
TMC2081
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
6
Table 8. Alpha Channel Gains
Fill Color Registers
Three registers, 03, 04, and 05, store a solid fill color, F. 
Either GBR values or YC
B
C
R
 values may be stored but the 
format must match the data format of the A- and B-channels 
at the input to the crosspoint switch. 
Fill color registers are accessed through the D
7-0
 micropro-
cessor port. Fill color may be used as an alternative video 
source for fades. 
a
-Mixer
There are three sources of data for the mixer: A-channel pix-
els, B-channel pixels, and the stored fill color, F. One pair of 
inputs, either AB, BF or FA are selected by the Crosspoint 
Switch to be passed to the V
1
 and V
2
 inputs of the 
a
-Mixer. 
Prior to mixing, V
1
 and V
2
 data formats must be matched 
(see Table 1). 
Within the 
a
-Mixer are three dual input 9-bit mixers which 
mix each of the component channels of V
1
 and V
2
. By vary-
ing the value on the 
a
-channel from 000
h
 to 100
h
, the Mixer 
performs a 256-step transition from one digital video source 
to the other. 
Six dissolve transitions are supported: A-to-B, A-to-F, 
B-to-A, B-to-F, F-to-A, and F-to-B. Type of dissolve is 
selected by directing the A-, B-, or F pixels to the V
1
 or V
2
mixer input via the ABF Crosspoint Switch. This is done 
either by internal Control Registers via the microprocessor 
port or directly through the SMX
2-0
 inputs. SMX
2-0
 input 
pins are enabled via SMX Control Register bits. When 
enabled, SMX
2-0
 directly control the ABF Crosspoint Multi-
plexer on a pixel-by-pixel basis, for externally derived wipe 
patterns. 
Rate of dissolve is controlled directly through the 
a
-channel. 
Transfer function of the mixer is:
M = ( 
a
 ) V
1
 + ( 1-
a
 ) V
2
where V
1
 and V
2
 are two of the three inputs A, B or F 
selected by the crosspoint switch. 
a
 value (hex)
000
001
. . 
07F
080
. . 
0FE
0FF
100
1XX
8-bit Gain
0/256
1/256
9-bit Gain
0/256
1/256
127/256
128/256
127/256
128/256
254/256
256/256
256/256
256/256
254/256
255/256
256/256
256/256
For an A-to-B dissolve transition, as the value of the eight 
LSBs of the 
a
-channel change from 00
h
 to FF
h
, (or 000
h
 to 
100
h
 in the 9-bit mode), an increasing level of A-channel 
contribution and a decreasing level of B-channel contribu-
tion becomes evident at the output, M. 
Bit 
a
8 
of the 
a
-channel can correct for the 255/256 gain 
factor in the A-channel that occurs when the 8-bit 
a
 value is 
FF
h
. When 
a
8
 =1, bits 
a
7-0
 are ignored, A-channel gain is set 
to 256/256 and B-channel gain is set to 0/256. 
Modified transfer functions may be selected for background/
foreground and drop-shadow effects by programming con-
trol register bits, MIXTFN. 
A Foreground Key may be created such that:
M = ( 
a
 ) V
1
A Background Key may be created such that:
M = ( 
a
 ) V
1
 + V
2
By using foreground and background mixers in series, drop 
shadow effects can be implemented. 
a
 may change at pixel rates up to 40 Mpps on a pixel-by-
pixel basis, allowing smooth transitions from one video 
source to another. Transition time interval may vary from 
many frames to only a few or a single pixel depending upon 
the 
a
-channel data rate. 
a
8
 may be used like a key input. Either unity gain V
1
 or 
( 1-
a
 )V
2
 may be selected. A- and B-channel pixels may be 
mixed by switching 
a
8 
on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Pipeline 
latencies of the 
a
-, A- and B-channels are matched. 
Passing of Non-Pixel Data
In the PASSON mode, the TMC2081 is transparent to data 
accepted during the PASSEN = LOW period (see
Figure 10 
and Figure 11). Either PDA or PDB data may be selected to 
pass on reference signals containing time codes, subcarrier 
phase and frequency data from upstream video processors. 
Digital Outputs
Data at the M
23-0
 output port, may be selected from either 
the mixer or, for digital preview, the A or B crosspoint switch 
inputs. 
The 444-to-422 formatter may be bypassed for 24-bit output. 
To convert 24-bit YC
B
C
R
 data to the 16-bit YC
B
C
R
422 for-
mat, the formatter needs to be enabled.
Except for color index, all data formats shown in Figure 1 
are available:
 YC
B
C
R
444
 YC
B
C
R
422
 GBR