In this paper, the problem of synthesis and analysis for the networked control systems (NCSs) with time-driven digital controllers and event-driven holders is considered. The NCS is modelled as a sampled-data system with time-delay in its discrete-time subsystem. This model is able to capture many network-induced features, for example, time-delay and packet dropout. Moreover, the model allows different combinations of the time-driven or event-driven mode of the devices, including the samplers, the controllers and the holders. By transforming time-delay in the discrete-time subsystem into its continuous-time subsystem of the sampled-data system, we have also obtained a less conservative time-delay dependent stability result for the NCSs, using a new Lyapunov function and a relaxed condition. Some limitations of the existing literatures on network-induced time-delay and sampling period are removed in the proposed framework. Furthermore, a sampled-data control design procedure is developed for the NCSs. Linear matrix inequality approach has been employed to solve the stability and control design problems. Finally, numerical examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed stability result and the potential of the proposed techniques. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.