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HP Pavilion dm1-4003au Notebook Price

2012-01-21T20:56:00.001-08:00

HP Pavilion dm1-4003au Features and specifications

AMD Accelerated Processor E-450 (1.6 GHz, 2 Core with integrated GPU)
1 MB L2 Cache
2 GB DDR3 RAM, 320GB SATA 7200 RPM HDD
HP Protect Smart HDD Protection
ATI Radeon HD6320M UVD3 Video Graphics
Available Color : Black (Specify Your Choice of Color in the Special Instruction Box at the Time of Placing the Order)
Display Screen : High-Definition LED HP Bright view Display
Display Size : 11.6 Inches
Operating System : Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic 64
Memory : 2 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Wireless LAN,Wi-fi, Bluetooth,Camera,Microphone
Web Camera: 0.3 Megapixel
Pointer Device : Touchpad
Keyboard : Full size island-style Keyboard
Audio:Internal Mic Digital Microphone
Communication:Ethernet 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Wireless LAN: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth: Yes
Power: Battery Backup: Up to 3 hours
Power Supply: 65 W AC Adapter
Battery Cell : 6 cell

HP Pavilion dm1-4003au Price in India is Rs. 25925/- ( It may vary from place to place)

HP Pavilion dv6 Entertainment Hub

2012-01-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

Features and Specifications

Image Curtsey: www1.hp.com

Graphic Processor:AMD Radeon HD 6490M (1 GB GDDR5)
Processor:Intel Core i5-2430M 2.4 GHz
Memory :4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 (1 x 4 GB), Upgradeable up to 16 GB DDR3
Graphics :AMD Radeon HD 6490M (1 GB GDDR5)
Network Interface : Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Hard Disk Size(GB): 750 GB SATA HDD/ HP 3D Protect Smart HDD protection
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic 64
Web Camera : HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone (low-light)
Pointer Device :TouchPad supporting Multi-Touch gestures and On/Off button
Keyboard :101 key compatible; Notebook keyboard with home roll keys; Full-size keyboard with integrated numeric keypad; Full-size island-style keyboard
Power : 90W AC Power Adapter
Chipset: Intel HM65
Color Options: Espresso Black, Lattice Pattern

Price of HP Pavilion dv6-6155tx: Rs.47750
Price of HP Pavilion dv6-6154tx: Rs. 54,000

Price may vary from place to place

For more information visit: http://h10010.www1.hp.com

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Android Gingerbread 8.1 megapixel camera and HD quality video Phone

2012-01-20T19:30:00.002-08:00

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo runs on Android 2.3 OS. Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo features a 8.1 megapixel camera and HD quality video, the Xperia neo touch phone lets you capture every precious moment and view them over and over again on a razor sharp display, 1GHz processor, and microSD card slot.

Image Courtsey: www.sonyericsson.com

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Amazing Features

Xperia™ neo to your HD TV using the built-in HDMI connector
Sony’s Exmor R™ for mobile CMOS sensor lets you capture high-quality, bright pictures and videos in poor light conditions.
Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine makes the 3.7″ screen sharp and crisp.
Xperia™ neo is powered by Android (Gingerbread)
built-in stereo FM radio
Display: 3.7″ 16,777,216 colour TFT / 854×480 pixels
Memory: Internal phone storage: 1GB (up to 320MB free)
RAM: 512MB
Memory card slot: microSD™, up to 32GB
Camera – 8.1 Megapixel
HD video recording – 720p
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP): Music from your phone to headset over a wireless connection.
HDMI support(TV out) : connect the phone to a TV, projector or other device.
TrackID music recognition
Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS with A-GPS support
Battery: Li-Po 1500 mAh
Color Options: Blue Gradient , Silver , Red
Weight: 126 grams

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo priced Rs. 17,500 in India. Price may vary from place.

For more information: http://www.sonyericsson.com

LG Optimus 2X with 1 GHz Dual Core Tegra 2 Processor

2012-01-20T19:30:00.001-08:00

LG Optimus 2X World’s first dual-core smartphone (Powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 Processor) have 8MP Camera and LED flash to capture memories on the go with the 8-megapixel camera and LED flash. Or use the front facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video calling.

LG Optimus 2X Features

Processor: 1GHz NVIDIA’s mobile dual-core processor

HDMI Port : HDMI support

Security: Mobile security (Virus protections, ATMT)

Video: Full HD 1080p HD video playback and recording

LG Optimus 2X Specifications:

OS: Android Froyo 2.2 (Upgradable to Gingerbread 2.3)

Processor: Dual-Core Nvidia Tegra 2 1Ghz CPU

Networks: 3G/HSPA/HSDPA
Quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE

Display: 4” inch Capacitive Multitouch 800 x 480 WVGA Capacitive, 16M TFT IPS(In-Plane Switching)

Camera : 8MP Camera and LED flash, 1.3 Megapixel Front Camera for Video Calling

Internal Memory: 6.4 GB (5.1 GB Internal SD storage + 1.3 GB Internal phone storage)

External Memory : Micro SD upto 32GB

DLNA: Can connect wirelessly to any DLNA compatible digital device

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11n
A-GPS with Google Navigation Maps
Bluetooth
Micro USB Connector

Battery: Li-ion Inner Pack 1500 mAh

Weight: 139 Grams

Accessories: Battery, Charger, Manual, Stereo Ear Microphone, USB Data Cable.

LG Optimus 2X Price in India : 24,000/- It may vary from place to place kindly check its price from authorized dealer.

http://www.lg.com/in/mobile-phones/all-phones/LG-smart-phones-P990.jsp

Nokia Lumia 900 Enhanced Windows Smartphone

2012-01-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Nokia Lumia 900 is the enhanced windows Phone model from Nokia. It comes with Front Facing Camera, 1.4GHz Processor and runs Windows Phone 7 Mango OS.

Features & Specification :

Network : Quad band GSM/HSDPA , GSM : 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

OS: Microsoft Windows Phone 7.10 Tango Operating System

Processor: 1.4Ghz processor

Display: 4.3-inch Touchscreen Clear Black AMOLED display, Corning Gorilla Glass.

Camera: 8 Megapixel Camera with LED and Autofocus

Connectivity: PC Sync, USB, Wi-Fi, TV out, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC

Memory: 512MB/1GB RAM
16/32GB Internal Memory
Data:

GPRS Yes
EDGE Yes
3G Yes Social Networking & IM
GPS with Nokia OVI Maps
Voice guidance and Navigation App

Battery: Li – Ion, 1830 mAh

FM Radio : Yes

Price expected to be around Rs. 25,000

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S Android smartphone with 1.4GHz turbo processor

2012-01-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

Xpeira Arc S is the advanced version of Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc with a more powerful processor. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S Android phone supports high speed data, and is HDMI and DLNA certifed. Xperia™ arc/arc S awarded European Camera Phone 2011-2012

Xperia arc S Mobile Features:

Display: 4.2 inch capacitive touch screen with LED backlight, along with scratch-resistant surface, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine
Camera: 8.1 MP Camera with Sony 3D sweep panorama technology\
Processor: 1.4GHz turbo processor
Operating System: Android v2.3.4 (Gingerbread) OS
Connect your Xperia™ arc S to your TV via HDMI Port
Sound Quality: xLOUD Loudness Enhancement
TV via Wi-Fi and DLNA
3D games:Enjoy quality games with full color and depth.

Sony Xperia S Android Mobile Technical Specifications:

Networks: UMTS HSPA 900, 2100
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
Display: 4.2-inch (854 x 480 pixels) Capacitive multi-touch scratch-resistant mineral glass Display
Camera: 8.1 Megapixel with 16X Smart Zoom, 720p HD Video,Sony’s Exmor R™ for mobile CMOS sensor, Digital Zoom – up to 16x, View them on a 3D TV or on the multi-angle 3D display
Memory: Internal phone storage: 1GB (up to 320MB free)
RAM: 512MB
Memory card slot: microSD™, up to 32GB
Ports: W-Fi, DLNA, HDMI, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity: Wi-Fi Hotspot, Native USB tethering
GPS: aGPS Google Maps™ – with Street View, Google Latitude™
Entertainment: Sony Ericsson Music Player, Sony xLOUD engine audio filter technology , 3.5 mm audio jack to connect to other devices
Applications: Android Market, Timescape, Google search, Google Voice Search
Document Readers :Edit documents in popular formats
Speaker phone: Loudspeaker suitable for using the phone as an office handsfree
Talk time on 3G Up to 7 hours 55 minutes
Standby time up to 460 hours
Dimensions: 125 x 63 x 8.7 mm
Weight: 117 gms
Color Options: Pure White , Gloss Black , Misty Silver , Midnight Blue , Sakura Pink

Price of Xperia Arc S is Rs. 26,995 (Expected)

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman Powerful Android Music Phone

2012-01-07T08:52:00.001-08:00

Sony Ericsson Live Walkman blasts music into a new era, with the sound quality of Walkman and the interactivity of Android.Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is a 3.2-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors display smartphone running the latest Android 2.3 GingerBread OS which can be updated to 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. It is powered by a 1 GHz Scorpion and sports dual camera with front one for video calling. It supports Adobe Flash and has Sony xLOUD enhancement.xLOUD™ loudness enhancement makes it possible to listen loud without distortion.

Image Curtsey: http://www.sonyericsson.com

Android Music Phone Core Features:

Phone: Music series smartphone
Walkman button: Go straight to the music with a dedicated Walkman button.
xLOUD™: xLOUD™ loudness enhancement makes it possible to listen loud without distortion
Mediascape
Special Feature: Phone content. On your TV via Wi-Fi and DLNA
Gaming Gadget: Live with Walkman™ phone into a PC or games machine.
Video: 720p HD video recording
Music: Qriocity music and video content services from Sony
Color: Nice Color options Black & White.

Image Curtsey: http://www.sonyericsson.com

Android Music Phone Technical Specifications:

Weight: 115.0 g / 4.1 oz
Display: 3.2 inches / 16,777,216 color TFT / 480 x 320 pixels
Memory: Internal phone storage: up to 320 MB
RAM: 512MB
Memory card slot: microSD™, up to 32GB
Platform : latest Android 2.3 GingerBread OS
Camera: 5 megapixel, Digital Zoom - up to 8x, Smile detection, Red-eye reduction, Front-facing camera (VGA), Flash / light type - LED, Photo light and Photo flash
GPS: aGPS with Google Maps for Mobile & Street View
Android Market, Google search, NeoReader barcode scanner
Facebook app, Google Talk, Skype, Google Mail, Conversations
Web: Google Voice Search,Google™ search,Web browser - WebKit
Bluetooth: Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP)
USB : USB tethering
Radio: FM radio with RDS
3.5 mm Headphone jack
USB High speed 2.0 support
Pre-Loaded 3D Games
Battery: 1200 mAh Li-Ion Battery

Price of Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is Around Rs 14,500 (May vary from state to state)

For more information visit: http://www.sonyericsson.com

New Tegra 3 processor for Superfast Future for Tablets, Smartphones

2011-11-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

Chipmaker nVidia has lauched Tegra 3 processor delivers up to three times the graphics performance of its predecessor and uses 61 percent less power.

The first tablet to use the Tegra 3 chip will be Asustek's Eee Pad Transformer Prime, nVidia said in a statement.

ARM's power-sipping chip architecture is widely favored for mobile devices that depend on batteries and is also used by Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.

Read Complete Story

Android tablet or smartphone to become a universal remote control

2011-11-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

Android tablet or smartphone to become a universal remote control for home theater equipment.This universal remote solution is a combination of both hardware and software. Unlike old remotes that require infrared (IR) sensors, the Dijit application on a phone or tablet communicates with Griffin’s Beacon hardware through a standard Bluetooth connection. The Beacon unit then converts commands from the remote control software into an IR signal, which it beams to a television, Blu-ray player, DVR, or any other IR-compatible media component. Read Complete Story

Barnes & Noble 7" tablet a 1GHz dual-core processor tablet

2011-11-08T02:06:00.001-08:00

The new tablet boasts many unique features and specifications. The 7" tablet has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and weighs less than 1 pound.It also has an IPS LG display, the lowest available reflection and glare which enables many viewing angles and offers 9 hours of video on a single charge. The tablet supports 1080p video, has 16GB of storage and a SD slot capable of holding a 32GB card, and free WiFi in Barnes & Noble stores. For more information visit here

BSNL introduced Application Store

2011-09-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

BSNL has introduced application store for its subscribers. Application Store customers to purchase and download applications for use on their handsets. An application is a software which you can download onto your handset for personal use e.g. Calorie Calculator etc.

The BSNL Apps Store provides you thousands of applications, utilities, games and themes. A wide-array of applications is available on the Apps Store & Applications are updated on a regular basis.

How You can access

You should have GPRS facility activated on your mobile and you need to visit BSNL Live WAP Portal. A “BSNL Apps Store” icon is available on the BSNL Live Home page for you to access the various applications.

Steps to use Apps Store:

1. Click “BSNL Apps Store” icon on the BSNL Live home page.
2. On the BSNL Apps Store home page select from the menu of applications.
3. On selecting a specific category from the menu you would then be presented a list of available applications which you can download under that category.
4. On selecting any specific application you would then be presented with the details of the application along with the price.
5. Some applications are available for Free and would display only a "Download" option with Zero price point.
6. You would then need to click/select the Buy or Download; the application would begin to download on your mobile.
7. The application will install on your handset. After the install is complete, you will see the option to 'Start Now?' depending on your handset.
8. If you select 'Yes' the application will start.
9. If you select 'No' you will be back to the Apps Store Receipt page. Here you can click on “Apps Store" link to go back to the BSNL Apps Store home page.

http://www.vas.bsnl.co.in/vas/app_store.jsp

Smartr Inbox for Gmail and Smartr Contacts for Android

2011-09-27T10:40:00.001-07:00

Xobni products are famous as contact management tools for Outlook and BlackBerry.Today Xobni announced Smartr Inbox for Gmail and Smartr Contacts for Android.

Source: http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20111848-12/xobni-introduces-smartr-contact-management-for-gmail-and-android/

Google’s Next own-brand Nexus Prime

2011-09-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Google is apparently readying its third own-brand Nexus range smartphone for the market, subtitled the Prime. After the Nexus One was manufactured by HTC and the Nexus S came from Samsung, it looks like Google is sticking with the latter firm for the Nexus Prime, due to launch before the end of 2011.

Google has got into the habit of debuting a new Nexus smartphone to match up to a significant update to its Android operating system and the Nexus Prime will probably launch with Android 4.0, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich. While the version number may vary, this software update is set to bring elements of the tablet-friendly Android Honeycomb platform over to the mobile market

Read More

Sony has launched new models of external 3D Blu-ray rewritable drive

2011-09-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

The drive is a successor to the BDX-S500U with support for the latest Blu-ray formats, including the 3D Blu-ray or BD-R XL format, which is the format of choice of the latest 3D movies.

The tray-loading BDX-S600U comes with a USB 2.0 interface with an integrated dual cable ducts for easy stowage. The dual USB cable is provided to solve power outage problems on USB ports, which can provide up to 500 mA each. It can write single and dual layer BD-R media at up to 6x, BD-RE at 2x, and BD-R XL at 4x, thus theoretically capable of recording a full 100 GB disc in about an hour and a half. It also supports writing to BD-RE at 2x. The drive comes with Cyberlink Media Suite 8 to help you enjoy 3D Blu-ray movies at no extra cost.

For more information click here

AMD processors had been overclocked at speeds up to 8.429 GHz

2011-09-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

It has been published on a blog post that the eight FX processors had been overclocked at speeds up to 8.429 GHz, beating the prior record of 8.309 GHz, using a third-party team of overclocking enthusiasts.
AMD's announcement opens the Intel Developer Forum here in San Francisco, a developer conference hosted by AMD's arch-rival and much larger competitor, Intel.

Source: www.thinkdigit.com

Windows 8's touch-centric Metro interface

2011-09-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Windows 8, which Microsoft unveiled last week at its BUILD conference in Anaheim, is notable for many reasons. But the single most striking thing about the upgrade--which won't show up in shipping form until well into 2012--is its all-new Metro interface. As Microsoft says, Metro is "touch first." You can use it with a keyboard and mouse, but any Windows 8 PC that doesn't have a touchscreen is going to feel a tad retro. Microsoft is clearly looking towards the day when touch is as standard a PC feature as sound and a Webcam are today.

Source: Click here

1.5 GHz FPGA family features up...

2008-09-19T08:57:00.001-07:00

The Speedster family of FPGAs uses picoPIPE acceleration technology that speeds the way data moves through the FPGA fabric. Instead of a global parallel clock, picoPIPEs use simple handshake protocols to efficiently control data flow, resulting in what is said to be significantly improved performance. The 1.5 GHz 65 nm devices have 24,576 to 163,840 LUTs.

The fist device in the family is the SPD60 with 47,040 LUTs, twenty 10.3 Gbit/s SerDes, five 5 Gbit/s SerDes, 144 18 Kbit blocks of RAM, and 98 multipliers. The device takes 8 to 10 W, excluding I/O, has four DDR3/DDR2 controllers, and comes in a FBBA 1285 or 1892 package.

The chips 10.3 Gbit/s SerDes supports numerous high-speed interfaces, such as 40G/100G Ethernet, CEI-6G, 10 Gbit/s backplane, XFI, PCI Express, XAUI, SRIO, and Infiniband. Design tools and a development kit are available. ($200 to $2,500 ea/volume qty. — SPD60 available Q3.)

