XBOB-4 Video Information Overlay Generator
XBOB-4 expands Decade's fourth-generation OSD technology into a convenient plug & play format. The command set is nearly identical to that of our popular BOB-4 modules. XBOB-4 lets your PC display text and vector graphics on standard TV monitors. With large user-definable character sets, XBOB-4 also supports bitmap graphics and multiple languages. XBOB-4 generates black background video on-board, or automatically genlocks to your video source and superimposes characters over the image. Printable characters and commands drive XBOB-4 through an RS-232 data link, much like a serial terminal or printer. NTSC and PAL video standards are supported in a single hardware version. XBOB-4 is available as a PCB assembly only, or fully enclosed in a rugged aluminum cabinet. Please visit our Order page for small-quantity price information on all versions.
Here's a demo screen capture showing some of XBOB-4's display capabilities. For sample video, see this web page.Key Features:
- Simple hookup; requires just DC, RS-232 serial data, video I/O
- Immediately prints plain ASCII text in default configuration
- High display density; up to 480x240 (NTSC) or 480x288 (PAL)
- Arbitrary font size and proportional font support
- Bitmap graphics and vector graphics commands
- Expanded memory for custom fonts & bitmap graphics
- Industry-standard ANSI control protocol (ECMA-048)
- Automatic vertical scrolling
- Text crawl (single-line smooth horizontal scroll)
- Mirror-image reverse text display capability
- VBI (vertical blanking interval) data transmission
- Automatic video mode control (local/genlock)
- Customer-configurable video standards (NTSC or PAL)
- Stand-alone operation for simple video source ID, target reticle, etc.
- Lead-free and nominally RoHS-compliant
- Extended production lifetime; no OSD chips!
- Accurate 75 ohm video terminations and unity gain
- Firmware can be upgraded in the field
- Internal debug serial port assists in application development
Due to the very broad range of customer applications, Decade Engineering does not supply application software for XBOB-4. If you need basic "TV-Typewriter" video character generator functionality, consider the tasty new KBOB keyboard adapter from Versalent. XBOB-4 programming examples and complete technical details are linked near the bottom of this page. Video system designers and programmers should refer to the XBOB-4 Application Guide.
The start-up display (boot script) memory can be loaded with commands as well as printable data, which allows XBOB-4's operating modes to be semi-permanently configured for special applications. In some cases, this feature eliminates the need for a host computer or smart interface device. Read the XBOB-4 Application Guide for additional details, or contact Decade Engineering to discuss your requirements.
The BOB-4 Conscriptor PC program is provided without charge to assist customers with XBOB-4 configuration. See download link below. The BOB-4 Conscriptor runs on Windows XP machines and offers these conveniences:
- Font editing, importing, file management
- Bitmap graphics importing and editing
- Boot script editing and file management
- XBOB-4 configuration memory management
- XBOB-4 firmware upgrade utility
- One-click XBOB-4 configuration
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XBOB-4 Application Guide & Specifications (PDF): The latest version is always available here. Adobe Acrobat Readertm is required.
BOB-4 Conscriptor (EXE): PC (XP) program to manage XBOB-4 fonts, configuration, boot scripts, and firmware upgrades.
UTF-8 Encoder (EXE): A simple PC utility program that converts hex or decimal character codes into UTF-8.
C Code Example (TXT): Includes a couple of hints on writing C programs to control BOB-4.
ASCII Demo File (TXT): This file was used to create the demo display linked near the top of this page. Transmit to XBOB-4 with a terminal program, or store it in a boot script. Your browser might have trouble displaying this file due to embedded control codes.
The following examples were written to control BOB-4 directly from embedded microcontrollers. They should be equally useful with XBOB-4 if allowance is made for the difference in RS-232 hardware interfacing:
Solar Car Example (TXT): Fragments of the PIC18F C program from the University of Michigan's 2007 Solar Car project.
PBASIC Fonts Example (TXT): For Parallax BASIC Stamp II (BS2). Thanks to John Smith at Milford Instruments (UK dealer).
PBASIC Graphics Example (TXT): Also for Parallax BS2. Thanks again to John Smith!
FAQs
Where can I get the latest firmware upgrade file?
You must email an explicit request to Decade Engineering for this item. Please use the feedback link below.
Is XBOB-4 a direct replacement for XBOB?
XBOB-4 offers almost complete hardware compatibility with the original XBOB. Application software compatibility is limited. A subset of XBOB commands is provided in XBOB-4, but most customers should revise XBOB application programs to use the new XBOB-4 command set. This 'new' protocol is based on an old industry standard that will be familiar to most programmers.
Will XBOB-4 work with my data source?
XBOB-4 behaves much like a printer or dumb serial terminal. It's often necessary to insert a smart interface between the data source and XBOB-4, because raw data rarely produces the desired display formatting. The smart interface could, for instance, be a microcontroller module such as the popular Parallax BASIC Stamptm. The choice of interface hardware is often determined by preferences of the person who will write the data processing program or 'print driver'. Many factors influence the decision, including cost, serial communication support, CPU speed, development tools, package size & weight, power requirements, etc.
Sometimes it's reasonable to reprogram the microprocessor in your data source, and sometimes XBOB-4 can be configured to handle the existing data stream directly. The latter is often true for POS terminals and ECRs (electronic cash registers). XBOB-4 is configured via register settings (v commands), a boot script, and custom fonts, all saved in semi-permanent flash memory. Decade Engineering supplies a PC program to simplify the configuration process, but it's also possible to configure XBOB-4 through direct use of its command protocol. See BOB-4 Conscriptor link above.
