W9968CF - USB 1.1 Digital Camera Controller IC | Winbond
MPN: W9968CF ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.5 | $6.50 |
| 10 | $5.85 | $58.50 |
| 100 | $5.2 | $520.00 |
| 500 | $4.55 | $2,275.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.9 | $3,900.00 |
W9968CF Overview
A digital camera controller (also called a camera bridge or image coprocessor) is a specialized embedded processor that acquires raw pixel data from an image sensor, processes and compresses it, and streams it to a host interface. In the system hierarchy it sits between the image sensor and the USB physical layer, complemented by external SDRAM/DRAM frame memory and an MCU or sensor controller.
Key features of the W9968CF, per Winbond documentation, include native support of USB Specification Revision 1.1, use of the isochronous transfer mode for continuous video streaming, and full compliance with USB power-management requirements covering startup, operating, and suspend modes. On-chip JPEG compression hardware reduces USB bandwidth consumption, allowing higher effective frame rates or resolutions than uncompressed streaming.
The revision history of the Winbond datasheet documents formal releases in April 1998 (Revision A1) and May 1999 (Revision A2); Revision A2 changed the bcdUSB and bcdDevice descriptor values to 0x0110 to reflect USB 1.1 compliance and added the CR39_4 register bit for JPEG clock enable, indicating a register-configurable image pipeline. The device is classified by distributors as a Consumer Circuit / Specialized IC in the QFP-128 package family (surface mount).
Typical applications are PC webcams, low-cost digital still cameras, video capture dongles, and embedded USB camera modules where a single-chip sensor-to-USB bridge reduces BOM cost.
Design consideration: verify the image sensor interface timing and external memory configuration against the manufacturer datasheet, as the W9968CF requires matching sensor clocking and frame-buffer memory to meet isochronous bandwidth limits.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, datasheet revision data, and sourcing context not consolidated in the original Winbond datasheet.
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Request AlternativesW9968CF Specifications
| Product Type | Digital camera controller IC (USB camera bridge) |
| Manufacturer | Winbond Electronics Corporation |
| USB Interface | USB Specification Revision 1.1, full speed |
| USB Transfer Mode | Isochronous |
| USB Power Management | Startup, operating, and suspend modes per USB specification |
| Image Compression | Built-in JPEG compression |
| On-chip USB Controller | Yes (integrated full-speed USB controller) |
| USB Descriptor Version | bcdUSB / bcdDevice = 0x0110 (Rev A2) |
| Package | PQFP-128, 14 x 20 mm, 2.75 mm height |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Device Class | Consumer Circuit / Specialized IC |
| Datasheet Revisions | A1 (April 1998, formal release), A2 (May 1999, formal release) |
| JPEG Clock Enable Register Bit | CR39_4 (added in Rev A2) |
W9968CF pqfp-128, 14 x 20 mm, 2.75 mm height Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for W9968CF (pqfp-128, 14 x 20 mm, 2.75 mm height package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for W9968CF.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
W9968CF is suitable for 6 applications: PC Webcams, Digital Still Cameras, USB Video Capture Dongles, Embedded USB Camera Modules, Security and Surveillance Cameras, Legacy System Repair and Reverse Engineering.
PC Webcams
The W9968CF was designed primarily as a single-chip webcam controller for PC cameras of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its integrated full-speed USB 1.1 controller streams isochronous video directly to the host, and the on-chip JPEG compressor reduces bandwidth demand on the 12 Mbps bus, allowing usable frame rates at VGA-class resolutions. Full compliance with USB power management (startup, operating, and suspend modes) supports bus-powered camera designs without an external power supply. The PQFP-128 package integrates USB PHY, image pipeline, and memory interface in one device, minimizing BOM count. For legacy webcam repair or cloning, the IC remains sourceable through broker distributors, though its USB 1.1 ceiling limits it to legacy host systems.
Recommended
Digital Still Cameras
In entry-level digital still camera products, the W9968CF acts as the image coprocessor, acquiring raw sensor frames into external DRAM frame buffers and compressing still images with its built-in JPEG engine before USB transfer or storage. The Revision A2 datasheet's addition of the CR39_4 register bit for JPEG clock enable gives firmware fine-grained control over the compression pipeline clocking, useful for tuning capture-to-transfer latency. Its single-chip integration of sensor interface, JPEG hardware, and USB controller replaced multi-chip discrete solutions, lowering cost for consumer still cameras. Designs using this device must match sensor timing and memory configuration to the manufacturer datasheet to preserve image quality and isochronous bandwidth.