Achronix Semiconductor, San Jose, CA
Sales 408-889-4100
info@achronix.com
http://www.achronix.com

Murata SAW resonators for SRDs

2008-09-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

Murata's latest family of SAW resonators is designed for short range devices (SRDs) operating in the ISM300 and ISM400 bands, and achieves +/-50ppm tolerance. Because of its tight tolerance, the SARCC series of SAW resonators helps designs comply with the latest ETSI frequency error standard.

The thermal coefficient of the three millimetre square package has been reduced by almost 50% to 0.016ppm/ deg C (typical) and the resonant loss has been improved by approximately 1dB to 1.5dB (maximum), compared to previous generations of SAW resonator.

The range is offered with tolerance of either +/-50kHz or +/-50ppm, compared to the +/-75kHz offered by previous generations.

Resonators in the SARCC series come in two types, each named using a different suffix: part numbers suffixed -KX are intended for the consumer electronics applications and are also suitable for some automotive applications such as RKE (remote keyless entry) systems. Part numbers suffixed -TX are full automotive grade (AEC-Q200) devices, suitable for applications such as TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring systems).

The new family, which covers all the most requested frequencies, is available in industry standard 3.0x3.0mm size, 6-pin ceramic packaging and is backward compatible with older devices.

Op-amp integrates over-voltage ...

2008-09-19T08:55:00.001-07:00

Housed in an 8-lead LFCSP, the ADA4091-2 op amp integrates over-voltage protection circuitry. The 1.5-MHz op amp features a 350-µA-per-channel supply current, a 0.5-V/µs slew rate, and offset voltage of 500 µV max.

In addition, the 36-V dual micro-power device protects up to 12 V above and below the supply rails at ±15 V and 25 V above and below the supply rails at ±5 V. ($1.80 ea/1,000 — available now.)

Analog Devices, Wilmington, MA
Technical Support 800-262-5643
customer.service@analog.com
http://www.analog.com

2.4GHz wireless chip has own MCU

2008-09-19T08:53:00.001-07:00

Nordic Semiconductor has introduced its smallest 2.4GHz wireless device, the nRF24LE1 which integrates a 2.4GHz transceiver core (the nRF24L01+) and a mixed signal 8-bit microcontroller with flash memory for ULP wireless applications.

The device has an enhanced 8051 mixed-signal MCU core featuring fewer clock cycles per instruction than legacy 8051 devices. Most instructions need just one or two clock cycles leading to an average performance improvement of x8 using the MIPS benchmark.

This performance and the chip's 16kbyte of on-chip flash plus 1kbyte of SRAM enables it to run both the RF protocol stack and application layer.

The chip is available in a 4x4mm QFN package.

A ULP 32kHz crystal oscillator provides timing for low report rate synchronous protocols and a 16MHz RC oscillator provides fast start-up times from idle. The 32kHz oscillator can provide timing accurate enough for higher report rate protocols without requiring an external crystal.

A security co-processor supports AES encrypted wireless communications.

Intersil ISL59450 multiformat video multiplexer with integrated sync separator

2008-09-17T23:34:00.001-07:00

Intersil's ISL59450 multiformat video multiplexer with integrated sync separator has six Composite, four S-Video and four Component video inputs enabling simultaneously switching of a number of video signals in different formats.

Another feature is that two of the Component input channels can be configured for RGB signals with separate horizontal and vertical syncs. This allows for handling of PC video signals often used in multimedia and home-theatre applications.

The device features integrated programmable anti-aliasing filters that provide the ability to program the corner frequencies to specifically address the video standard being used.

Two universal sync separators extract the timing signals from input signals, which will be needed further down the signal path to display and manipulate images. This, along with two active output channels per input group, supports picture-in-picture (PIP) functions.

The ISL59450 also features programmable output gain control. To support very high resolution signals it can be configured to bypass the filters and provide 275MHz of bandwidth.

See http://www.intersil.com

MOSFETs target Li-ion battery apps

2008-09-17T23:32:00.001-07:00

The EFC4601R, EMH2407, ECH8651R series of MOSFETs contain 11 n-channel MOSFETs that are well suited for lithium-ion battery charge/discharge protection circuits. The packaging offers a 70% reduction in mount area and a 40% reduction in height compared to an earlier version of the product.

The MOSFET series has a turn-on delay time of 310 ns and a turn-off delay time 3,000 ns, and a gate to source charge of 0.89 nC. The typical RDS(on) at 3 A at 4.5 VGS for the EFC4601R is 34 mohms, the EMH2407 has 19mΩ, and the ECH8651R offers 10.5 mΩ. The devices also use lead-free and halogen-free design. (Contact sales at 201-825-8080 or email info@SSC.Sanyo.com for price and availability.)

Sanyo Semiconductor, Rochelle Park, NJ
Information 201-825-8080
FAX 201-825-0163
www.sanyo.com

Mirics Semiconductor radio module platform for FlexiRF reconfigurable RF tuner

2008-09-17T23:31:00.001-07:00

Mirics Semiconductor is offering a consumer radio module platform for its FlexiRF reconfigurable RF tuner, addressing FM, DAB, DAB+, DMB-A and DRM standards.

Measuring 60x55mm, the platform includes the MSi002 FlexiRF IC and integrates all necessary active and passive components, including a multi-standard demodulator IC, needed to deliver a complete analogue and digital broadcast radio receiver module.

For more information see the Mirics Semiconductor website.

Industry’s highest accuracy DAC improves system performance

2008-09-17T23:29:00.001-07:00

Tiny part delivers ±2-LSB INL and ±1 LSB DNL

Offered as the industry's highest accuracy DAC, the DAC9881 features 18-bit monotonic performance, ±2-LSB INL and ±1 LSB DNL — all in a tiny QFN-24 package. The chip reduces external components by 75% by integrating a low-noise buffer and enables customers to increase system performance and simplify designs in precision industrial applications such as automatic test equipment, instrumentation, process control, data acquisition and communications systems.

The device supports a SPI serial interface capable of operating with input data clock frequencies up to 50 MHz. Other key features include a 4-mW power consumption at 5 V, 24 nV/√Hz noise, a 5-μs settling time, rail-to-rail output swing over the full supply range of 2.7 to 5.5 V, and selectable power-on reset to zero-scale or midscale. (From $16.90 ea/1,000 — available now.)

Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX
Product Information Center 800-477-8924
http://www.ti.com

Revolution in the cellphone industry by the introduction of Iphone

2008-09-17T00:13:00.001-07:00

The Apple iPhone has brought about a revolution in the world of consumer electronics. In 2007 it was Steve Jobs who mentioned it in his key address at Macworld Conference & Expo.

Initially in the hands of Job it looked like a slim black triangle lacking in animation. Then the touch of Jobs on its screen was like a magic wand. All on a sudden the stodgy lifeless black rectangle came to life - the surface began to throb with animation. The fingers of Job slid around the screen moving an arrow to unlock the phone. To many it is this that is most amazing feature of the marvel that is the iPhone - the connection between the finger and the image on the screen.

There are plenty of other features. The iPhone is more akin to a palmtop computer rather than the cellular phone. As with the typical smart phones the iPhone can be used to make as well as receive phones. One can view movies, hear music, browse through the web as well as operate e-mails. Messages too can be sent like the conventional SMS. Inside it there is a camera for taking photographs. Pictures can be transferred from the computer to the iPhone by the use of special software. The iPhone allows for viewing of maps and satellite information from Google.

A modified edition of Macintosh OS X operating system can also be used on Apple computers. iPhone allows interaction with these applications. Icons for each of these operations are displayed on the screen of the iPhone. It automatically controls battery power and the security devices. Similar to the computer it is amenable to multi tasks.

The iPhone dispenses with the use of a mouse or a typical keyboard. It uses buttons and controls. These appear on the screen. The touch screen of iPhone is distinct from others in many ways. Usually when the screen is touched a contact is made with a slim stylus with a point. But the iPhone makes use of the fingers. Multiple touch points are detected simultaneously. This many of the touch screen devices in the market cannot do. With each passing day touch screen technology is becoming more sophisticated and prevalent. Microsoft recently introduced Surface. It is the latest in touch-sensitive computer interfacing. This will lead to a mouse-free age of the computer.

The Apple iPhone is unique by itself as regards multi touch interfacing. Apple is incorporating the touch-screen at the reverse of the iPhone rather than on the front. For enforcing this magical touch device wherein the iPhone responds to the touch of the fingers the technology that is used makes use of multi layered capacitive layers.

Its circuit arrangement is such that it can respond to changes at each point right through the grid. Each point on the grid, therefore, generates own signals when touched. It then relays that to the processor inside the iPhone. Thus the phone responds to multiple touches. It is the fingers alone that bring to life the iPhone.

Thus the most important parts are the processor and the software of the iPhone. The processor makes use of the software to understand the data that comes through - that is find out the nature of each touch. The processor measures the difference between the point of start and end of the touch. The processor then relays the instruction to the programme.

With only one button on the front surface the Apple iPhone is weaving this magic. Pressing it one goes to the main screen where there are icons for using the four primary functions.

Excelsys Technologies XCE 1450W family of 1U power supplies

2008-09-17T00:07:00.001-07:00

Excelsys Technologies has introduced the XCE 1450W family of 1U power supplies measuring 268x127mm and with a peak power output of 1450W at efficiencies up to 90%.

Providing power density of 16W/cubic inch, the XCE can be populated with up to six off the shelf powerMods output modules with output power ratings between 72 and 200W and with combinations of nominal output voltages across the range 2.5, 5, 12, 24, 48 and dual 24Vdc.

All outputs are isolated and may be connected in series or parallel for greater flexibility and all are individually adjustable over a wide range. Output voltages between 1.0-59Vdc are obtainable by selection and adjustment of the available standard powerMods output modules.

All possible output configurations carry full safety agency approvals, UL60950, EN60950 and are CE marked.

See http://www.excelsys.com

Analogue Devices low-power HDMI v1.3 transmitter

2008-09-17T00:06:00.001-07:00

Analogue Devices has a small low-power HDMI v1.3 (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) transmitter for video delivery to HD televisions from portable multimedia devices.

The ADV7521NK HDMI v1.3 transmitter has on-chip support for Consumer Electronic Control (CEC), which enables a single remote control to run multiple CEC-enabled high definition devices.

The low-power transmitter offers full support for HDTV (high-definition television) video standards up to 1080p/30f, 1080i/60f, 720p/60f and computer graphics standards up to XGA at 75Hz.

It features an I2C (inter-integrated circuit) master for EDID (extended display identification data) reading, a single 1.8V power supply and 5V tolerant I/Os that support I2C and HPD (Hot Plug Detect).

See http://www.analog.com

STMicroelectronics STCC08 solid-state AC-switch driver

2008-09-17T00:04:00.001-07:00

The STCC08 from STMicroelectronics is its first solid-state AC-switch driver to integrate switch-supervision for use in mains-powered devices designed to meet IEC60335-1 and IEC60730-1 safety standards.

The device's supervisor capability meets IEC60335 by detecting short-circuit or open-circuit failures, as well as diode-mode failure of a solid-state AC switch in both half-AC-line polarities.

The device uses unique techniques to detect true switch status, and generates a logic signal connected to a digital input of a microcontroller (MCU), which implements the diagnostic using a simple two-input truth table. In insulated applications, the IC's output is also able to drive an opto-transistor.

The STCC08's integrated switch gate driver is capable of sinking up to 25mA to drive a directly connected AC switch, and supports continuous, pulsed or angle-phase modes. The output current is regulated using an external resistor. The CMOS-compatible input enables direct connection to the microcontroller.

Designed for connection in parallel with the power path, the STCC08 delivers a robust solution able to withstand EMI fast transients up to 4kV, thereby meeting IEC61000-4-4.

It can operate from 3.3V or 5V, is offered in a surface-mount ECPOACK SO-8 package.

See http://www.st.com

SONY UNVEILS TWO BLU-RAY DISC NOTEBOOK PCS

2008-09-15T21:44:00.001-07:00

Sony today introduced two notebooks with Blu-ray Disc™ technology— the VAIO® NS and CS models.

"With these new units, Sony is now offering consumers a host of multi-media PC options to choose from," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. "And with a starting price of around $1,000 for the NS model, we're expecting a new audience to experience HD entertainment on their computers."

HD Entertainment Attractively Priced

The VAIO NS notebook features an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive that is ideal for viewing HD content. It also has the added convenience of DVD and CD read/write functionalities.

The PC is equipped with a 15.4-inch (measured diagonally) widescreen display, and Sony's own XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp details and vivid colors.

The NS model easily accesses your music, movies and the Internet. Its integrated A/V mode features a dedicated menu, putting entertainment within easy reach by letting you select up to nine programs, such as a favorite web site, from one location.

Packing an Intel® Core^TM 2 Duo processor, significant RAM and ample storage, the NS notebook is equipped with the tools required for everyday computing.

Available in three colors— nightfall blue, silk white and granite silver— the VAIO NS notebook will start at around $650, while the Blu-ray Disc model will go for about $1,000.

High Fashion Meets High-Def

The VAIO CS notebook is available in four glossy colors— sangria, cosmopolitan, dove and black. A standard black matte finish is also available.

The unit is equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display and XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp images. Matched with an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive, the CS model is ideal for watching HD entertainment on-the-go.

Its instant A/V mode lets you kick off your entertainment with ease. Go straight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos with the touch of a button. A built-in A/V slide control also lets you control all functions (play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, eject, etc.) all with one-touch ease.

The PC has a uniquely configured keyboard, designed with spacing between the keys, for a comfortable typing experience. A specialized keyboard font adds a fun touch. The unit also has a12-tone music analyzer that translates your music into a colorful LED light show that plays out beneath the palm rest of the PC.

It is backed by optional Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology with plenty of power for high-speed performance and an energy-efficient design for remote computing.

The CS model will start at about $920, while the BD model will go for around $1,070.

The VAIO NS and CS notebooks will be available online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/fall. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting this fall.

Future Nanoelectronics May Face Obstacles

2008-09-15T21:38:00.001-07:00

When the size of the components approaches the nanometer level, all information will disappear before it has time to be transferred.

"Our findings throw a monkey wrench in the machinery of future nanoelectronics. At the same time, it's a fascinating issue to address just how we might be able to prevent the information from being lost," says Mattias Marklund, professor of theoretical physics at Umeå University in Sweden.

The electronics we know in our computers today is, as the name suggests, based on the transfer of information with the help of electrons. Using electrons has allowed us to shrink the size of computer circuits without losing efficacy. At the same time, communication with the help of electrons represents a rather slow means of transmission.

To alleviate this problem, light can be used instead of electrons. This is the basis of so-called photonic components. While the transfer speed in photonics is extremely high, the size of the components cannot be shrunk to the same level as 'ordinary' electronics.

For a number of years, so-called plasmonic components have proven to be a possible way around the dilemma of electronics and photonics. By combining photonics and electronics, scientists have shown that information can be transferred with the help of so-called plasmons. Plasmons are surface waves, like waves in the ocean, but here consisting of electrons, which can spread at extremely high speeds in metals.

The findings now being presented by the Swedish-American research team show that difficulties arise when the size of such components is reduced to the nanometer level. At that point it turns out that the dual nature of electrons makes itself felt: the electrons no longer act like particles but rather have a diffuse character, with their location and movement no longer being clearly defined. This elusive personality leads to the energy of the plasmon being dissipated and lost in the transfer of information. For nanocomponents, this consequence is devastating, entailing the loss of all information before it can be transferred.

"The effects we have discovered cannot be fully avoided, but the behavior of the plasmons might nevertheless be controlled by meticulous component design that takes into consideration the quantum nature of the nanoscale. It's our hope that continued research will provide a solution to this problem," says Mattias Marklund.

Source : www.umu.se

It may be time for you to consider cutting the (phone) cord

2008-09-15T03:27:00.001-07:00

If you haven't rethought your home phone service, now might be the time. Intense competition among companies and technologies has traditional standalone phone service from a Ma Bell descendant seemingly going the way of the dodo.

The dodo, a flightless island bird, became extinct in the 17th century because of human behavior and the introduction of new predators. Ditto, perhaps, for traditional landline phone service. Landline phone service is high quality and extremely reliable. But phone companies are losing customers daily to competing companies and technologies.

Bill Kula, a spokesman with Ma Bell descendant Verizon Communications Inc., said the company is experiencing an 8 percent to 9 percent decrease per year in landline phones. But he said the traditional landline has a future in the home telecommunications mix. Surveys show customers like the reliability of a landline and the security of knowing it has full emergency 911 capabilities. ''The wired telephone is not going away with the dinosaur,'' he said. ''It will continue to be a versatile part of the society for decades to come.''

Time will tell, but here are examples of predators and human behavior invading the habitat of traditional phone companies. They might just save you money:
Bundles. Deals abound, with phone and cable companies duking it out to sign customers to their triple-play services--TV, Internet and phone. Landline phone service has become such a commodity that it's almost a throw-in. It often includes unlimited long-distance calls and a wide host of features, such as call-waiting and caller ID. If you already subscribe to pay TV and Internet access, you might save by moving all your services under one roof.

Wireless. Cutting off landline service and using only a wireless phone is becoming more common as people become used to calling people, not places. A generation ago, callers would dial up a place, such as a home or an office because phones were tied to buildings. Today, wireless phones are associated with individuals, so people call other people. As they become commonplace, it's harder to justify duplicate landline telephone service.

