DLP Decisions: DLi 41xx Development Kit Series

The DLi41xx Series includes three turn-key development kits that expand the capabilities of the best-selling Discovery™ D4100 by Texas Instruments. The team at DLi has created DLP^® (Digital Light Processing) solutions based on the DLP^® Discovery 4100 platform designed to meet customers’ varying needs.

The D4100 Chipsets consist of the ultra high-performance DLPC410 DMD Digital Controller, DLPA200 DMD Micromirror Driver, DLPR410 PROM, and Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). These components enable users to digitally modulate, steer, and project light with speed, precision, and efficiency. In order to find the right Discovery Series kit for your application, a user must evaluate the primary differences between these kits: speed and capability.

D4100: all the hardware you need to DIY – custom build code and programming for your application from the ground floor.
DLi4120: jump into creating and proving your scientific theories with convenient API and GUI interface.
DLi4130: a suite of high-performance functions available from the jump, ready to run fast binary or grayscale pattern rates.

DLP® DISCOVERY™ 4100 DEVELOPMENT KITS (D4100)

The DLP® Discovery™ 4100 Development Kits (D4100) are entry level kits.

They offer flexibility and provide access to all the basic capabilities for users wanting to understand the functionality of a DLP^® platform.

The D4100 Controller Board includes a user-programmable Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGA for developing a custom application interface. Right out of the box, the D4100 offers a binary (1-bit) pattern rate of 20Hz. This development kit offers flexibility for programmers. Users can create their own code to unlock the high-speed binary pattern rate of up to 32,500Hz at 1080p resolution.

Designers also have advanced control of the DMD through random row addressing in addition to full frame input, enabling diverse architectures. With no FPGA programming restrictions, the D4100 development kit has limitless application potential.

DLI4120 ESSENTIALS DEVELOPMENT KITS

Our DLi4120 Essentials Development Kits offer users a flexible platform to develop a proof of concept and facilitate scientific experimentation that utilizes the proven reliability of DLP^® technology. The DLi4120 Development Kits include ALP-4.1 Basic Control Suite API.

The ALP-4.1 Basic API and convenient Graphical User Interface, means that all of the programming is already completed for 1-bit images. The enhanced software allows users to upload, sequence, and control pattern projection and processing commands – without the need for additional programming on the user end. The DLi4120 also comes with a script processor for carrying out the GUI commands, which integrates with the programming language of your choice.

The DLi4120 supports a wide variety of emerging applications including Flat Panel Monitors, Wafer Dicing, Lithography, Computer-to-Plate and 3D Printing. Our research spotlights provide some brief insight into how the DLi4120 Essentials Development Kit can support your DLP research.

A new microfabrication technique was developed with a custom optical maskless stereolithography system. This system was created by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University using the 0.7″ XGA-resolution DMD from DLi’s DLi4120 Bundle Kit.
A large collaboration project performed by RIT, NASA and JHU utilized the DLi4120 Development Kit in order to test Texas Instruments‘ DLP7000 .7” XGA DMDs for space applications.

DLI4130 HIGH-SPEED DEVELOPMENT KITS

Our DLi4130 High-Speed Development Kits unlock the full capabilities of the DLP^® Discovery™ 4100 Chipsets. This kit offers users a suite of high-performance functions through an API that maximizes the high speed abilities of the DLP^® hardware. The DLi4130 is one of the fastest and most capable DLP^® spatial light modulators (SLM) available. Offering both binary and grayscale capabilities, the enhanced software included with this kit, relieves any programming worries.

The DLi4130 supports a wide variety of emerging applications including: Maskless Lithography, Spectroscopy, Medical Imaging, Compressive Sensing, Defense & Security, 3D Volumetric Display, Robotic Guidance, 3D Scanning, 3D Machine Vision, 3D Metrology, Rapid Prototyping and Hyperspectral Imaging. Our DLi4130 development kits and optics bundles have been used in a variety of applications. Our research spotlights provide some brief insight into how the DLi4130 High-Speed Development Kit can support your DLP^® research.

Researchers from the Biomedical Optics Laboratory at KAIST, combined Lee Holography and a DLi4130 High-Speed Development Kit to create a novel holographic microscopic technique.
A research team at UNC Chapel Hill utilized the DLi4130 .7″ XGA High-Speed Development Kit to develop a new class of displays they’re calling a volumetric near-eye display.

All Discovery Development Kits are available with the following four DMD options in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) range: DLP7000, DLP7000UV, DLP9500, and DLP9500UV. Each DMD is well-suited for solutions requiring high resolution, optical throughput and brightness.