
M
1.8V, Ultra-Low-Power, DirectDrive
Video Filter Amplifier with Load Detect
8
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The MAX9516 has an integrated charge pump and lin-
ear regulator to create a low-noise negative supply
from the positive supply voltage. The charge pump
inverts the positive supply to create a raw negative volt-
age that is then fed into the linear regulator, which fil-
ters out the charge-pump noise.
Comparison Between DirectDrive Output
and AC-Coupled Output
The actual level of the video signal varies less with a
DirectDrive output than an AC-coupled output. The
average video signal level can change greatly depend-
ing upon the picture content. With an AC-coupled out-
put, the average level will change according to the time
constant formed by the series capacitor and series
resistance (usually 150
). For example, Figure 1 shows
an AC-coupled video signal alternating between a
completely black screen and a completely white
screen. Notice the excursion of the video signal as the
screen changes.
With the DirectDrive amplifier, the black level is held at
ground. The video signal is constrained between
-0.3V and +0.7V. Figure 2 shows the video signal from
a DirectDrive amplifier with the same input signal as the
AC-coupled system.
Load Detection
The MAX9516 provides a video load detection feature.
The device enters active-detect mode when it is
enabled (
SHDN
= V
DD
). Every 128ms, the part checks
for a load by connecting a 7.5k
pullup resistor to the
video output for 1ms. If the video output is pulled up
during the test, then no load is present and LOAD is
low. If the video output stays low during the test, then a
load is connected and LOAD goes high. The state of
LOAD is latched during the sleep time between sense
pulses. All load-detect changes are deglitched over a
nominal 128ms period. The status of the video load
must remain constant during this deglitch period for
LOAD to change state.
If a load is detected, the part enters the full operation
mode and the amplifier, filter, and sync-tip clamp turn
on. The part then continually checks if the load is pre-
sent by sensing the sinking load current. Therefore, a
black-burst signal (or output signal < 0V) is required to
maintain the detected load status. If the load remains
present, the LOAD pin remains high. If the load is
removed, LOAD goes low and the part goes back to
the active-detect mode in which power consumption is
typically 31μW.
Video Reconstruction Filter
The MAX9516 includes an internal five-pole,
Butterworth lowpass filter to condition the video signal.
The reconstruction filter smoothes the steps and
reduces the spikes created whenever the DAC output
changes value. In the frequency domain, the steps and
spikes cause images of the video signal to appear at
multiples of the sampling clock frequency. The recon-
struction filter typically has ±1dB passband flatness of
7.5MHz and 46dB (typ) attenuation at 27MHz.
Transparent Sync-Tip Input Clamp
The MAX9516 contains an integrated, transparent
sync-tip clamp. When using a DC-coupled input, the
sync-tip clamp does not affect the input signal, as long
as it remains above ground. When using an AC-cou-
INPUT
500mV/div
OUTPUT
500mV/div
2ms/div
Figure 1. AC-Coupled Output
INPUT
500mV/div
OUTPUT
1V/div
2ms/div
0V
0V
Figure 2. DirectDrive Output