Before cutting the cord, make sure you have adequate reception throughout your home and enough minutes on your wireless plan to handle calls at home and on the go. Several wireless carriers have introduced unlimited calling plans, many for about $100 per month. They often are of dubious value, said Allan Keiter, president of wireless comparison site MyRatePlan.com. For $100 per month, consumers already could receive 2,000 minutes--33 hours--with free nights and weekends, and free mobile to mobile. Few people use that much. Unlimited plans are aimed at dangling the concept of unlimited calling at customers on $80 plans with about 1,300 minutes so they trade up.

VoIP and MagicJack. Consumers have many choices for using their broadband Internet access as a phone line, using a technology called voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP. Maybe the most interesting and easiest is from MagicJack.com, which offers phone service with unlimited long-distance, voice mail, caller ID, call waiting and other features for $19.95 per year.

For an additional $20, you must buy a matchbox-sized device that plugs into the USB port on your computer. You plug a phone line and phone into the other end of the device. Software loads onto your computer automatically and you get a dial tone. So, to get started, the device plus a year's service costs $39.95, and you never receive a monthly bill.

MagicJack inventor Dan Borislow said the company has sold more than 1 million of the devices so far. He assumed his customers would be business travelers, perhaps taking the device abroad to call home for free. Not so.

''They're people on budgets, people trying to save money,'' Borislow said. The average age of users is 55. The other major group of customers wants to dump their landline but their cell phone doesn't work well in the house, he said. They use MagicJack as their landline, often plugging a cordless phone base into the MagicJack line and adding multiple handsets throughout the house.

Drawbacks of MagicJack include not being able to keep your existing phone number. You'll receive a new one. And you must have the computer on to place and receive calls. If it's off, incoming calls go to voice mail. Borislow said the company is working on solutions to both of those disadvantages.

And while MagicJack works flawlessly for many people, others seem to have problems. The service is only as good as your broadband Internet connection. Voice quality can range from as good as a landline to as poor as a cell phone with a weak signal. Use the 30-day money-back guarantee to try MagicJack before canceling landline service.

Other Internet-based phone services, such as Skype and Vonage, can also use regular telephones and can be cheaper than landline phone service. Several traditional phone companies also offer VoIP service.

Gleichmann Sunrise starter kit for NEC V850ES/Jx3-L All Flash 32-bit MCUs

2008-09-15T03:22:00.001-07:00

For users of NEC's V850ES/Jx3-L All Flash 32-bit microcontroller family, Gleichmann Sunrise is offering a ready-to-use starter kit including application examples.

In addition to hardware components for the demonstration of simple I/O functions such as timer input/output, the development board also contains a variety of pushbuttons, 7-segment LEDs, A/D converters, UARTs, a range of further serial interfaces and connections for external hardware components.

The power consumption of the V850ES/Jx3-L is approximately 50% lower than other 32-bit microcontrollers from NEC Electronics.

The integrated hardware multiplier on a V850 core based 32-bit MCU, enables an efficient execution of arithmetic functions with the processing of large amounts of data.

Furthermore, with regard to peripherals the V850ES/Jx3-L microcontrollers offer users a number of channels for different types of serial communications. In addition, they also offer 4 independent DMA channels, 11 integrated 16 bit timers, 12 channels for 10-bit A/D conversion, two channels for 8-bit D/A conversion, 256kbyte flash memory, 16kbyte RAM and a bus interface for megabytes of extra memory capacity.

See http://www.ge-sunrise.com

Anders Electronics 7-inch WVGA TFT display module

2008-09-15T03:20:00.001-07:00

A 7-inch WVGA TFT display module from Anders Electronics combines excellent visual characteristics with an extended operating temperature range of -30°C to +85°C.

The device is part of a automotive range for use in equipment that requires excellent readability while coping with harsh climatic conditions. These include outdoor and industrial applications such as portable information terminals, field-test equipment, automotive, plant machinery and access-control systems.

The 800xRGBx480 pixels (WVGA) TFT LCD module uses amorphous silicon transmissive LCD technology and an LED backlight to achieve typical brightness levels of 500cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 400:1.

A wide left-right viewing angle of 140° further underlines the display's adaptability in real-world industrial applications.

The display module is capable of displaying up to 262,000 colours and features an integrated low voltage differential signalling (LVDS) interface. The module's mechanical attributes also ease the designer's task: with an overall thickness of 7.95mm, it provides greater flexibility in terms of physical positioning within the end system.

Designed for use with a 3.3V power supply, the module provides an active viewing area of 152mm x 91mm. Typical LCD current is 150mA, while the LED backlight requires a 100mA constant current source.

More information: www.anders.co.uk

Panasonic unveiled Lumix G1-World’s First Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera

2008-09-12T22:45:00.001-07:00

Like it or not, the first Micro Four Thirds's digital interchangeable lens camera is here. Sooner, you wouldn't be able to tell a photographer is chimping or talking a picture. Panasonic has announced Lumix G1, the smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens camera with full time live view to break new ground. 12 megapixel Four Thirds Live-MOS sensor, automatic eye sensor, 3-inch HVGA swivel LCD and dust removal system are among many advanced features come with the 0.85 pound Lumix.

The Micro Four Thirds System is a joint venture between Panasonic and Olympus. The most significant feature of the new standard is eliminating traditional mirror box with a high resolution electronic viewfinder, thus reducing the size and weight of conventional Digital SLR.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 will be available as kit bundle with a new Lumix G Vario 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH O.I.S around mid-November. Another Micro Four Thirds lens announced is the LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6 O.I.S. lens which will be sold separately. Pricing information will be revealed early next month.

[update prices from Japan:]
Bare body, 80,00 yen or $756,00
Bundled with 14-45mm, 90,000 yen or $840
Bundled with 45-200mm, 125,000 yen or $1,166

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1, a 12.1 Megapixel camera, also includes the following features.

Live MOS Sensor – Provides the best of both worlds with high image quality from a CCD sensor, and the lower-power consumption of a CMOS sensor. New technology makes it possible to read four channels of data simultaneously and deliver 60 frames-per-second full-time Live View images.

Venus Engine HD – New imaging processor enhances noise reduction and provides independent gradation control for each of the R, G and B colors.

Supersonic Wave Filter Dust Reduction System – Designed to prevent dust from adhering to the image sensor by vibrating 50,000 times per second, the filter repels dust and other particles.

HDMI Output – With an optional HDMI cable, the G1 can connect to an HDMI-capable High Definition television, such as a Panasonic VIERA Plasma or LCD. When connected to a VIERA, using VIERA Link capability, the TV's remote control can direct the slideshow on the G1.

My Menu – This new tab automatically stores the five most recently used menu selections for quick, convenient retrieval. The custom-setting can also be used to program a frequently-used function, which can be activated by pressing the down arrow on the cursor key. The color of the menu viewed on LCD can also be changed to three different colors: black, red, blue.

Three Color choices - Black, Blue and Red

Eye-Sensor – auto detect when the user is nearing the view finder and automatically switches off the LCD

Auto-Focus System- new Contrast AF system, multiple-area AF with up to 23 focus areas, 1-area AF with a selectable focus area, Face Detection, and AF Tracking.

Intelligent Exposure – Helps prevents photos from being under- or over-exposed by analyzing the framed image and adjusting the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash.

MEGA O.I.S. – Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand movement from creating a blurry image.

Intelligent ISO – Determines if the photo subject is moving and changes the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.

Intelligent Scene Selector – Senses the ambient conditions and will automatically select the appropriate mode from Scenery, Portrait, Close-up, Night Portrait or Night Scenery

Face Detection – Detects faces in the frame (up to 15 faces), even if they are moving, and selects optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear. Also features Digital Red-Eye correction.

Source : www.slashgear.com

802.11n wireless router is low cost

2008-09-12T22:40:00.001-07:00

The ENHWI-N2 wireless router is compatible with IEEE 802.11n Draft 2.0 specifications providing up to a 300-Mbit/s data rate. The unit has four 10/100 Ethernet ports with an auto MDI-X function, is compatible with older 802.11g devices, and uses a 5-V, 2.5-A power adapter.

The device supports wireless data encryption with 64/128-bit WEP standard for security and supports enhanced security with WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK, WPA and WPA2. It uses the NAT active firewall to assist in preventing hacker attacks and web-based configuration/management tools are provided. ($72 — available now.)

Encore Electronics, La Puente, CA
Sales Office 626-336-4567
north.america.sales@encore-usa.com
http://www.encore-usa.com

Discrete has isolated transistor, rectifier

2008-09-12T22:38:00.001-07:00

The CTLM1034-M832D discrete module is composed of a 40-V, 1-A VCE(sat) npn transistor, and a 40-V, 1-A low VF Schottky rectifier. The complementary CTLM1074-M832D is made of a 40-V, 1-A low VCE(sat) pnp transistor and 40-V, 1-A low VF Schottky rectifier. Both devices are suitable for dc/dc converters, switching circuits, and LCD backlighting.

The npn transistor version has a typical VCE(sat) of 130 mV at 500 mA, and the PNP type has a typical VCE(sat) of 150 mV at 500 mA. The Schottky rectifier features a maximum VF of 450 mV at 500 mA. The TLM832D leadless surface-mount case provides 1.65-W power dissipation rating. The package measures 3.1 x 2.1 mm with a 1.0-mm height. (CTLM1034-M832D: $0.22; CTLM1074-M832D: $0.24 — available now.)

Central Semiconductor, Hauppauge, NY
Tom Donofrio 631-435-1110
tdonofrio@centralsemi.com
http://www.centralsemi.com

80-Gbyte SSDs provide fast access times, high MTBF

2008-09-12T22:36:00.001-07:00

1.8- or 2.5-in.-form-factor drives feature 250-Mbyte/s read speeds

The X18-M and X25-M SATA solid-state disk drives are built with multilevel cell (MLC) NAND flash and provide boot-up and program loads up to nine times faster than an HDD. The SATA revision 2.6-compliant 1.8- or 2.5-in. mounting form factor units come in 80- and 160-Gbyte capacities and target laptop, embedded, and desktop computers. Their typical power consumption is 150 mW average (PC workload) and 60 mW in idle.

The 80-Gbyte drive is said to have an MTBF of 1,200,000 hours, with up to 250-Mbyte/s read speeds, up to 70-Mbyte/s write speeds, and 85-µs read latency. Operating from 0° to 70°C and RoHS compliant, the devices have controllers that feature a parallel 10-channel architecture.

The drives have been tested and validated on the latest Intel-based notebook and desktop platforms. (80-Gbyte version, $595 — available October; 160-Gbyte version available 4th qtr.)

Intel, Santa Clara, CA
Sales 408-765-8080
http://www.intel.com

Welwyn WHPC thick-film chip resistor with enhanced power rating

2008-09-12T22:33:00.001-07:00

TT electronics Welwyn Components has launched the WHPC series of thick-film chip resistors with enhanced power rating. It is available in sizes 1206 and 2010, rated at 0.5W and 1W respectively. Due to limited trimming, both the power rating and the pulse performance are better than for a commodity part of the same footprint.

The WHPC series offers diversity, flexibility and versatility to design engineers facing space restrictions and high-energy pulse requirements.

Thick-film electrodes, resistor material, overglaze and organic protection are screen printed on an alumina substrate. Wrap-around terminations have an electroplated nickel barrier and matt tin plating which ensures outstanding 'leach' resistance properties and solderability. The body protection is resistant to all normal industrial cleaning solvents suitable for printed circuits.

Key features:

• Double the standard power for size.
• Small footprint flat chip.
• Excellent pulse performance.
• RoHS compliant.

More information: http://www.ttelectronics.com/

BlueAnt Launches Voice-Controlled B'tooth Headset

2008-09-01T00:22:00.000-07:00

BlueAnt Wireless has launched its V1 Bluetooth headset, a fully voice-controlled Bluetooth headset.

The V1 features BlueGenie Voice Interface and the company’s proprietary Voice Isolation Technology.

The BlueGenie Voice Interface, from Sensory, is designed to allow users to control their headset with voice commands rather than pressing multiple buttons or looking at the phone. Unlike other headsets that only support voice-dial capabilities through a mobile phone’s voice features, the V1’s voice control is embedded in the headset itself, BlueAnt said, and the V1 lets users control all headset features such as pairing, volume and connection status using only their voice.

Other features include a lightweight form factor that can clip to a shirt or tie, Comply foam tips, rubber ear gels, dual microphones, three charging options and the ability to pair with up to eight Bluetooth devices. It lists a talktime of five hours with 200 hours of standby time.

Suggested retail is $129. It is scheduled to be available by the end of this month.

Source : www.twice.com

SONY RAISES THE CURTAIN ON NEW WALKMAN PLAYERS THAT DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY AUDIO AND VIDEO

2008-09-01T00:20:00.000-07:00

From noise-cancellation for frequent travelers to affordability for customers on a budget, Sony today unveiled three new Walkman® players (series S, E and B) that have something to offer nearly every customer segment.

“Whether the fit and finish, the engineering or the integration of unique technologies, each of these new series has different points of appeal,” said Mitch Li, product manager for Walkman players in the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics. “These new Walkman players satisfy the need of consumers who don’t want to sacrifice sound quality for the digital music and MP3 experience.”

S-Series Walkman Players

The top-end, format-friendly Walkman S-series broadens options for enjoying tunes from multiple sources, including many download stores and personal music collections. The supplied Content Transfer software even simplifies “drag and drop” transfer of non-DRM music, videos, podcasts and playlists from online music services to Walkman players. If you’re migrating your personal collection of ripped tracks from another MP3 player, there’s no need to re-rip all your tunes from your CDs.

Support for popular audio and video codecs is enhanced because the S-series Walkman devices play Windows Media Video (WMV) files with DRM, allowing you to enjoy rights-protected movies and video clips from other media collections.

Additionally, the S-series Walkman players are the first MP3 players with Sony’s SensMe™ Channels function, which automatically creates channels that can align with a user’s preferences. Based on Sony’s SensMe Channels function, the S-series players analyze a user’s music collection and suggest channels based on each song’s speed, mood and rhythm. They create a choice of 11 themed channels from upbeat pop to emotional ballads.

In-Flight Noise Cancellation

Whether commuting, flying high or just listening to music at home, the new S-series Walkman players help diminish background noise while improving your overall listening experience. The top-end S-series Walkman players feature integrated active noise cancellation with supplied 13.5mm EX noise canceling headphones and an accessory cable that extends the noise canceling functionality of the device. On airplanes, travellers can – for the first time – connect the S-series player directly to a plane’s audio video system with the included accessory cable and enjoy regular in-flight entertainment with the bonus of high-quality noise cancellation.

Just 7.5mm thin, the super-light S-series is the slimmest Walkman player in any of the new series. It has a bright, high-contrast 2-inch QVGA LCD screen (measured diagonally) that has an ultra-quick response time, with smooth playback at up to 30 frames per second and selectable horizontal/vertical viewing. The interface can be personalized with the user’s choice of 10 pre-installed wallpaper images or their favorite digital photo.

E-Series Walkman Players

The E-series combines high-quality video and audio performance to create the perfect device for enjoying favorite photos and video clips. Like the S-series, all E-series models are format friendly, easily playing back ripped tracks from your personal music collection, music store downloads and rights-managed video clips. Non-DRM files can be transferred by “drag and drop” from online music services to Walkman players.

Support for popular audio and video codecs is enhanced because the E-series Walkman players can also support Windows Media Video (WMV) with DRM, allowing rights-protected movies and video clips from other media collections.

B-Series Walkman Players

The affordable entry-level Walkman B-series player offers the high-quality sound that users have come to expect from Sony. The ultra-portable devices can connect to your PC’s USB port for easy “drag and drop” file transfers. Like all other Walkman models, open support for Windows Media Audio (WMA) and MP3 codecs enables users to buy, copy and manage music to fit their needs.

The stylish design is enhanced by an illuminator that pulses in time with the music when the bass button is pressed. The device has an FM radio for enjoying favorite stations and a voice recorder that’s great for capturing memos, shopping lists or random thoughts while you’re on the move.

Battery Life

The battery life is up to 40 hours of music playback for S-series, up to 45 hours for the E-series and up to 16 hours for the B-series. The battery life is up to 10 hours of video playback for S-series, up to 8 hours for the E-series. The battery life is also up to 30 hours of audio playback for the S-series when the noise-cancellation feature is activated. Actual battery life may vary upon usage patterns, product settings, battery and environmental conditions.

Sony’s Open Platform Means More Choice

The E- and S-series Walkman players support an open platform, providing more choices for downloading and managing music and video collections online. The devices can support security-enhanced Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as non-secure AAC, linear PCM and MP3 music formats plus JPEG files for photos, in addition to the WMV with DRM, AVC (H.264/AVC) Baseline Profile and MPEG-4 video codecs.

Pricing and Availability

The S-series of Walkman noise canceling video MP3 players come in two different storage capacities in black:

* The NWZ-S736F has approximately 4GB of internal storage and will cost about $150.
* The NWZ-S738F has approximately 8GB of internal storage and will cost about $180.

The E-series of Walkman video MP3 players will be available in the following configurations:

* The NWZ-E436F comes in black, red, pink, blue, has approximately 4GB of internal storage and costs about $100.
* The NWZ-E438F comes in black, red, pink, has approximately 8GB of internal storage, and costs about $140.

The B-series of Walkman MP3 players come in two different capacities and four colors:

* The NWZ-B133F player has approximately 1GB of internal storage; comes in black, red and blue and will cost about $45.
* The NWZ-B135F player has approximately 2GB of internal storage; comes in black, red and pink and will cost about $60.

