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HISTORY
Faroudja Laboratories, located in northern Califor-
nias Silicon Valley, was founded in 1971 by Yves
and Isabell Faroudja to develop state-of-the-art
video processing technology. Over the last 20
years, Faroudja Laboratories and its companion
R&D center, Faroudja Research, have indeed devel-
oped hundreds of advanced electronic processes
to improve video enhancement, noise reduction
and NTSC encoding/ decoding technologies. Many
of these processes are used under license by
the worlds leading electronics companies in a
wide range of high performance video products.
Faroudja professional video equipment is also
currently hard at work in hundreds of television
studios. Thus Faroudja technology is utilized and
enjoyed in millions of American homes every day.
Yves Faroudja has devoted his career and his com-
pany to the goal of enabling home video systems to
achieve the image quality of 35mm motion pictures.
In pursuit of this goal, Faroudja Labs has made use
of techniques from Faroudja professional video
equipment and incorporated these in the LD200,
VP250 line doublers and VP400A/VP400AU Video
Processors.
This booklet will provide the reader with a hands-
on look at the VP400A, its operation and benefits.
2Also supplied is an overview of the proprietary tech-
nologies utilized in this extraordinary device and an
explanation of the visual improvements it provides
in home video playback systems.
First, before we discuss the VP400A, lets take a
quick look at the history of the current television
standard. Todays 525 line TV picture standard was
actually developed in the 1940s when broadcasts
were only in black and white. Keep in mind that
back then, the transistor had not yet been invented!
In 1953, the National Television Systems Committee
(NTSC) adopted what is still the present method of
color TV broadcasting. It was designed to be fully
compatible with the older technology of black and
white transmission. Unfortunately, this need to main-
tain compatibility with old technology led to
unavoidable compromises in NTSC picture quality.
Today, thanks to the advent of new thinking and
new technologies realized by industry pioneer Yves
Faroudja, these compromises can be nearly
eliminated. Faroudjas unique approach focuses
on critical problem areas in the NTSC and PAL
broadcast format. With patented engineering and
design work, Yves and Faroudja Laboratories have
created an exceptional product that brings new lev-
els of visual reality to the enjoyment of discerning
video enthusiasts around the world.
Some Video History and the Faroudja Approach
NOTE: For reasons of clairty, this overview has been written specifically for the VP400A.
This description applies as well to the VP400AU.
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LICENSEES AND AWARDS
1987: SMPTE
DAVID SARNOFF GOLD MEDAL AWARD
for
Contributing in Optimizing NTSC Performances
1988: MONITOR AWARD
for
Excellence in Engineering
NTSC Encoders and Decoders
1989: BM/E AWARD
for
Excellence in Engineering
1991: Technology Executive of the Year
from Cable TV Business
1991: EMMY
from The National Academy
of Television Arts and Sciences
for
Techniques for Minimization of NTSC Artifacts
Through Advanced Encoding Techniques
1992: VIDEO GRAND PRIX AWARD
Audio/Video International
LD100 Line Doubler Advanced Technology Award
1993: VIDEO MAGAZINE
Video Visionary
LD100 Line Doubler 10 Best Products
1995: BROADCAST ENGINEERING AWARD
Pick Hit Award NAB Convention
VP400
1997: VISUAL GRAND PRIX AWARD
Audio Video Review Magazine (Japan)
LD200
3 Licensees Around the World
Faroudjas inventive approach to improving the qual-
ity of video imaging has caught the eye of some of
the worlds greatest high technology companies.
The following list represents those that have recog-
nized the value of Faroudjas solutions to imaging
problems and pay for the opportunity to incorporate
this technology in their advanced video products (as
of April 1996):
Canon Microtime
Conrac Mitsubishi
General Instrument NAC
Grass Valley NEC
Hitachi Sanyo
Ikegami Sharp
JVC Sony
Matsushita (Panasonic) Toshiba
Awards and Achievements
Yves Faroudja and Faroudja Labs have garnered
worldwide recognition and a number of industry
awards. These honors are notable for several rea-
sons. They are in response to the significant impact
that Faroudjas technology has made on the serious
improvement of video quality. They are also a reflec-
tion of his long term dedication to continually
improving and optimizing the performance of the
NTSC video format.
In chronological order, these awards and their spe-
cific focus are listed including an EMMY in 1991 for
minimizing artifacts in the NTSC broadcast encod-
ing process.
