The “200” in the product name is because it also has enormous bandwidth Ethernet the 200 Gb for output to LED panels. One 100 Gb Ethernet link is sufficient to drive an 8K display at 12 bpc and 60 fps, with a second 100 Gb Ethernet link to support fully redundant cabling. Additionally, the new data distribution units support fan-out from 100Gb to 10Gb and 1Gb Ethernet, allowing connections to existing Tessera R2, R2+ and G1 receiving cards.

Another important innovation is the support for irregular canvas sizes, which can extend up to 64K pixels in any dimension. This capability allows a single processor to manage displays that previously would have required multiple independent units.

“Thanks to its next-generation Agilex 7 FPGA, the SQ200 sets a new benchmark for performance and offers new opportunities for feature innovation,” Deighton continues, noting that many of the features now closely associated with the Tessera SX40 did not exist when the product was first released. "Things like dynamic calibration, HDR video support, frame remapping, ShutterSync® and extended bit depth have been added in free software updates, which is an important part of how Brompton brings added value to its customers. Likewise, the SQ200 provides us with an incredible platform for continued innovation, and I'm excited about what we'll be able to offer our customers in the years to come."

TrueLight

As happened at the last edition of NAB, Brompton is showing the potential of its TrueLight technology. Panel manufacturers such as ROE Visual, INFiLED, Absen and AOTO have recognized the transformative potential of the technology for film and television creatives and are introducing their Latest generation RGBW LED panels with TrueLight at the fair.

Cesar Caceres, Product Manager at Brompton, highlights that "at NAB2023, Brompton debuted its innovative TrueLight technology, a means of displaying video on LED panels using additional emitters, for example RGBW, maintaining full color calibration per pixel and offering the user complete creative control. Adding additional wide spectrum emitters in a controllable way can greatly improve color rendering in situations where LED panels illuminate the foreground, as is often the case in virtual production and XR applications. “TrueLight is an essential step in achieving unprecedented color reproduction and illuminating people and objects with greater realism.”

Patented TrueLight technology is based on a set of complex algorithms so intensive that they require the immense power of the Tessera G1 receiving card.

“ROE Visual was our first partner to announce a panel powered by TrueLight, showing their Carbon 5 RGBW at NAB2023,” Cáceres continues. “With INFiLED following up on the launch of its RGBW panel late last year, we are pleased to return to NAB with two other major panel manufacturers – Absen and AOTO – who have also developed RGBW panels powered by our TrueLight technology and will debut them at the show.”