Source : www.sonystyle.com/walkman

SST adds 1.8V 4Mbit serial flash device

2008-09-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

SST has added to its 1.8V 25WF series SPI serial flash memory family the 4Mbit, small form factor SST25WF040 device.

The SST25WF040 has a full voltage range from 1.65V to 1.95V for read and write operations and a fast read speed of 40MHz.

Active read currents are 4mA (typical at 40MHz), standby currents are only 2µA (typical) and maximum write currents are 10mA for both program and erase operations.

The device is rated for industrial temperatures (-40 to +85 deg C) and offers 100,000 read/write cycles minimum per memory block for high-endurance applications. It is available in an industry-standard SOIC package with other smaller package options available later this year.

Source : www.sst.com

Researchers Develop New Technique For Fabricating Nanowire Circuits

2008-09-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

Spearheaded by graduate student Mariano Zimmler and Federico Capasso, Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering, both of Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and Prof. Carsten Ronning of the University of Jena, the findings will be published in Nano Letters. The researchers have filed for U.S. patents covering their invention.

While semiconductor nanowires---rods with an approximate diameter of one-thousandth the width of a human hair---can be easily synthesized in large quantities using inexpensive chemical methods, reliable and controlled strategies for assembling them into functional circuits have posed a major challenge. By incorporating spin-on glass technology, used in silicon integrated circuits manufacturing, and photolithography, transferring a circuit pattern onto a substrate with light, the team demonstrated a reproducible, high-volume, and low-cost fabrication method for integrating nanowire devices directly onto silicon.

"Because our fabrication technique is independent of the geometrical arrangement of the nanowires on the substrate, we envision further combining the process with one of the several methods already developed for the controlled placement and alignment of nanowires over large areas," said Capasso. "We believe the marriage of these processes will soon provide the necessary control to enable integrated nanowire photonic circuits in a standard manufacturing setting."

The structure of the team's nanowire devices is based on a sandwich geometry: a nanowire is placed between the highly conductive substrate, which functions as a common bottom contact, and a top metallic contact, using spin-on glass as a spacer layer to prevent the metal contact from shorting to the substrate. As a result current can be uniformly injected along the length of the nanowires. These devices can then function as light-emitting diodes, with the color of light determined by the type of semiconductor nanowire used.

To demonstrate the potential scalability of their technique, the team fabricated hundreds of nanoscale ultraviolet light-emitting diodes by using zinc oxide nanowires on a silicon wafer. More broadly, because nanowires can be made of materials commonly used in electronics and photonics, they hold great promise for integrating efficient light emitters, from ultraviolet to infrared, with silicon technology. The team plans to further refine their novel method with an aim towards electrically contacting nanowires over entire wafers.

"Such an advance could lead to the development of a completely new class of integrated circuits, such as large arrays of ultra-small nanoscale lasers that could be designed as high-density optical interconnects or be used for on-chip chemical sensing," said Ronning.

The team's co-authors are postdoctoral fellow Wei Yi and Venkatesh Narayanamurti, John A. and Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor and dean, both of Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; graduate student Daniel Stichtenoth, University of Gottingen; and postdoctoral fellow Tobias Voss, University of Bremen.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the German Research Foundation. The authors also acknowledge the support of two Harvard-based centers, the National Science Foundation Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) and the Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS), a member of the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN).

Source : www.fas.harvard.edu

Murata offers 1 microF capacitor array

2008-08-31T06:07:00.000-07:00

Murata has introduced what it claims is the first 0.9x0.6mm 1.0µF two -element capacitor array.

“This 0302-size two-element capacitor array has achieved 1.0µF per element, which is unprecedented even for a single 0102 [0.6x0.3mm] device,” said Murata. “Due to its structure, a capacitor array can achieve greater capacitance in the same footprint compared to multiple monolithic capacitors.”
The dielectric material has not been revealed, but is described as ‘cutting edge’. The array is aimed at phones, mobile PCs, and digital AV equipment.

Samples are available now.

Link supplies 1119 solid-state high-power amplifier

2008-07-29T00:39:00.001-07:00

The 1119 high-power amplifier is designed for mobile jamming applications.

Link Microtek, a specialist supplier of RF and microwave components and subsystems, has announced a solid-state high-power amplifier module designed for use in military mobile jamming systems to counter the threat of IEDs.

Manufactured by Empower RF Systems, the 1119 module covers the frequency range 500MHz to 2.5GHz and features a rugged construction that ensures excellent long-term reliability.

The module utilises high-power advanced GaN transistors to achieve an output of 50W with high efficiency, low distortion and wide dynamic range. It has a maximum noise figure of 10dB and a minimum IP3 of +48dBm.

Operating from a 28VDC supply, the 1119 includes built-in control and monitoring circuits to protect it against input overdrive, any load VSWR and thermal overload.

This compact module measures 188 x 91 x 27mm, weighs 454g and has an operating temperature range of -40º to +80ºC.

More information: www.linkmicrotek.com

Keithley guide to wireless and RF testing

2008-07-29T00:38:00.001-07:00

This CD contains useful and informative RF testing resources, including application notes, articles, white papers, and product demonstrations, to help engineers reduce their cost of test by simplifying and solving the most challenging RF measurement applications. The CD is available free of charge at www.keithley.info/rfhandbookcdAdvanced Measurement Techniques for OFDM- and MIMO-based Radio Systems gives test engineers a broad range of information on the fast changing wireless communication and RF testing field for a wide array of applications, including spectrum analyzer power averaging, as well as the most challenging testing of the most complex signals, such as OFDM, MIMO, and WiMAX. In-depth application notes cover topics such as battery testing for mobile phones, RF semiconductor characterization, and RF and microwave signal switching in test setups. The CD also includes an RF glossary and useful tables, such as wireless communication protocol specifications, dbM-Watts-Volts conversion tables, and VSWR loss conversion tables.

Keithley Instruments, a supplier of products for emerging measurement needs, announces the Advanced Measurement Techniques for OFDM- and MIMO-based Radio Systems: Demystifying WLAN and WiMAX Testing, a new guide to wireless and RF testing.

More Information: To request a free copy of the CD Advanced Measurement Techniques for OFDM- and MIMO-based Radio Systems or for information on any of Keithley's RF test solutions, visit www.keithley.info/rfhandbookcd or contact the company at: www.keithley.com.

Paralleling power supply outputs for redundancy

2008-07-21T23:16:00.001-07:00

The highest reliability attainable in a single power supply is not nearly as good as that of a redundant power system, in which the outputs of two (or more) power supplies are connected so that - even if one were to fail - the other(s) would continue to provide uninterrupted power to the load But implementing redundancy is not as straightforward as it may appear to be

To have a redundant power system that will function as intended requires careful consideration not only of the power supplies to be used and the electrical configuration, but also of the physical arrangement.

As every power supply will fail at some point, it's necessary to allow for quickly and easily replacing a supply that's failed or is in need of refurbishment.

For example, if the supplies are within an assembly mounted in an equipment rack, equip the assembly with slides so that it can be extended out of the rack for access - and don't forget to include handles on the front panel to pull it out.

Alternatively, some power supply manufacturers make supplies that can be plugged into the front panel of an enclosure or rack adapter, permitting a supply to be, quite literally, changed in a matter of seconds.

Another approach is to have the system's controls and indicators located on a main control panel, but to mount the power supplies in a more accessible location a few feet away.

And the supplies should be mounted in such a way that they can be easily and quickly removed and replaced - for example, by using thumbscrews.

Similarly, it must be possible to do the actual connecting and disconnecting of the power supplies quickly and easily.

If the supplies have screw terminals or lugs rather than connectors, then use insulated connectors that can be easily pulled apart in the wiring cable to each supply.

An isolation diode must be used in series with the output of each power supply, for two reasons - to avoid the possibility of the combined output being shorted if the output of one supply should short, and to prevent current from one supply flowing back into the other and reverse biasing it (which could cause it to malfunction and possibly damage it).

Obviously, the use of diodes introduces a voltage drop in the output voltage from the supply as seen by the load.

This is especially significant at low voltages; for example, a 5V output might drop to only 4V.

Using Schottky diodes can minimise the drop, but doesn't eliminate the need to allow for it.

Keep in mind that the supply must be capable of providing a voltage equal to the sum of the voltage required across the load, the diode drop and the drops (round trip.) in the wiring.

Particularly at low voltages, the lower drop of a larger gauge wire can be a big help.

A typical power supply can compensate up to a volt or so of drops in the wiring, but may not be capable of compensating both the wiring and the diode drops of a redundant system.

And if you're using remote sensing to regulate the voltage across the load, you might not be able to solve this problem by simply stepping up to a supply with a higher nominal output voltage (for example, going from a 5V supply to a 6V supply), because then the sense lines of that supply would try to maintain 6V across the load rather than 5V.

Therefore, be sure to use a supply that is capable of putting out a voltage high enough to compensate both the diode and wiring drops under worst-case conditions (usually, at low line voltage and with maximum rated load current being drawn), and also has the desired load voltage within its adjustment range.

A supply's maximum output voltage is usually considered to be the high end of its adjustment range; for example, a supply with an output specified as 24+/-1V could be relied on to provide a maximum of 25V, so if the load requires 24V and if the combined drops will be no more than 1V, you're in good shape.

Sometimes an easy solution to this potential problem is to use a wide range power supply; in the above example, a 0-30V supply adjusted to 24V would be capable of compensating "round-trip" drops up to 6V.

If two sources of AC power are available, providing separate AC wiring for each power supply permits using a different source of input power for each supply, resulting in the additional advantage of input power redundancy.

Even using two different branches of the same building power source will offer improved input redundancy.

A battery-backup UPS may also be used in series with one of the inputs, further improving overall reliability by permitting continued normal operation of the load even if both of the AC sources should fail simultaneously.

Although meters and/or indicator lights are helpful for monitoring, they don't command attention and may not be checked regularly.

However, an audible alarm can't be easily ignored.

Include an undervoltage alarm circuit on the output of each supply to detect if its output is lower than normal (or a relay can be used if you simply wish to know if an output is there or not), and use it to control an audible alarm, either built into the assembly containing the power supplies or remotely located where it will be heard.

The contact wiring for two or more relays can be cascaded so that only one audible alarm is required.

Checking the meters or indicator lights will then disclose which of the power supplies is low.

Power supply outputs don't always go low when they fail; with linearly regulated supplies, the series pass transistors can short and the voltage can instead go high - by 50% or more in some cases - and quickly fry the load.

Therefore, it's vitally important that power supplies used in redundant applications be equipped with overvoltage protection to assure that the output voltage can't go much higher than the nominal under any circumstances Don't use output fuses.

Virtually all power supplies today have output current limiting circuits that will drop the output faster than the time required for a fuse to blow, so including a fuse won't accomplish anything.

And with most supplies the current limiting automatically resets after a surge, while a blown fuse is counterproductive to the intent of a redundant power system - always having the output present.

Space the power supplies away from sources of heat.

If convection air flow is restricted, use a fan.

Overheating dries out capacitors, which is probably the single greatest cause of power supply failure.

And speaking of capacitor dryout, schedule testing of both supplies at least annually to be certain that each is capable of functioning properly.

If the capacitors are drying out (reducing the output current capability of the supplies) and the supplies are sharing the load, it's possible that working together they can support the load, but if one should fail the other won't be able to support it by itself.

Or, if one supply is set slightly higher than the other, the first will provide all of the current because the isolation diode of the other won't be forward biased; the voltmeter of the other may show that it's maintaining its output voltage, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it can support the entire load.

Slightly increase the output voltage of each power supply occasionally so that it will assume the entire load and verify that it can support the load by itself.

In summary, configuring a redundant power system isn't as simple as connecting two power supplies in parallel.

It requires careful consideration not only of how the power supply outputs may be affected by the manner in which they are connected, but also of factors that may affect both short and long term performance, and a physical arrangement that permits safe and fast maintenance while the system remains on line.

AVX tantalum capacitor for TPM low ESR multianode series

2008-07-21T22:55:00.001-07:00

AVX has added a high capacitance to its low ESR tantalum capacitor product range for TPM series (low ESR multianode).

Key parameters of the new capacitor are a very low ESR of 18mOhm and a high capacitance of 2.200uF at 2,5V.

The capacitor is available in E case packages (EIA Code 7343). It is ready to be used with high-performance processors which usually require a capacitance of 5.000uF and more for an operating voltage of approx. 1V. In the past 5x 1.000uF Low ESR Polymer capacitors have been used to achieve these target specifications.

By means of this new capacitance the capacitor count can be reduced to three, thereby cutting space and reducing costs.

The TPM low ESR multianode series is available as samples and series quantities from Rutronik, which is a broadline distributor for semiconductors, passive and electromechanical components in addition to wireless products, displays as well as embedded boards.

All product information stated in the current press release is based on the franchise situation in Germany and may vary by country.

More information: www.Rutronik.com

Power Integrations TOP260LN, TOP261LN and TOP262LN family of offline switcher ICs

2008-07-21T22:53:00.001-07:00

The small package combined with the best-in-class efficiency and high operating frequency of TOPSwitch-HX enables slim, compact, and lightweight power supplies from 20 to 100 watts.

Applications include adapters for notebook computers, as well as power supplies for LCD monitors and flat-panel TVs, in which slim form factor and high efficiency have become critical design criteria.

The "L" shaped lead-bend allows the company's innovative eSIP package to lie flat against the printed circuit board with the heatsink pad facing upwards. The device stands 2 millimetres above the board giving space for a heatsink and enabling slender power supply designs.

The elegance of adapter designs enabled by the package is demonstrated by a new reference design (DER-196) for a 65 W notebook adapter only slightly larger than a standard deck of playing cards. The design, which complies with the upcoming Energy Star 2.0 specifications for external power supplies, uses a TOP261 chip in the new eSIP-L package.

The efficient IC combines a 700 V switching power MOSFET with controller and supervisory functions into a single monolithic IC, reducing the need for bulky heatsinks required in designs using traditional TO-220 packaged MOSFETs and discrete controllers, and eliminating the need to encase the electronics with thermally-conductive potting compound.

The package's 90º pin deflection enables the PCB, chip and heatsink to lie parallel to each other, while the high switching frequency of TOPSwitch-HX eliminates the need for an expensive planar type transformer. This, together with Power Integrations' proprietary transformer design, greatly reduces both the cost and size of the notebook adapter.

Andrew Smith, product manager at Power Integrations, said: "TOPSwitch-HX has the best overall efficiency and lowest heat dissipation of any integrated flyback solution, which minimizes the surface area and heatsink hardware required to radiate the heat away from the electronics. The eSIP-L package delivers the same thermal performance as the older TO-220 package but with a much lower profile. Until now, slim power adapters have tended to be sold after-market and use exotic technologies and even potting compound to achieve acceptable thermal performance – they're expensive. The combination of TOPSwitch-HX with the new low-profile lead-bend package makes it possible to build slimline adapters - just 15mm thick - using standard wire-wound transformers and simple manufacturing techniques at a cost similar to a standard laptop adapter brick."

TOP260LN, TOP261LN and TOP262LN devices suitable for slim adapters from 20 W to 100 W power levels are available in the eSIP-L package style from $1.00/ea in 10K unit quantities.

Power Integrations' Green Room website contains information on the issue of energy waste from inefficient power supplies, as well as tips on designing products that minimize the amount of energy wasted by household and office electronics. The Green Room also provides a comprehensive guide to energy-efficiency standards around the world, as well as a host of reference designs and software to assist in the design of energy-efficient power supplies.

More information: www.powerint.com

Tough Laser Module

2008-07-21T00:17:00.001-07:00

Photonic Products industrial laser modules are constructed to withstand harsh conditions and satisfy rigorous application demands. The modules are encapsulated in a hard-coat anodised case with a scratch-resistant sapphire window to protect the lens and offer rugged, durable performance at an extremely economical price. When the laser needs to be changed, the connectors (either 2.5mm DC jack or industrial screw-on) facilitate easy installation. The modules' compact size allows for easy and efficient integration into existing production systems.

Source : Click here

International Rectifier IRS260xD family of single-phase high voltage ICs

2008-07-21T00:15:00.001-07:00

International Rectifier has released the IRS260xD family of single-phase high voltage ICs for motor drive applications including air conditioners, fans, pumps, micro, mini and general purpose inverter drives.

These power Mosfet and IGBT drivers offer optional dependent or independent high- and low-side referenced output channels with a gate drive supply range from 10V to 20V.

The output drivers feature a high-pulse current buffer stage designed for minimum driver cross-conduction while the floating channel can be used to drive N-channel power Mosfets or IGBTs in the high-side configuration operating up to 600V.

The devices provide matched propagation delay for both channels and an advanced input filter to improve noise immunity in addition to negative voltage spike immunity to protect the system against catastrophic events during high-current switching and short circuit conditions.

The IRS2607D high- and low-side driver features outputs in phase with inputs and is suitable for both trapezoidal and sinusoidal motor control.

The IRS2608D and IRS2609D half-bridge drivers feature internal 540ns dead-time.

The IRS260xD features under-voltage lock-out protection, integrated deadtime protection, shoot-through protection, a shutdown input and is compatible with 3.3V input logic.

See http://www.irf.com

picoChip surfing Wimax, Femtocell wave

2008-07-21T00:12:00.001-07:00

picoChip, the Bath-based wireless start-up, is seeing a booming market for Wimax chips and an emerging femtocell chip market which should match Wimax for size next year.

