Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Aug. 02, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of presentation: The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sigma Designs, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. We operate and report quarterly financial results that consist of 13 weeks and end on the last Saturday of the period. The second quarter of fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 ended on August 2, 2014 (91 days) and August 3, 2013 (91 days), respectively. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”), for interim financial information and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). They do not include all disclosures required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended February 1, 2014, included in our fiscal 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2014, referred to as our fiscal 2014 Annual Report. The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited; however, they contain all normal recurring accruals and adjustments that, in our opinion, are necessary to present fairly our consolidated financial position at August 2, 2014 and February 1, 2014, the consolidated results of our operations for the three and six months ended August 2, 2014 and August 3, 2013, and the consolidated cash flows for the six months ended August 2, 2014 and August 3, 2013. The results of operations for the three and six months ended August 2, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for future quarters or the full year. There have been no significant changes in our critical accounting policies during the six months ended August 2, 2014, as compared to the critical accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 1, 2014. For a complete summary of our significant accounting policies, refer to Note 1, "Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, in Part II, Item 8 of our fiscal 2014 Annual Report.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent accounting pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09) providing a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard. ASU 2014-09 provides revised standards of recognition predicated on when an entity transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2018. ASU 2014-09 can be applied retrospectively with a modified retrospective application permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Aug. 02, 2014

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of presentation: The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sigma Designs, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. We operate and report quarterly financial results that consist of 13 weeks and end on the last Saturday of the period. The second quarter of fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 ended on August 2, 2014 (91 days) and August 3, 2013 (91 days), respectively.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”), for interim financial information and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). They do not include all disclosures required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended February 1, 2014, included in our fiscal 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on April 17, 2014, referred to as our fiscal 2014 Annual Report.

The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited; however, they contain all normal recurring accruals and adjustments that, in our opinion, are necessary to present fairly our consolidated financial position at August 2, 2014 and February 1, 2014, the consolidated results of our operations for the three and six months ended August 2, 2014 and August 3, 2013, and the consolidated cash flows for the six months ended August 2, 2014 and August 3, 2013. The results of operations for the three and six months ended August 2, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for future quarters or the full year.

There have been no significant changes in our critical accounting policies during the six months ended August 2, 2014, as compared to the critical accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 1, 2014. For a complete summary of our significant accounting policies, refer to Note 1, "Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, in Part II, Item 8 of our fiscal 2014 Annual Report.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09) providing a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard. ASU 2014-09 provides revised standards of recognition predicated on when an entity transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2018. ASU 2014-09 can be applied retrospectively with a modified retrospective application permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements.