EXHIBIT 32.1

                    CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I, Frank C. Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Trident Microsystems, Inc. (the
"Registrant"), do hereby certify in accordance with 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, based on my
knowledge:

         (1) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Registrant, to which this
         certification is attached as an exhibit (the "Report"), fully complies
         with the requirements of section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
         of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m); and

         (2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Registrant.

Dated: November 14, 2003                              /s/ Frank C. Lin
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Frank C. Lin
                                                      Chief Executive Officer

   A SIGNED ORIGINAL OF THIS WRITTEN STATEMENT REQUIRED BY SECTION 906, OR
     OTHER DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATING, ACKNOWLEDGING, OR OTHERWISE ADOPTING THE
   SIGNATURE THAT APPEARS IN TYPED FORM WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS
     WRITTEN STATEMENT REQUIRED BY SECTION 906, HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO TRIDENT
    MICROSYSTEMS, INC. AND WILL BE RETAINED BY TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS, INC. AND
 FURNISHED TO THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ITS STAFF  UPON REQUEST.