"picoChip is the largest supplier of silicon to the Wimax infrastructure industry and the only supplier of silicon to the femtocell market", picoChip founder and COO, Peter Claydon, told Silicon South-West's recent Wireless 2.0 conference in Bristol.

"The Sprint/Xohm/Clearwire Wimax service in the US starts commercial launch in September which means we are selling more chips every month. It's quite a large amount", said Claydon, "and we sell a lot in Japan. We've been amazingly successful in the Japanese market. picoChip has 100 per cent market share in Japan because it sells to Samsung and Fujitsu. We have a good distributor there."

With Intel, Samsung, Motorola and Nokia putting Wimax chips into portable products like phones and laptops, and with the Japanese having recently completed a 2.5GHz spectrum auction for a next generation PHS system based on Wimax, the Wimax chip market is set to grow exponentially.

Asked if he's worried about Intel and Fujitsu getting into the Wimax chip business, Claydon replied: "Intel are going to put Wimax chips into laptops. We are focused exclusively on the wireless infrastructure side. Intel don't see the value in the infrastructure side, the value in laptops is a lot higher. Fujitsu sells to the terminal side not the base-station side."

Renesas Technology R8C/Tiny Series 16-Bit MCUs grow by 36 models

2008-07-16T23:22:00.001-07:00

These include the 80-pin R8C/38E group, 64-pin R8C/36E group, and the 48-pin R8C/34E group. Together they strengthen the R8C/Tiny Series line-up for in-vehicle automotive equipment applications.

Available during October 2008, the MCUs feature on-chip flash memory, a built-in precision clock oscillator, and enhanced functionality, as well as packages with extra I/O pins. Moreover, within each of these three groups, there are MCUs with or without a CAN1 (controller area network) interface, with various amounts of flash ROM and RAM (32KB/2.5KB, 48KB/4KB, and 64KB/6KB), and with or without on-chip 4KB of data flash2 (data storage flash memory). Versions of the chips are available in two operating temperature ranges: standard (-40 to +85ºC) and extended (-40 to +125ºC).

The greatly expanded R8C/Tiny product line, now encompassing functionally compatible models with 20-, 32-, 48-, 64-, and 80-pin packages, makes it easier for automotive engineers to find the best, most economical MCU solution for any particular set of application requirements.

Also, the broader span of choices allows them to readily accommodate the specification modifications that often arise during the development and fine-tuning of MCU-based body-control systems. They can add functions or increase memory capacity, for example, just by switching to another R8C/Tiny device. This flexibility saves cost and time by eliminating the need for major design changes.

The MCUs in the R8C/38E/36E/34E groups provide improvements in various on-chip peripheral functions. For example, the high-speed on-chip oscillator has improved oscillation precision: ±1%, the industry's highest ranking. This feature eliminates the external resonator that would otherwise be needed to implement the clock circuit, enabling system cost reductions while also helping to boost reliability.

The data flash built into some of the new R8C/Tiny models eliminates the need for external EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) for data storage. It now has a background-operation (BGO) function that allows the CPU to execute instructions during data flash reading or writing. This boosts the MCU's processing efficiency and also allows system engineers to write programs without concern for data flash read/write times, simplifying program development. The size of the data flash capacity has been doubled to a total of 4KB (1KB × 4 blocks) compared with previous products, so more data can be stored.

The devices that expand the R8C/Tiny line-up include a data transfer controller (DTC) that enables data transfers to be performed between memory and a register without CPU intervention. This capability shortens transfer-processing time and reduces the load on the CPU, making more computing time available for executing application code. The DTC is based on the highly rated design used in the high-performance MCUs in the 16-bit H8S series and the 32-bit H8SX series.

The R8C/Tiny chips incorporate a power-on reset (POR) function that places all on-chip circuits in the reset state when the MCU is turned on. However, the revised POR circuit in them has been upgraded for extra flexibility and can now handle a slower ramp-up of the power supply voltage. Like the other R8C/Tiny MCUs, the devices have a single-pin debugging interface that lets system engineers use the Renesas E8a emulator/on-chip debugger as a development environment — even while all I/O pins are in use — for efficient program development.

The new MCUs have an additional debugging function that allows developers to make RAM references and changes during user program execution, a capability that can improve debugging efficiency. The E8a emulator retains its capability as a code writer for the MCU's on-chip flash memory.

Besides the E8a emulator/debugger, Renesas offers a comprehensive set of hardware and software development products for systems that use R8C/Tiny MCUs. Additional support is available from a large international community of third-party suppliers. Renesas plans to offer support for the E100 full-spec emulator for situations requiring a more powerful debugging tool. The company also will continue to extend the R8C/Tiny line-up for automotive applications with microcontrollers offering improved performance and functions.

More informtion: www.renesas.com

Toshiba Electronics TB6588FG evaluation board speeds motor drive development

2008-07-16T23:19:00.001-07:00

Toshiba Electronics Europe has expanded its family of motion control development platforms with a new evaluation board that will speed implementation of sensorless drives for three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motors. The board is ideal for testing and prototyping drives for motion control applications requiring motor bridge voltages ranging from around 10V to 42V.

Based around a Toshiba PWM sensorless driver ASSP, the new TB6588FG evaluation board allows engineers to modify key parameters that adjust start-up performance, motor efficiency and acoustic noise. The board is designed for direct control by voltage input or connection to a host processor, and connects directly to the motor under test with no additional hardware components. Target applications include home appliance, pump, industrial and automotive motion control designs.

At the heart of the board is Toshiba's TB6588FG PWM sensorless driver ASSP (application specific standard product). This IC brings together PWM sensorless motor control, protection functionality, an output power stage and an operational amplifier in a single 36-pin HSOP package.

By combining sensorless operation with high levels of on-board functionality, the ASSP significantly reduces the component count, design complexity and development time of three-phase, full wave BLDC motor applications with power levels up to 60W.

The TB6588FG is a complete motor driver system that controls forward or reverse rotation speed by changing the PWM duty cycle based on an analogue control signal input. Full wave PWM operation provides for high-efficiency and low-power operation while minimising electrical and acoustic noise. Lead angle control options of 0º, 7.5º, 15º and 30º allow designers to tune their application for optimum efficiency.

More information: www.toshiba-components.com

Quebec's EXFO develops industry-first carrier Ethernet test products

2008-07-15T02:34:00.001-07:00

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc., Quebec, has developed test enhancements for its FTB-8510B/G and IQS-8510B/G Packet Blazer Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GigE) test modules.

These now support Provider Backbone Bridge - Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) and Internet Protocol, Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) functionalities in a single module, allowing network service providers (NSPs) and network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) to fully validate carrier Ethernet services and network equipment.

"Our Packet Blazer test modules continue to evolve with market needs through the industryâ€™s first field-test solution that supports PBB-TE and MPLS and strengthens the ability of NSPs to expand their Ethernet infrastructures in a cost-efficient, quality-assured manner," Etienne Gagnon, EXFO Vice-President Product Management and Marketing, says. "The successful deployment of Ethernet services depends on carrier-grade scalability, reliability and quality of service (QoS). PBB-TE and IP/MPLS are two choice technologies enabling NSPs to efficiently deploy Ethernet services with high levels of configurability and resiliency."

The new software also introduces a number of testing features, including support for advanced multi-stream traffic filtering techniques and 1X and 2X Fibre Channel testing. These new capabilities on the FTB-8510B/G, combined with full-line rate TCP throughput testing and bi-directional RFC 2544 measurements, offer NSPs a comprehensive and portable tool for deploying, maintaining and troubleshooting next-generation Ethernet services, EXFO says.

The modules, designed for portable field-test applications, are compatible with the FTB-200 Compact Platform and more advanced FTB-400 Universal Test System. The IQS-8510B/G modules, purpose-built for manufacturing and R&D test applications, are hosted inside the IQS-500 and IQS-600 platforms. All of these platforms support a wide range of additional test modules, including optical, transport and datacom, at various transmission rates reaching up to 43 Gbit/s, EXFO says.

The firm says it is the second-largest provider of portable test and measurement products in the global telecommunications industry and is positioning itself in next-generation network (NGN) testing and monitoring applications.

Its Telecom Division, which represents about 85% of the company's business, provides a full suite of test products and monitoring systems to network service providers, cable-TV operators, and network equipment and component manufacturers.

http://www.exfo.com/

Multi-Channel Transceiver Offers 5-km Range

2008-07-15T02:32:00.001-07:00

With a 500-mW (+27 dBm) RF output power and a receiver sensitivity of –118 dBm (for 12 dB SINAD), the BHX2 multi-channel narrowband transceiver sports a range of up to 5 km. Standard operating frequency is 458.5 to 459.1 MHz, but factory-tuned custom versions can cover any 5 MHz switching band between 420 and 480 MHz. The transceiver's 25-kHz channel spacing allows a total of 128 channels, configurable via an RS-232 interface. Using a supply voltage of 5.5 to 15 V, the BHX2 draws 350 mA while transmitting and 30 mA for receiving. The module offers a 5-kbit/s data rate and incorporates a 1200-baud half-duplex modem that is compatible with that used by the company's other devices. An automatic noise squelching function activates when there is no RF at detectable levels or when the non-coherent noise is high enough to block out weak signals. The module comes in an 85- by 39- by 13-mm package and conforms to both the EN 300 220-3 and EN 301 489-3 standards. RADIOMETRIX LTD., Harrow, UK. +44 (0) 208-909-9595.

Company - RADIOMETRIX LTD.
Product URL: Click here for more information

L-Band VCO Features Low Second-Harmonic And Phase Noise

2008-07-15T02:30:00.001-07:00

Operating in the L-band from 1560 to 1580 MHz, the CLV1570B-LF voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is well-suited for microwave radio applications that require superior second-harmonic suppression and very low phase noise. The device's tuning voltage range is 0.5 to 4.5 V dc. It has a typical phase noise of –108 dBc/Hz at a 10-kHz offset and a typical tuning sensitivity of 25 MHz/V. Second-harmonic suppression is typically –25 dBc. The VCO uses a 5-V dc supply, drawing 24 mA (typical) over a –40°C to 85°C range. The RoHS-compliant CLV1570B-LF comes in the company's industry standard MINI package with low shield measuring 0.50" by 0.50" by 0.13". It is available in tape-and-reel packaging for production requirements. The CLV1570B-LF is also well suited for automated surface-mount assembly and reflow soldering. Z-COMMUNICATIONS INC., San Diego, CA. (858) 621-2700.

Company - Z-COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Product URL: Click here for more information

Allegro MicroSystems Europe A4935 automotive-grade 3-phase MOSFET pre-driver IC

2008-07-15T01:54:00.001-07:00

The A4935 is targeted at the rapid growth in 3-phase brushless DC motor applications in the automotive and industrial sectors.

This third-generation device includes enhanced performance and operational features, and is ideal for systems that use sinusoidal control of the motor phase currents. This commutation method provides smooth operation, reducing audible noise and minimising torque ripple at the load.

The new device integrates a regulating charge pump which provides full gate drive capability for battery voltages down to 7 V and reduced gate drive for battery voltages as low as 5.5 V.

Also included are performance enhancements of the current sense amplifier, as well as better fault diagnostics and reporting to decode and identify faults. Features such as top-off charge pump and bootstrap charge management make the A4935 much easier to manage in terms of ensuring an adequate bootstrap capacitor charge under varying PWM conditions.

Other features include cross-conduction protection with adjustable dead time and a low-current 'sleep' mode.

The A4935KJP-T is supplied in a small-footprint 48L eLQFP small profile thermally efficient exposed-pad package which is lead (Pb) free with 100% matte tin leadframe plating.

More information: www.allegromicro.com

Tantalum capacitor achieves new CV ratings

2008-07-14T00:29:00.001-07:00

High-capacitance cathode construction designed for harsh environments

The TWA wet electrolytic tantalum capacitor features a patented high-capacitance cathode construction that enables previously unavailable CV ratings of 2,200 µF at 25 V and 1,000 µF at 60 V — exceeding the values specified in the MIL-PRF-39006 shock and vibration standard. With a welded tantalum can and header assembly providing a hermetic seal in harsh environments, the capacitor operates in temperatures from –55° to 125°C.

The capacitor is available in a variety of case sizes and ratings, including a T1, A case offering up to 10 µF at 125 Vdc through a T4, E case offering up to 150 µF at 125 Vdc. Custom capacitance and voltages are also available. (From $35 ea/50 — available now.)

AVX, Myrtle Beach, SC
Dan Lane 843-946-0483
dlane@avxus.com
http://www.avx.com

Rohde & Schwarz application firmware for Wimax MIMO measurements

2008-07-14T00:18:00.001-07:00

Rohde & Schwarz has added a suite of application firmware for Wimax MIMO measurements in line with IEEE 802.16e-2005.

The FSQ-K94 option is designed to run on the FSQ and FSG signal¬ analysers. It also supports a combination of several analysers for testing up to 4x4 MIMO systems.

The application firmware can be used for testing semiconductor components such as Wimax MIMO chipsets, amplifiers and mixers, as well as complete products such as Wimax basestations or pico stations.

A large number of measurements required for testing MIMO systems can be performed by means of a single vector signal analyser. To test the interaction between the individual components, however, two instruments may sometimes be required.

In this case, the user can combine several R&S FSQ or R&S FSG analyzers to create a flexible test solution made up of standalone signal analyzers for testing 4x4 MIMO
systems, for example.

See http://www.press.rohde-schwarz.com

Alpha Micro MatchPort b/g Pro for remote secure control

2008-07-12T00:06:00.001-07:00

Alpha Micro Components has added the MatchPort b/g Pro to its line of networking products.

The MatchPort b/g Pro allows a range of machines to be managed and controlled remotely over a network with an added level of security.

The secure embedded WiFi networking module features SmartRoam that continuously tracks the radio signal strength of access points within range. Pre-authentication and caching enables smooth and automatic transition to an access point with a stronger signal, enhancing mobile reliability while minimising communication disruption for the user.

MatchPort b/g Pro handles the most computationally demanding or data intensive applications effortlessly with a 32-bit, 159 MIPS (Dhrystone 2.1) 166MHz processor.

With 8 MB of SDRAM and 8 MB flash, it provides enough memory capacity for OEM customisation, loading web pages, and data 'store and forward' applications.

It features two serial input ports with 230kbit/s data rate capability, seven control pins (CP/GPIO), and a wide operational temperature range of -40 to 70 deg C, with the option to operate up to 85 deg C with lower MTBF (mean time between failures).

See http://www.alphamicro.net

High Reliability Tantalum

2008-07-11T23:49:00.001-07:00

With the commercial power supply market increasingly aware of the need to minimize failure rates, as more of these products are being designed into high-end systems, demand has risen for different levels of enhanced-reliability, low ESR capacitors. In response, AVX has introduced a range of products within its TRJ professional series tantalum chip which can deliver significantly lower ESR while achieving reliability levels (0.5%/1000hours) twice that of standard tantalum devices. The capacitors are available in EIA standard A, B, C, D and E case sizes in voltages ranging from 6.3 to 50V and capacitance values from 0.1 to 470µF

Maxim quad and dual sink-source current DACs for power-supply adjustment

2008-07-11T01:37:00.001-07:00

Maxim has introduced quad and dual sink-source current DACs specifically designed for power-supply adjustment, the DS4422 and DS4424.

Both are I2C-controlled with 7bit current DACs designed to control a DC-DC converter by sinking or sourcing current directly into the power supply's feedback node. "This control technique allows existing power-supply designs to be margined and adjusted with minimal redesign, making the devices ideal for servers and video processing cards," claimed the firm.

The chips power-up with their outputs open circuit to allow the power-supply feedback resistors to perform naturally. This removes the need to address the chip immediately at start-up.

DAC full scale output current is programmed between 50 and 200µA with an external resistor with ±six per cent accuracy.

The I2C bus can then be used to linearly set the output currents to any of the 127 sink or 127 source steps up to the maximum value.

Two address inputs allow up to four devices or sixteen separate supplies to be controlled on a single I2C bus.

The DS4422 (two DAC) and DS4424 (four DAC) are specified over -40 to +85°C and come in a 3x3mm 14pin TDFN package.

See http://www.maxim-ic.com

Supertex Class-D driver for high power audio amplifiers

2008-07-11T01:35:00.001-07:00

Californian high voltage chip firm Supertex has introduced a Class-D driver for high power audio amplifiers.

"The MD7120 has been optimised for parameters critical to Class-D audio performance such as high efficiency and low EMI," said marketing v-p Ahmed Masood.

"Additionally, this Mosfet driver provides up to a 3.A peak driving current with matched output resistance and channel-to-channel propagation delay for lower total harmonic distortion and noise."

Powered from between 200V and 12V, amplifiers can be built with over 100W output with 90 per cent efficiency.

Dead time matching is ±5ns with rise or fall times under 30ns into a typical 1nF load. Four N-channel output mosfets are required, driven from normal logic level inputs by directly coupled internal level translators.

On-chip is control logic, level translators, a bootstrap-powered high side gate driver and over-temperature, under-voltage and current protection circuits.

"The thresholds of the current protection for both the high and low sides are resistor-programmable," said Supertex.

An associated application note AN-H61 (PDF) describes demo board with a self-oscillating 750kHz second-order modulator using the driver. The board delivers 50W into 8Ω with 0.01 per cent THD+noise from ±35V. Claimed efficiency of the power stage is over 80 per cent at 10 to 20W.

