Development Status of CMOS 1920 × 1080 Imaging System-on-Chip for 60p and 72p HDTV

High-performance charge-coupled device imagers (CCD) with 2 million pixels in 1920 × 1080 format have been commercially available for more than ten years.¹ Nevertheless, today's HDTV cameras still do not simultaneously provide sufficient resolution and electronic film speed at the minimum progressive frame rates needed for creative motion imaging production. Overcranking, for example, is only available at ∼1 million pixel (1280 × 720) resolution, and the maximum frame rate of today's 1920 × 1080 progressive cameras is 30 Hz. To truly offer a compelling alternative to motion imaging film, electronic HD cameras must provide a higher progressive frame rate along with additional bit depth to maximize production quality and creativity. In this paper, the technical background for the shift in technology from CCD imaging to CMOS imaging system-on-chip is discussed. Specifically, the sensor architectures are compared, and why CCD noise consistently increases with video frequency at about 3 dB/octave is explained. We conclude by briefly reporting the development status for a complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) 1920 × 1080 image sensor for next-generation, affordable and compact HD cameras to support progressive frame rates at 60 Hz and beyond.

Print ISSN

1545-0279

Electronic ISSN

2160-2492

Published

2004-10

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J16267