Recommended
USB Video Capture Dongles
The W9968CF can serve as the bridge IC in USB video capture adapters that bring camera module signals to a PC. Because it natively implements USB 1.1 isochronous transfers, the host receives a reserved, jitter-controlled bandwidth stream - a requirement for continuous video that bulk-transfer bridges cannot satisfy reliably. Its JPEG compression offloads host CPU usage, significant for the slower PCs contemporary with the device. Distributor classification as a Consumer Circuit in PQFP-128 reflects this dongle-class role. For modern capture dongles, USB 2.0/3.x UVC bridges are the correct choice, but the W9968CF remains relevant for maintaining legacy dongles whose host software expects its specific descriptor set (bcdUSB 0x0110) and register interface.
Recommended
Embedded USB Camera Modules
OEM embedded camera modules - for kiosks, industrial inspection fixtures, and security prototypes of the era - used the W9968CF to expose a standard USB interface from a raw sensor module. The IC's register-level configurability (including the CR39_4 JPEG clock control added in Revision A2) lets module firmware adapt to different sensors and resolutions. Full USB power-management support, including suspend mode, is valuable in battery-backed or always-on embedded hosts. Integration of the USB controller on-chip removed the need for a separate USB interface chip, shrinking module size to roughly the 14 x 20 mm PQFP-128 footprint plus support components. Sourcing today requires broker channels such as Censtry, Jotrin, or YIC Electronics.
Recommended
Security and Surveillance Cameras
Early networked and PC-based surveillance setups employed the W9968CF as the USB camera front-end. Isochronous streaming guarantees continuous frames for monitoring software, while on-chip JPEG compression produces compressed frames suitable for storage and simple motion-detection pipelines on the host. Compliance with USB suspend power management allowed multi-camera USB hubs to respect power budgets when cameras were idle. The consumer-grade PQFP-128 package suits indoor surveillance hardware; extended-temperature variants are not documented in the verified data. For legacy surveillance hardware sustenance, the part remains purchasable through independent distributors, but new surveillance designs should use modern UVC or IP camera SoCs with far higher resolution and network-native outputs.
Recommended
Legacy System Repair and Reverse Engineering
A significant ongoing use of the W9968CF is repairing and documenting legacy imaging hardware: vintage webcams, medical capture boxes, and industrial machines with USB 1.1 camera front-ends. The Revision A2 datasheet provides the authoritative register map (including bcdUSB/bcdDevice = 0x0110 descriptors and the CR39_4 JPEG clock bit) needed to reimplement drivers on modern operating systems that no longer ship vendor drivers. Broker distributors such as Censtry (180-day warranty), Richard Electronics, and Kynix supply remaining stock for repairs. Engineers should capture the full datasheet revision history from archives, since Rev A1 (April 1998) and Rev A2 (May 1999) differ in USB descriptors and JPEG clock control.
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Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for W9968CF — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Key Differentiators
- Single-chip USB 1.1 camera bridge with built-in JPEG engine (vs Discrete multi-chip camera solutions (separate USB interface + JPEG codec))
- Full USB power-management compliance (vs Legacy camera bridges without suspend support)
- USB 1.1-only bandwidth is a hard limitation (vs Modern UVC camera bridges (USB 2.0 high speed))
Design Notes
Always design against datasheet Revision A2 (May 1999), not Revision A1 (April 1998). Rev A2 changed the USB descriptor values bcdUSB and bcdDevice to 0x0110 for USB 1.1 compliance; firmware or host software that expects the older descriptor values will mis-enumerate the device. Rev A2 also added the CR39_4 register bit for JPEG clock enable - code written for Rev A1 parts may not enable the JPEG pipeline correctly on A2 silicon if it assumes the old register map.
The W9968CF streams video over USB 1.1 isochronous transfers, which reserve fixed bus bandwidth with no retry mechanism - unlike bulk transfers, isochronous packets dropped due to signal errors are simply lost. Keep the D+/D- USB pair length-matched, route over a continuous ground plane, and place the series termination resistors per the USB 1.1 spec at the connector side. Poor USB routing on the 12 Mbps full-speed bus manifests as visible frame corruption rather than transfer errors, which is hard to diagnose in the image pipeline.
The device complies with the full USB power-management requirements, including startup, operating, and suspend modes - meaning it must meet the USB suspend current budget when the host suspends the bus. Ensure firmware actually gates the JPEG engine and sensor clocking (using the CR39_4 JPEG clock enable bit where appropriate) during suspend, and verify measured suspend current against the USB 1.1 specification budget, since the verified data does not quantify the device's suspend current. Exceeding it can cause host port shutdown in bus-powered camera designs.
Compliance Information
The W9968CF is a 1998-1999 era consumer IC predating RoHS; lead-free status is not documented in the verified data. Distributors (e.g., Censtry) offer up to 180-day warranty on broker stock. Not AEC-Q100 relevant (consumer-class device, no automotive qualification documented).