See http://www.supertex.com

Nanoscale Lithographic Technology: Finer Lines For Microchip

2008-07-11T01:33:00.001-07:00

MIT graduate student Chih-Hao Chang of the Department of Mechanical Engineering demonstrates the absence of light diffraction from a frequency-doubled grating on a 100 mm-diameter silicon wafer. The wafer is immersed in water to enable blue-light optical diffraction from the 200 nm-period 'master' grating at the periphery of the wafer, whilst the center of the wafer, where the grating has a 100 nm pitch, exhibits no optical diffraction. Mr. Chang is standing in front of the MIT nanoruler tool which produced the patterns. (Credit: Image courtesy of Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Their new technique could pave the way for next-generation computer memory and integrated-circuit chips, as well as advanced solar cells and other devices.

The team has created lines about 25 nanometers (billionths of a meter) wide separated by 25 nm spaces. For comparison, the most advanced commercially available computer chips today have a minimum feature size of 65 nm. Intel recently announced that it will start manufacturing at the 32 nm minimum line-width scale in 2009, and the industry roadmap calls for 25 nm features in the 2013-2015 time frame.

The MIT technique could also be economically attractive because it works without the chemically amplified resists, immersion lithography techniques and expensive lithography tools that are widely considered essential to work at this scale with optical lithography. Periodic patterns at the nanoscale, while having many important scientific and commercial applications, are notoriously difficult to produce with low cost and high yield. The new method could make possible the commercialization of many new nanotechnology inventions that have languished in laboratories due to the lack of a viable manufacturing method.

The MIT team includes Mark Schattenburg and Ralf Heilmann of the MIT Kavli Institute of Astrophysics and Space Research and graduate students Chih-Hao Chang and Yong Zhao of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Their results have been accepted for publication in the journal Optics Letters and were recently presented at the 52nd International Conference on Electron, Ion and Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication in Portland, Ore.

Schattenburg and colleagues used a technique known as interference lithography (IL) to generate the patterns, but they did so using a tool called the nanoruler--built by MIT graduate students--that is designed to perform a particularly high precision variant of IL called scanning-beam interference lithography, or SBIL. This recently developed technique uses 100 MHz sound waves, controlled by custom high-speed electronics, to diffract and frequency-shift the laser light, resulting in rapid patterning of large areas with unprecedented control over feature geometry.

While IL has been around for a long time, the SBIL technique has enabled, for the first time, the precise and repeatable pattern registration and overlay over large areas, thanks to a new high-precision phase detection algorithm developed by Zhao and a novel image reversal process developed by Chang.

According to Schattenburg, "What we're finding is that control of the lithographic imaging process is no longer the limiting step. Material issues such as line sidewall roughness are now a major barrier to still-finer length scales. However, there are several new technologies on the horizon that have the potential for alleviating these problems. These results demonstrate that there's still a lot of room left for scale shrinkage in optical lithography. We don't see any insurmountable roadblocks just yet."

The MIT team performed the research in the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory of the MIT Kavli Institute of Astrophysics and Space Research, with financial support from NASA and NSF.

Adapted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Silicon Storage 8051-based MCU with two system management buses

2008-07-09T22:20:00.001-07:00

Silicon Storage Technology has added to its FlashFlex family of 8-bit microcontrollers with its first 8051-based MCU to feature two system management buses (SMBus), each supporting up to 400kbit/s data throughput, in a 6x6mm QFN package.

The SST89C58RC supports operating voltages from 2.7V to 5.5V.

According to the supplier, the dual hardware SMBus interfaces let the SST89C58RC act as an intermediary between a host processor and a complex multi-chip A/V subsystem.

The MCU is suitable for bundled applications, shielding the host from low-level interrupts while providing it with a 'virtual' register interface for simplified control and status access.

The SST89C58RC comes with 1kbyte of on-chip RAM and up to 34kbyte of embedded SuperFlash memory.

See http://www.sst.com

Fairchild Semiconductor FOD07xx Series high speed logic gate Optocoupler

2008-07-09T22:18:00.001-07:00

Fairchild Semiconductor brings designers optocoupler devices that deliver a fast and robust isolation interface to ensure low transmission error rates and proven reliability for noisy industrial environments.

The FOD0721, FOD0720 and FOD0710 are logic gate optocouplers that isolate the logic control circuitry from the transceiver at the bus interface level. Since industrial systems are susceptible to noise transients, FOD07xx's high noise immunity coupled with its high speed (25Mbps) minimises the chance of transmission errors or system failures. These products meet high reliability requirements and are qualified according to the UL1577 standard. The FOD07xx series is ideal for industrial communication standards such as Profibus, DeviceNet, CAN and RS485.

The FOD07xx series are packaged in Fairchild's patented Optoplanar co-planar packaging, which claims to reduce package capacitance by more than 30 per cent compared to other products. This low capacitance package leads to a guaranteed 20kV/µs minimum Common Mode Noise Rejection rating that is double that of alternative products, allowing the FOD07xx series to operate in noisy industrial environments.

The FOD07xx series is part of Fairchild's optoelectronic portfolio that includes high-speed optocouplers, gate drive optocouplers, snubberless triac driver, photo transistors, and infrared components. The FOD0721, FOD0720 and FOD0710 use lead-free (Pb-free) terminals and have been characterised for moisture sensitivity in accordance with the Pb-free reflow requirements of the joint IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-020.

All Fairchild's products are designed to meet the requirements of the EU's directive on the restriction of the use of certain substances (RoHS).

Price (each 1000pcs):

$2.67 for FOD0721
$2.44 for FOD0720
$2.21 for FOD0710

Availability:

Samples are available now with delivery 6 weeks ARO

More information: http://www.fairchildsemi.com.

Renesas Technology high-frequency power MOSFETS

2008-07-09T22:14:00.001-07:00

Renesas Technology's latest high-frequency power Mosfets, designed for use in the transmitter power amplifier of handheld wireless equipment, the devices achieve 60% added power efficiency in the RQA0010 at 3.6V and 55% in the RQA0014.

In particular, when a two-stage amplifier is implemented by driving the RQA0010 with the output of the RQA0014, the circuit achieves the industry's highest level of performance: a 1.2W output at 3.6V.

With high ESD immunity, the devices maintain their high-efficiency characteristics at 20kV and over and achieve ESD immunity level 4.

The ESD immunity level is measured with a test that verifies that a static aerial discharge applied to the antenna of a wireless device does not affect that device and that simulates the discharges that actually could occur from a person or metal object as required by the IEC61000-4-2 standard.

The following levels are stipulated by this standard. Level 1: 2kV, level 2: 4kV, level 3: 8kV, level 4: 15kV.

The RQA0014 is mainly for use as a transmitter power amplifier driver and the RQA0010 is suitable for use as a power amplifier.

See http://www.renesas.eu

Graphene Used To Create World's Smallest Transistor

2008-04-21T23:08:00.001-07:00

Dr Ponomarenko, who carried out this work, shows his research sample: graphene quantum dots on a chip. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Manchester)

Reporting their peer-reviewed findings in the journal Science, Dr Kostya Novoselov and Professor Andre Geim from The School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester show that graphene can be carved into tiny electronic circuits with individual transistors having a size not much larger than that of a molecule.

The smaller the size of their transistors the better they perform, say the Manchester researchers.

In recent decades, manufacturers have crammed more and more components onto integrated circuits. As a result, the number of transistors and the power of these circuits have roughly doubled every two years. This has become known as Moore's Law.

But the speed of cramming is now noticeably decreasing, and further miniaturisation of electronics is to experience its most fundamental challenge in the next 10 to 20 years, according to the semiconductor industry roadmap.

At the heart of the problem is the poor stability of materials if shaped in elements smaller than 10 nanometres* in size. At this spatial scale, all semiconductors -- including silicon -- oxidise, decompose and uncontrollably migrate along surfaces like water droplets on a hot plate.

Four years ago, Geim and his colleagues discovered graphene, the first known one-atom-thick material which can be viewed as a plane of atoms pulled out from graphite. Graphene has rapidly become the hottest topic in physics and materials science.

Now the Manchester team has shown that it is possible to carve out nanometre-scale transistors from a single graphene crystal. Unlike all other known materials, graphene remains highly stable and conductive even when it is cut into devices one nanometre wide.

Graphene transistors start showing advantages and good performance at sizes below 10 nanometres - the miniaturization limit at which the Silicon technology is predicted to fail.

"Previously, researchers tried to use large molecules as individual transistors to create a new kind of electronic circuits. It is like a bit of chemistry added to computer engineering", says Novoselov. "Now one can think of designer molecules acting as transistors connected into designer computer architecture on the basis of the same material (graphene), and use the same fabrication approach that is currently used by semiconductor industry".

"It is too early to promise graphene supercomputers," adds Geim. "In our work, we relied on chance when making such small transistors. Unfortunately, no existing technology allows the cutting materials with true nanometre precision. But this is exactly the same challenge that all post-silicon electronics has to face. At least we now have a material that can meet such a challenge."

"Graphene is an exciting new material with unusual properties that are promising for nanoelectronics", comments Bob Westervelt, professor at Harvard University. "The future should be very interesting".

*One nanometre is one-millionth of a millimetre and a single human hair is around 100,000 nanometres in width.

A paper entitled "Chaotic Dirac Billiard in Graphene Quantum Dots" is published in April 17 issue of Science. It is accompanied by a Perspective article entitled "Graphene Nanoelectronics" by Westervelt.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Manchester.

Ramtron introduces first 2MB Serial F-RAM

2008-04-21T23:03:00.001-07:00

Ramtron International Corporation, a developer and supplier of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory (F-RAM) and integrated semiconductor products, has unveiled the industry's first 2-megabit (Mb) serial F-RAM memory in an 8-lead TDFN (5.0 x 6.0 mm) package.

Manufactured on an advanced 130 nanometer CMOS process, the FM25H20 is a high-density nonvolatile F-RAM memory that operates at low power and features a high-speed serial peripheral interface (SPI). The 3-volt, 2Mb serial F-RAM writes at maximum bus speed with virtually unlimited endurance for greater data collection capacity in a tiny package, enabling system designers to reduce costs and board space in a range of advanced applications including meters and printers.

The FM25H20 is an ideal replacement for serial Flash in sophisticated electronic systems that require low power and minimal board space. These include portable medical devices such as hearing aids, which are essentially mini data processors with limited space and low power budgets. F-RAM benefits over Flash include significantly lower operating currents, faster writes, and write endurance that is orders of magnitude greater than Flash.

"The 2Mb serial F-RAM is a natural extension for our metering and printer customers who want to increase data collection capacity in their next-generation applications without increasing board space. The FM25H20 offers our half megabit serial F-RAM customers quadruple the memory in the same small footprint," explains Duncan Bennett, Ramtron Strategic Manager. "In addition to enhancing existing systems, this technological development moves F-RAM into a range of new markets that require a low-power memory in a very constrained space, such as portable medical devices."

Product Features

The FM25H20 is organized as a 256K x 8 bit nonvolatile memory that reads and writes at bus speed up to 40MHz, with essentially unlimited endurance, 10-year data retention, and low operating currents. The device incorporates an industry-standard SPI interface that optimizes F-RAM's high-speed write capability. A hardware and software write protection feature is also included on the FM25H20 to prevent inadvertent writes and data corruption.

The 2Mb serial F-RAM operates at low power, drawing less than 10 milliamps for reads/writes at 40MHz, 80 microamps (typical) in standby, and 3 microamps (typical) in ultra-low-current sleep mode. Pin-compatible with equivalent serial Flash devices, but far superior because of its fast access time, high endurance and low operating current, the 2Mb F-RAM operates from 2.7 to 3.6 volts over the entire industrial temperature range (-40 degrees C to +85 degrees C). For more product information, visit '100">'www.ramtron.com/products/nonvolatile-memory/serial-product.aspx?id=100.

About the Advanced 130 Nanometer Process

The FM25H20 is based on Texas Instruments' proven 130 nanometer (nm) CMOS manufacturing process. Only two additional mask steps have been used to embed the nonvolatile F-RAM module within the standard CMOS 130nm logic process.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the FM25H20 are available in an 8-pin TDFN package that is RoHS-compliant and footprint-compatible with 8-pin SOICs. Pricing starts at $10.20 for quantities of 10,000 units.

Further information

For more details, contact Ramtron International on +1 514 871 2447 or framinfo@ramtron.com.

Tektronix Wave Inspector in mid-range priced digital phosphor oscilloscope

2008-04-21T23:01:00.001-07:00

Tektronix has decided to offer its Wave Inspector trace analysis and manipulation capability in a truly mid-range priced digital phosphor oscilloscope.

The DPO3000 also provides triggering and decode support for I2C, SPI and CAN serial buses so this scope is aimed squarely at the development of embedded designs where the use of high speed serial interfaces is creating particular types of debug challenge.

Wave Inspector, which Tektronix is now offering for the first time on a £2,500 scope, provides front panel control of zooming and panning and a play/pause feature with adjustable speed allows users to scroll the waveform across the screen while they look for the event of interest.

Users can also search through an acquisition and automatically mark all occurrences of user-specified events, and navigate between them.

The family consists of six models, ranging from 100MHz to 500MHz. Sampling is not scaled and all models provide a full 2.5GS/s sampling capability. As a result there is greater than x5 oversampling on all channels. A 5M record length is standard on all channels and all models.

Another feature of the 5.4in. slimline scope is the 9in. WVGA display. There is also a USB drive on the front panel for the transfer of screenshots, setups and waveform data to a PC.

LabVIEW SignalExpress Tektronix Edition LE base version is included free of charge and users can upgrade to the LabVIEW SignalExpress Tektronix Edition for £567 which includes more than 200 measurement acquisition, analysis, and reporting features for use with the DPO3000.

See http://www.tektronix.com

Maxim launches white LED driver

2008-04-21T23:00:00.001-07:00

Maxim Integrated Products introduces the MAX8822, the white-LED (WLED) driver to combine a highly efficient negative charge pump with two independent, low-dropout (LDO) regulators. Available in a tiny, 3mm x 3mm x 0.8mm TQFN package, this single-chip solution for driving up to four WLEDs is 50% smaller than the standard two-chip solution.

To achieve the industry's highest efficiency, the MAX8822 features a negative-charge-pump architecture that completely eliminates high-side in-line resistance, delaying 1x mode to 2x mode transition during battery discharge. It utilizes independent, adaptive-mode switching for each LED to further extend battery life, even with large LED forward-voltage (VF) mismatch. These innovative features enable the MAX8822 to be 12% more efficient than competing solutions, thus making it ideal for use in cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, and other handheld devices in which space and battery life are precious.

The LDO regulators provide a low 45 microVrms noise and high 60dB PSRR output for noise-sensitive applications, such as RF, LCD panels, and cameras. Output voltages are programmable in 16 different combinations using a simple, serial-pulse control interface.

The MAX8822 is fully specified over the -40 degrees Celsius to +85 degrees Celsius extended temperature range. Prices start at $1.55 (2500-up, FOB USA). An evaluation kit is available to speed designs.

Maxim Integrated Products, a two billion dollar company, designs and manufactures ICs for analog and mixed-signal applications. The company has designed over 5400 products, more than any other analog semiconductor company, in the 25 years since its founding.

Further information

For more details, contact Maxim Integrated Products on 1 800 998 8800.

Retailers fined for digital TV offenses

2008-04-10T23:51:00.001-07:00

Federal regulators on Thursday fined Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Best Buy Co., and other retailers $3.9 million combined for failing to properly label that analog-only televisions will need to be retrofitted after the switch to digital TV next year.

The Federal Communications Commission also handed down $2.7 million in fines to other companies for violating other digital TV rules that involve shipping analog equipment and blocking technologies such as the V-chip.

An FCC rule, adopted last May, requires retailers to display or affix "consumer alert" labels to analog-only TV equipment - including TVs, DVDs, videocassette recorders and digital video recorders - that says it will not receive signals after the nationwide digital transition without a special converter box.

The rule is to keep consumers from buying TV equipment that will not work after the digital switch by Feb. 17, 2009. After that, if the TV doesn't get cable or satellite service or isn't hooked up to the converter box that translates over-the-air digital broadcasts, it won't work.

The FCC, which conducted numerous inspections last June, said it initially issued warnings to companies, whose stores and Web sites across the country were in violation of the rule. The agency said it gave each company "a reasonable opportunity" to respond.

Sears Holdings Corp., which operates Sears and Kmart retail stores, was fined nearly $1.1 million for the labeling violation, while Wal-Mart was given a $992,000 fine and Circuit City Stores Inc. was handed a $712,000 fine. Target Corp., Best Buy, Fry's Electronics Inc. and CompUSA Inc., which has since been acquired by Systemax Inc., were assessed fines between $168,000 to $384,000.

Sears - fined for 15 of its stores, its Web site and 20 Kmart stores - said in an e-mail statement that it was "surprised" by the FCC's action and had eliminated analog inventory from its stores last fall and will soon offer converter boxes.

The company said it hasn't decided whether to appeal or pay the fine.

Best Buy, which was fined for 18 stores selling various models of analog-only equipment, said it was "extremely disappointed" by the FCC's action to what it called a "relatively small number of instances."

"Best Buy voluntarily pulled all analog-only tuner products from our stores on Oct. 1, 2007, in a proactive effort to prevent confusion and to help jump start consumer awareness," the company said in an e-mailed statement.

The company said it did not believe it violated the FCC rule "in any willful or repeated manner."

Wal-Mart spokeswoman E.R. Anderson said in a statement that all the products sold by the company comply with FCC regulations. Wal-Mart has "voluntarily invested millions of dollars in new technology, training, new product and consumer education" for the transition, she said.

The FCC says that after inspecting 2,272 retail stores and 36 Web sites, it issued 349 citations, or warnings, to retailers for failing to comply with the labeling requirement.

The FCC also fined two companies - Syntax-Brillian Corp. and Precor Inc. - a combined $1.6 million for violating another digital TV rule for manufacturing, importing or shipping any device that only contains an analog tuner. The agency mandated that all new TVs must include digital tuners as of March 1, 2007.

Additionally, the agency fined Polaroid Corp. and Proview Technology Inc. nearly $1.1 million combined for failing to ensure their equipment with a V-chip technology can "respond to changes in the content advisory rating system."

All the companies have 30 days to appeal the fines.

The Consumer Electronics Association, a trade group whose members include Circuit City and Best Buy, said late last year that more than 50 percent of U.S. households now own a digital TV and expect nearly 32 million digital TVs will be shipped this year.

The federal government this year launched a $1.5 billion coupon program to help defray cost of converter boxes for viewers of analog sets that rely on antennas to watch TV. Each U.S. household is entitled to get two $40 coupons.

As of April 7, the government has accepted more than 5.2 million household requests for nearly 9.9 million coupons. So far, more than 280,000 coupons have been used to purchase converter boxes.

Source : Click here

Transparent Computer Monitors? Engineers Make First 'Active Matrix' Display Using Nanowires

2008-04-10T23:48:00.001-07:00

Purdue postdoctoral research associate Sanghyun Ju, sitting, and professor David B. Janes work at a "micro-manipulation probe station" in research using nanotechnology to create transparent transistors and circuits. The innovation represents a step that promises a broad range of applications, from e-paper and flexible color screens for consumer electronics to "smart cards" and "heads-up" displays in auto windshields. The transistors are made of single "nanowires," or tiny cylindrical structures that were assembled on glass or thin films of flexible plastic. Some of the research is being conducted at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center at the university's Discovery Park. (Credit: Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

The transistors are made of "nanowires," tiny cylindrical structures that are assembled on glass or thin films of flexible plastic. The researchers used nanowires as small as 20 nanometers - a thousand times thinner than a human hair - to create a display containing organic light emitting diodes, or OLEDS. The OLEDS are devices that rival the brightness of conventional pixels in flat-panel television sets, computer monitors and displays in consumer electronics.

"This is a step toward demonstrating the practical potential of nanowire transistors in displays and for other applications," said David Janes, a researcher at Purdue University's Birck Nanotechnology Center and a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The nanowires were used to create a proof-of-concept active-matrix display similar to those in television sets and computer monitors. An active-matrix display is able to precisely direct the flow of electricity to produce video because each picture element, or pixel, possesses its own control circuitry.

Findings will be detailed in a research paper featured on the cover of the April issue of the journal Nano Letters. The paper was written by researchers at Purdue, Northwestern University and the University of Southern California.

"We've shown how to fabricate nanowire electronics at room temperature in a simple process that might be practical for commercial manufacturing," said Tobin J. Marks, the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Research Professor in Chemistry in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of materials science and engineering.

OLEDS are now used in cell phones and MP3 displays and prototype television sets, but their production requires a complex process, and it is difficult to manufacture OLEDs that are small enough for high-resolution displays.

"Nanowire-transistor electronics could solve this problem," said Marks, who received a 2005 National Medal of Science. "We think our fabrication method is scalable, possibly providing a low-cost way to produce high-resolution displays for many applications."

Unlike conventional computer chips - called CMOS, for complementary metal oxide semiconductor chips - the nanowire thin-film transistors could be produced less expensively under low temperatures, making them ideal to incorporate into flexible plastics that would melt under high-temperature processing.

Conventional liquid crystal displays in flat-panel televisions and monitors are backlit by a white light, and each pixel acts as a filter that turns on and off to create images. OLEDS, however, emit light directly, eliminating the need to backlight the screen and making it possible to create more vivid displays that are thin and flexible.

The technology also could be used to create antennas that aim microwave and radio signals more precisely than current antennas. Such antennas might improve cell phone reception and make it more difficult to eavesdrop on military transmissions on the battlefield.

Electronic displays like television screens contain millions of pixels located at the intersections of rows and columns that crisscross each other. In the new findings, the researchers showed that they were able to selectively illuminate a specific row of active-matrix OLEDS in a display about the size of a fingernail.

"Displays in television sets are able to illuminate a particular pixel located, say, in the 10th row, fifth column," Janes said. "We aren't able to do that yet. We've shown that we can select a whole row at a time, not a single OLED, but we're getting close."

Future research is expected to include work to design displays that can control individual OLEDs to generate images, Janes said.

"A unique aspect of these displays is that they are transparent," he said. "Until the pixels are activated, the display area looks like lightly tinted glass."

The nanowire transistors are made of a transparent semiconductor called indium oxide, a potential replacement for silicon in future transparent circuits. The OLEDS consist of the transistors, electrodes made of a material called indium tin oxide and plastic capacitors that store electricity. All of the materials are transparent until activated to emit light.

"This could enable applications such as GPS navigational displays right on the windshield of your car," Janes said. "Imagine having a local map displayed on your windshield so that you didn't have to take your eyes off the road."

The new OLEDs have a brightness nearly comparable to that of the pixels in commercial flat-panel television sets. The OLEDS have an average brightness of more than 300 candelas per square meter, compared with 400-500 candelas per square meter for commercially available liquid-crystal display televisions.

"Even in this first demonstration, we are fairly close to the brightness you'd see in an LCD television," Janes said.

The researchers also demonstrated they could create OLEDS of the proper size for commercial displays, about 176 by 54 microns, or millionths of a meter. OLEDS that size would be ideal for small displays in cell phones, personal digital assistants and other portable electronics.

The research has been funded by NASA through the Institute for Nanoelectronics and Computing, based at Purdue's Discovery Park.

The Nano Letters paper was authored by Sanghyun Ju, a postdoctoral research associate in Purdue's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; doctoral students Jianfeng Li and Jun Liu at Northwestern; doctoral students Po-Chiang Chen, Hsiaokang Chang and Fumiaki Ishikawa at the University of Southern California; graduate student Young-geun Ha at Northwestern; Chongwu Zhou, an associate professor of electrical engineering at USC; Antonio Facchetti, a research associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University; and Marks and Janes.

TDK thin-film common-mode TCM0605 filter

2008-04-10T23:44:00.001-07:00

TDK claims to have one of the smallest thin-film common-mode filters for the EMI filtering of high-speed data transmission.

The TCM0605 filter employs thin-film magnetic-head technologies, fine-pattern-conductor-formation and film-formation technologies. A target application is in video streaming or high-quality image downloads, which require compact noise countermeasures that have an adverse affect on the signal quality of differential transmission lines.

The filter measures 0.65×0.50×0.30mm, achieving about a 50 per cent reduction in volume and 35 per cent decrease in mounting area compared to the company's TCM1005 product.

Samples of the 0605-type filter will be shipping in April 2008, available with a rated voltage of 10Vdc and rated currents from 50mA dc to 100mA dc.

See http://www.tdk-components.de

A scalable, efficient multichannel diversity receive

2008-04-10T23:42:00.001-07:00

Constructing a communication system with a diversity receiver creates multiple options in device count, power, board space, and signal routing. To reduce the amount of RF components, a direct conversion architecture using a quadrature demodulator can be used.

Constructing the receiver for high performance is difficult due to I/Q mismatch. The architecture requires several components between the RF input and the baseband digital outputs that consume space.

While a super-heterodyne receiver requires only one analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the quadrature demodulator requires a dual ADC to process the real and imaginary analog. This may be acceptable for single carrier systems, but can diversity and a direct conversion receiver be employed efficiently with a multichannel system? Does such a solution scale to more than one or two channels effectively? With new levels of integration in RF and ADC components, a multichannel direct-conversion diversity receiver can be created that is efficient and high performance.

Why diversity?

In communication systems, receiver specifications are set to accommodate a small received input power. Systems such as cellular base transceiver stations (BTS) receive signals from handsets that could be located in environments that greatly attenuate the signal, such as parking garage structures, multifloor buildings or crowded urban areas.

The signal transmitted from the handset will arrive at the BTS many times, having taken many different reflected paths. With only one antenna and receiver, many versions of the same signal will be present at the receive antenna, each with different phase and amplitude.

The signals could add constructively or destructively due to the instantaneous phase relationship. In a mobile phone, for example, the mobile transmitter is not perfectly fixed in space, so the summation at the antenna is continually changing. This is referred to as fast fading and could cause lost reception.

Using diversity antennas increases the chances that a signal with sufficient receive strength will be found, as the antennas are physically separated. While one antenna may be experiencing destructive interference, the other may not. This is diversity.

To demodulate the signal, the communication link is built with a minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required to demodulate the signal. Diversity allows for a higher probability that a signal will arrive at the BTS above the minimum SNR.

To build a diversity receiver, at least one extra receive path is added for every channel. This may double the cost of the electronics and antenna. However, the cost is justified if it extends the range and quality of the BTS. It can reduce the number of base stations required, reducing the overall network capital cost.

Why ZIF?

A zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) receiver performs a direct conversion from the radio frequency to baseband. There are no intermediate frequencies (IF) that one finds with a superheterodyne receiver.

The advantage here is that RF components are minimized, filtering is made easier and sample rates can be reduced. With diversity, the needed components are now multiplied by two, adding component costs, board space and power. A ZIF receiver saves power and space in the RF section by requiring fewer components.

Why an integrated quadrature receiver?

Constructing a ZIF receiver out of individual components is difficult to do and consumes board space. After the signal is converted to quadrature, there are two baseband analog paths between the mixer outputs and the dual ADC inputs, including separate gain amplifiers and filters.

Mismatches in gain and phase between components along the real and imaginary signal paths create in-band noise as the images normally cancelled in the ideal complex math are now present in the same location as the signal of interest. The in-band, low-level images degrade the in-band SNR and error vector magnitude (EVM), resulting in a high bit error rate (BER)for the communication channel.

However, a highly integrated ZIF receiver can minimize path mismatch issues. The I and Q analog paths are now on the same chip.

The paths will be very well matched as there will be little process, temperature or voltage differences between them. The device includes a complex mixer, a 24-dB programmable gain amplifier (PGA), a programmable eigth order low pass anti-aliasing ADC input filter and a driver amplifier that connects directly to the dual ADC.

It also includes a dc-offset correction block, useful for minimizing the dc offset component of the analog outputs. By integrating all of the necessary functions, the ZIF architecture is made simple for the user, the I and Q paths are matched and good EVM is maintained. By integrating a large portion of the signal chain into a small package, diversity receive paths now can be considered without sacrificing board space or performance.

Fig. 1. For a two-channel ZIF receiver with diversity, eight ADCs are required.

Why an octal ADC?

For a two-channel ZIF receiver with diversity, eight ADCs are required (see Fig. 1). If four 12-bit dual ADCs were used, with parallel data out of each channel, almost 100 data lines would need to be routed and interfaced to the field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

Four clocks would need to be routed for the ADCs. Four 9 x 9mm 12-bit dual ADCs consume over 320 mm2 of board space simply from the packaging. In addition, the routing of nearly 100 data lines easily could double the space needed and require as many data inputs at the FPGA. An octal ADC is an obvious recommendation, but what about power and data lines of eight ADCs in a single package?

Why a serialized octal ADC?

With a new ADC from Texas Instruments, the ADS5282, many of these problems are resolved. At 75 mW per channel and a 9 x 9-mm package, a low power option exists in only 81 mm2, or one-fourth the board space of four duals. Even more importantly, by utilizing a serial LVDS data interface, only one LVDS pair is required per ADC channel. Add an LVDS frame and bit clock, and with 20 physical lines (10 LVDS pairs), the data from eight ADCs can be processed in an FPGA with minimal board space.

Common in ADCs designed for low power in CMOS, 1/f noise is present at baseband. This limits the effective SNR at baseband, which is where a ZIF architecture will use the ADC. The ADC has a selectable mode which suppresses the 1/f noise at baseband (see Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Notice the 1/f noise (near baseband) is shifted to be at Nyquist once the mode is enabled and the SNR from 0 to 1 MHz is noted in both cases.

The SNR of the ADS5282 at 65MSPS measured to Nyquist (32.5 MHz) is 70.4 dBFS. If the noise floor is assumed flat over Nyquist, then the noise power in the 0 to 1-MHz band would be 85.5 dBFS, due to 15.1 dB of processing gain: 10log10 (32.5 M/1 M).

With an ideal filter that passes the signal and noise up to 1 MHz, 85.5 dBFS would be the expected SNR at the output of the digital filter. However, the measured SNR is 81.9 dBFS in a 1-MHz band, due to the 1/f noise present at baseband. Once the noise suppression mode is enabled, the measured SNR improves to 86.1 dBFS in that band.

The fact that the measured value in the 1-MHz bandwidth (86.1 dBFS) exceeds the expected (70.4 + 15.1 = 85.5 dBFS) is misleading, since it is calculated from a measured Nyquist SNR (70.4 dBFS) that includes high order harmonics (above the ninth) that are counted as noise. This suggests the true Nyquist SNR excluding all harmonics is actually 0.6 dB better, or 71 dBFS.

The ADC also provides decimation by two within each channel to remove the frequency-shifted 1/f noise (still present near Fclk/2), improve the in-band SNR with processing gain and to reduce the high-speed serial LVDS data rate. The included digital filter is kept to a small number of taps to save power, therefore, the processing gain is ~2 dB when the decimation filter is used. Lowering the LVDS rate by using decimation may provide less expensive FPGA options to be considered and provides for an easier timing budget between the ADC and FPGA.

For more on diversity receivers, visit http://www.electronicproducts.com/linear.asp.

LG unveils sexy new LG Black Label Series Mobile Phone

2008-04-08T00:05:00.001-07:00

LG Electronics introduces a new Black Label Series phone that follows the LG Chocolate and LG Shine and promises to be as successful or even more.

LG only released photos and some highlights of the new Black Label handset. They did not even reveal the name of the new very thin looking slider style phone.
The new LG Black Label Series handset features a 5MP camera and a case design that utilizes materials such as carbon fiber and tempered glass.

My guess for the name of the new LG phone is LG Carbon - sounds good and highlights the carbon fiber in the case.

LG will fully launch the new LG Black Label Series handset on April 24th in Europe and the rest of the world.
See hi-res photos in the story's gallery.

12-bit DAC offers high dynamic performance

2008-04-08T00:01:00.001-07:00

The 12-bit 4.0-Gsample/s MAX19693 D/A converter achieves an SFDR of greater than 70 dBc for output frequencies less than 800 MHz, and 62 dBc at an output frequency of 1,500 MHz. At a 4.0-Gsample/s update rate and 200-MHz output frequency, the device offers a wideband-noise spectral density of −164 dBm/Hz.

The DAC operates from 3.3- and 1.8-V supplies, and consumes 1,180 mW at 4.0 Gsamples/s. Fully specified over the -40° to 85°C extended temperature range, it is available in a 169-ball CSBGA package. (Call company for pricing and availability.)

Maxim Integrated Products, Sunnyvale, CA
Customer Service 888-629-4642
sales-US@maxim-ic.com
http://www.maxim-ic.com

Toshiba tech support for next-generation SoC and SiP custom chips

2008-04-07T23:59:00.001-07:00

Toshiba has announced technical support for its next generation TC320 high-density, low power system-on-chip (SoC) and system-in-package (SiP) custom chips.

Fabricated on a 65nm process, the TC320 Asic family combines a low-k dielectric with up to eight levels of copper and one level of aluminium interconnect.

Analogue and application-specific digital IP cores can be mixed on the same chip, while memory options include embedded DRAM (eDRAM), tightly stacked semi-embedded DRAM, and single- and multi-port SRAM.

Two types of I/O cells support requirements for high pin count and core limited designs respectively.

A range of mixed-signal and digital IP cores include ADCs, DACs, ARM and MIPS processors and options for Ethernet, HDMI, ATA, PCI and USB connectivity.
Packaging options include flip-chip BGA, PBGAs, WCSP (Wafer Level Chip Scale Package) and QFN.

See http://www.toshiba-components.com/ASIC

CML evaluation kits for CMX990 RF transceiver with GMSK modem

2008-04-07T23:57:00.001-07:00

CML Microcircuits has introduced a couple of evaluation kits for its CMX990 RF transceiver with integrated GMSK modem.

The EV9900A board-based evaluation kit will support frequency bands and its initial configuration is for 410-430MHz operation with 25kHz channel spacing at 9600bps.

The second kit, the EV9902, provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for the EV9900A kit. The kit is supplied as a Hyperstone hyBoard-XS evaluation board plus interface PCB, together with GUI software for a PC.

It connects to a Windows-based PC via a standard USB cable. The interface to the EV9900A is also supplied. The GUI software allows users to directly write to and read from the CMX990 registers and perform real-time tasks for Mobitex or free-format frame transfers live over a RF link.

The GUI software will calculate the CMX990 register values required to generate the user's desired PLL frequencies and bit rates. The hyBoard-XS evaluation board is supplied pre-loaded with firmware, allowing real-time operations to be performed.

The CMX990 is a low-power, single-chip wireless M2M (machine to machine) GMSK modem in a 'no-leads' 64-pin VQFN package.

See http://www.cmlmicro.com

See also: www.developmentmonkey.com - For the latest news, reviews, and demos of development kits, evaluation boards, reference designs, and analysis tools for DSPs, FPGAs, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and analog components.

Macroblock DC-DC converter for high power LED lighting apps

2008-04-03T23:33:00.000-07:00

Macroblock has a DC-DC converter for high power LED lighting applications. It is a 1.2A constant current buck DC-DC converter with a constant current mode hysteretic PFM design.

This has the advantage of powering LED design with a current source.

By combining the features of adaptive output switching frequency and an audio frequency skip, both higher current and frequency can be reached as well as reducing risk from noise interruption when the converter is activated.

The MBI6650 is configured with four external components. The design will allow operation from an input of 9 to 36V for high power LED applications. With full protection, the MBI6650 enhances power dissipation with a thermal pad in a TO-252-5L package.

Samples and demo boards are available from Plus Opto.

See www.plusopto.co.uk

4180 Series Precision Infrared Calibrator Heats Up For Fast and Easy High-Quality Thermometer Calibration

2008-04-01T00:12:00.001-07:00

Easy enough to use in the field and accurate enough to use in the lab

AMERICAN FORK, Utah – Hart Scientific, a division of Fluke Corporation and a world leader in temperature calibration products and services, today announced the 4180 Series Precision Infrared Calibrators. The two new models, 4180 and 4181, utilize the same size targets used and recommended by thermometer manufacturers and special design technology that assists in productively performing high-quality infrared thermometer calibrations without requiring a background in physics.

The 4180 calibrator has a temperature range of –15 °C to 120 °C, with radiometric (non-contact infrared) display accuracy as good as ± 0.40 °C; and the 4181 calibrator measures from 35 °C to 500 °C, with radiometric display accuracy also as good as ±0.35 °C.

The 4180 series calibrators have features that allow users to address quality issues commonly not covered by other calibrators in the same class, including emissivity and size of source effect. Additional features including target stability, target uniformity, six-inch target diameter, traceable radiometric calibration, and compensation for the emissivity settings of the radiation thermometer being tested overcome some of the other most common limitations. In addition, sample calibration procedures for Fluke thermometers are built into the instrument to get users up and running with a minimum of training.

More information about infrared calibration issues can be found in "Infrared Temperature Calibration 101," a technical note available from Hart Scientific and in the Hart Scientific Guide to Infrared Thermometer Calibration.

To contact Hart Scientific, call 800-GET-HART (801-763-1600 internationally), visit their website at www.hartscientific.com, or email info@hartscientific.com.

Fluke's Hart Scientific Division designs, manufactures, and markets temperature and humidity measurement and calibration equipment. The Hart Scientific product line includes primary standards, thermometer readouts and temperature sensors, temperature baths, industrial calibrators, humidity chambers, humidity readouts, and software. Primary and secondary laboratories, as well as a growing number of manufacturing companies who rely on precise temperature controls for manufacturing processes, use the equipment. These industries include pharmaceuticals, petrochemical, semiconductor, aerospace, and food products.

ARJ45 connector with 5GHz signalling frequency

2008-04-01T00:08:00.001-07:00

Millions of users are connected to the Internet through copper cables and over a billion RJ45 connectors are employed in this global network. The Internet data rate is limited to about 1Gbit/s (100 to 250 MHz signalling frequency).

The RJ45 connector was never intended to transmit these high frequency signals and so members of IEC/ISO committees, facing the limits of RJ45 connectors, have identified the need for new connector interfaces.

The ARJ45, developed by Stewart Connector, combines the standard interface (IEC 61076-3-110) with performance up to 5GHz signalling frequency. The supplier says it outperforms the IEC standard requirements for transmission parameters such as NEXT, insertion and return loss. Its form factor is almost identical to the RJ45.

The most common category 5e RJ45 connector has NEXT of 43dB at 100MHz, the ARJ45 demonstrated a x40 improvement in crosstalk attenuation between differential pairs compared to existing category 5e RJ45 connectors, said the supplier.

See www.mhconnectors.com

Altera, Bitec video dev kit for Cyclone III FPGAs

2008-04-01T00:06:00.001-07:00

Altera has teamed with Bitec to offer a video development kit based on Cyclone III FPGAs.

For video applications the attraction will be the device's large parallel processing capabilities with up to 288 multipliers and 4Mbit embedded memory blocks. The kit will support multiple video I/O formats.

The development has been developed with applications such as video surveillance, video conferencing and industrial imaging in mind.

The video development kit features a Cyclone III development board with two high-speed mezzanine connector (HSMC)-based video interface daughtercards developed by Bitec. The kit supports composite, S-Video, DVI and RGB video.

As well as the Quartus II Web Edition software, there is access to Altera OpenCore Plus evaluation IP megafunctions including the Video and Image Processing suite.

A CD-ROM with a video mosaic reference design developed by Bitec.

See www.bitec.ltd.uk

PD controller supporting two-event physical layer is industry’s first

2008-03-18T01:02:00.001-07:00

Controller raises input power to 30 W, targeting IP cameras, 802.11n WAP, and other higher power apps

The AS1135 powered-device (PD) controller is the industry's first such device to implement the two-event physical-layer classification of the upcoming IEEE 802.3at standard. This standard raises the maximum available PD input power to 30 W from the 13 W specified in the existing 802.3af standard. The 30-W level opens a range of new applications including IP security cameras with power, tilt and zoom (PTZ) capability, new multiradio 802.11n wireless access points, WiMAX customer premise equipment, SOHO Ethernet switches, thin clients, and LCDs.

Enabling dynamic negotiation and allocation of power, the two-event classification allows the PD to recognize if it is connected to a Type 1 (802.3af/13-W) or Type 2 (802.3at/30-W) power-sourcing equipment, and vice versa. The protocol informs the 802.3at-compliant PSE that it is safe to increase power delivered to the PD from 13 to 30 W.

Housed in a 5 x 5 20-pin QFN package, the controller provides 802.3at-detect functionality on a logic output pin. The switching frequency of the integrated dc/dc controller can be set from 100 kHz to 500 kHz to optimize the system for parameters including EMI, power consumption and component sizes. ($1.66 ea/1,000 contact company for availability and samples.)

Akros Silicon, Folsom, CA
Information 916-351-8100
info@AkrosSilicon.com
http://www.akrossilicon.com

Actel introduces low-power, I/O-optimised FPGA family

2008-03-18T01:01:00.001-07:00

Broadening its extensive portfolio of low-power programmable solutions for power-conscious designs, Actel Corporation today introduced IGLOO PLUS, a new family of low-power field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) with power-, area-, logic- and feature-per-I/O ratios in a programmable device.

The new 5 microwatt (5µW) I/O-optimised IGLOO PLUS family also offers up to 64 percent more I/Os than the company's award-winning IGLOO family and supports independent Schmitt Trigger inputs, hot swapping and Flash*Freeze bus hold.

The low-power consumption and I/O optimisation of the IGLOO PLUS family makes it an ideal solution for portable electronics in consumer, industrial, communications, medical and test applications, particularly those employing I/O-intensive memory bus manipulation, general-purpose I/O expansion, sequencing, interface translation, storage and human interface touch screen and key pad technology.

"Users continue to demand a growing list of features on their portable devices, and yet expect the cost and battery life of those devices to remain the same," said Fares Mubarak, senior vice president of Actel Corporation.

"Today, the new I/O-optimised, cost-effective IGLOO PLUS family gives designers a sophisticated feature-rich programmable logic platform for dramatically reducing power consumption without sacrificing functionality or driving up the cost of their end products."

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the IGLOO PLUS devices will be available in May with qualified devices available in Q3 2008. The IGLOO PLUS family is supported by the Actel Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) v8.3 software available in March. Volume pricing starts at $1.95 for the 120-I/O AGLP030 device in a CS201 package.

Contact details

For further information, contact Stephanie Mrus/Clive Jones, Actel Corporation on +1 650 318 4200 or Stephanie.mrus@actel.com or clive.jones@actel.com.

STMicroelectronics launches high-temperature triacs

2008-03-18T01:00:00.001-07:00

STMicroelectronics is offering a series of high-temperature triacs, which it claims maintain full specified performance up to a junction temperature of 150 deg C.

The attraction of the high-junction temperature is the need for smaller heatsinks.

The use of conventional triacs, which are specified at 125 deg C junction temperature, can cause a loss of control of the AC load in environments above this temperature due to device parameter de-rating above 125 deg C.

The HiTj Snubberless series requires no derating of any of its parameters up to the maximum junction temperature, and, in fact, achieves a turn-off performance at 150 deg C, said the supplier.

The triacs are also designed to deliver high-noise immunity of up to 1500V/[micro]s.
These devices are typically used in motor-control applications, such as vacuum cleaners, washing-machine drum motors and industrial drives.

The HiTj series is produced in TO-220AB, TO-220AB insulated (ceramic), and in D2PAK surface-mount packages, for maximum versatility. They are all 600V devices, with current ratings of 8A, 10A, 12A, 16A and 20A. The sensitivity range offered today is 35mA to 50mA, and will soon be extended with 10mA devices.

Omron launches new MEMS flow sensor

2008-03-18T00:59:00.001-07:00

Omron Components Business Europe is unveiling new MEMS flow sensor, capacitive touch sensor and RF MEMS technologies at Sensor and Test Nuremberg, alongside a raft of innovative test and measurement component solutions.

Omron is announcing that it can customise D6F MEMS mass flow sensors to individual customer requirements in terms of flow rate and non-corrosive gas type. Omron can provide mass flow sensors suitable for any flow rate from 1 mm/s to 40 m/s or 1 LPM to 50 LPM of most non-corrosive gasses.

The customisation service is subject to a minimum order size of around 100 sensors. Omron's announcement follows the appointment of an engineer from its Kurayoshi factory to the European customer engineering team based in Munich.

Omron B6TS capacitive touch sensors can now also be customised, as designers are able to specify different styles of touch control for each of up to 16 available channels. This service is subject to a minimum order quantity. The B6TS is offered in 4, 8 and 16 channel versions, with each channel being able to manage an independent rotary, slider or on-off switch control surface. At the same time Omron has also introduced a new, higher performance version of its 8-channel touch sensor, known as the B6TS-08LF.

Omron will also be showing its RF MEMS switch design, offering a typical life of 100 million operations Designed for low loss and distortion, it is ideal for high-speed automatic test equipment and RF measuring instruments.

Target specifications promise an ultra-wide 15GHz bandwidth and fast switching time of only 100 micro seconds.

Omron continues to offer high performance RF relays for test and measurement applications, leveraging its microstrip style design and triplate construction for highest performance and minimum insertion loss. Omron's G6K-RF, for example, is just 5.4mm high, with a footprint of 10.3 x 6.9mm, yet it achieves 30dB isolation, 0.2dB insertion loss, and power consumption of just 100mW. The G6Z, G9YA and G6W RF relays use similar technology to achieve small size, and low power consumption combined with highest reliability and excellent RF power switching performance (10-100W).

The electromechanical switching solutions are complemented by Omron's extensive range of MOSFET relays. For example the G3VM-21LR10, in SSOP package with an output capacitance of just 0.8pF typical, is ideal for RF applications. This device is believed to have the world's smallest CR product, of just 2.5pF•ohms. The G3VM-41GR8 is comparable to an electromechanical device, with an on-resistance of just 100m ohms.

Contact details

For further information, contact Lee O'Toole, Omron Electronics Components, United Kingdom and Ireland Sales Division on +44 (0) 870 750 5661 or ukcc_sales@eu.omron.com.

Comsys adds ExpressCard/34 PC card format to GPRS/WiMAX platforms

2008-03-14T20:02:00.001-07:00

Comsys has added to its GPRS/WiMAX reference design platforms with an ExpressCard/34 PC card format. This means WiMAX functionality can be added to the latest laptop PCs equipped with an ExpressCard slot.

The ComMAX ExpressCard/34 features the ComMAX CM1125 multi-standard baseband processor with radio transceivers for both GPRS/EDGE and mobile WiMAX.

According to Comsys, the intention is to offer design supports for multimode operation of 2.5G cellular with mobile WiMAX. It is offering this in a range of platform configurations.

See www.comsysmobile.com

High-power modules expand voltage range for dual, triple outputs

2008-03-04T22:55:00.001-08:00

Power modules offer COTS multiple independent 75-W outputs for mil/aero and industrial apps

Two high-power, multichannel power modules, the CB150D and CB225T, are now available in 2-, 3.3-, 5-, 5.2-, 12-, 15-, 24-, and 28-Vdc outputs. The modules expand the choice of output power for the CB series dc/dc power converters from 5 to 225 W. They are COTS converters with multiple independent 75-W outputs designed for applications in military, industrial, and aerospace.

Measuring 2.28 x 2.90 x .0.50 in., the CB150D is a 150-W device with two independent 75-W output channels. The CB225T measures 2.28 x 4.35 x 0.50 in. and is a triple-output module with three independent 75-W output channels. Both dc/dc converters feature an input range of 16 to 40 Vdc and a power density of 45 W/in.3 Standard features include remote turn on/off, output overvoltage trim pin, overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, 500-kHz fixed-frequency conversion, and synchronization input.

All models are available in I (unscreened) and M (screened) grades with 84% efficiency. The converters meet full specified performance over an operating temperature range of -55° to 100°C from no load to full load for mission-critical markets. (Ea/50: CB150D. $495; CB225T, $675--available now.)

Martek Power, Torrance, CA
Information 310-202-8820
sales.mpa@martekpower.com
http://www.martekpowerabbott.com

Agilent InfiniiVision 7000 oscilloscopes have fast update rate

2008-03-04T22:53:00.001-08:00

Agilent Technologies has added to its range of mixed-signal and digital-storage oscilloscopes with 10 new models in the InfiniiVision 7000 series which offers bandwidths up to 1GHz and a deep memory waveform update rate of up to 100,000 waveforms per second.

According to the supplier, the faster update rate can help to eliminate errors which can occur due to a lack of response in previous scopes when deep memory is turned on.

The scope comes with a memory depth of 8 million points.

Software support includes optional packages for serial decode and trigger for I2C, SPI, CAN, LIN, FlexRay, RS-232 and other UART. There is also dedicated support for core-assisted debug of designs with Xilinx or Altera FPGAs.

The 7000 series also sports one of the largest scope displays available, measuring 12.1in. This will be a benefit when viewing as many as 20 channels of serial data.

Various configurations are available starting with a 350MHz bandwidth model and prices start at £3,850.

See www.agilent.com

LED spotlights directly replace 50 to 75-W incandescents

2008-03-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

PAR30-type bulb uses five 3-W LEDs to produce 480 to 544 lumens while cutting energy use up to 79%.

Made with five high-output 3-W LEDs, PAR30-15W LED spotlight bulbs are direct replacements for 50 to 75-W PAR30-style incandescent lamps. The LED bulbs have a maximum power draw of 15.8 W, thereby reducing energy consumption by 68% to 79%.

The LED spotlights have standard 25-mm Edison screw-in bases and produce up to 480 lm in the 3,000K (warm-white) version or 544 lm in the 5000K (pure-white) model, They emit light at a 40° and run on 80 to 260 Vac, with other voltages such as 12 Vac or Vdc optionally available.

Potential applications for the LED bulbs include signage spotlighting and backlighting, aerospace lighting systems, industrial OEM equipment lighting, and truck-bay dock lighting, as well as track lighting, accent lighting, general area lighting, architectural and landscape lighting, display case lightening, and cabinet lighting.

The bulbs, whose LEDs can provide up to 50,000 continuous hours of light, have a 3-year limited warranty. (From $110 -- stock to 6 weeks ARO.)

Ledtronics, Torrance, CA
Sales 800-579-4875
webmaster@ledtronics.com
http://www.ledtronics.com

TI power operational amplifier delivers +/-50mA current

2008-03-03T23:01:00.001-08:00

Texas Instruments has a precision power operational amplifier which operates on supplies up to 100V and delivers a high output current of +/-50mA with a 150mA short circuit limit.

Designed for applications which require a combination of high voltage with high DC accuracy and speed, the OPA454 is unity-gain stable and can track fast moving signals since it has a slew rate of 10V/[micro]s and gain-bandwidth product of 2.5MHz.

The op amp can be powered with a single or dual supply of +/-4V (8V) to +/-50V (100V).
High DC accuracy of 4mV maximum offset and 5[micro]V/C drift permits precision DC measurement over temperature.

The OPA454 also has a low bias current of +/-110pA that allows accurate measurements from high impedance sources or sensitive current shunt circuits.

Other features include a fast-acting enable/disable pin referenced to the common pin, which can be ground. This saves power and provides protection for the amplifier and the load.

An output status flag, referenced to the common pin, will also tell the user when an over-current or thermal overload condition occurs.

See www.ti.com/analogelab

High-Density AMC Modules

2008-03-01T22:05:00.001-08:00

The NAMC-8560-xE1/T1/J1 board solution has a choice of four or eight E1/T1/J1 telecom interfaces and one Gigabit Ethernet interface at the front panel. Signalling packages, such as SS7 or ISDN, allow customers to run the module as a ready-to-use box solution or to integrate their own software by using off-the-shelf board-support packages. With the performance of the PowerQUICC III processor, this solution is well-suited for applications such as high-density multiplexers, multi-service switches, edge routers, digital modems and access, DSLAMs, cross-connect systems, VoIP/VoP gateways and routers, and 2.5+3G network equipment.

40-A PCB relay is industry’s smallest

2008-03-01T22:00:00.001-08:00

Replaces plug-in devices in power-outlet, fan-motor, and power-steering applications

Measuring 15.5 (L) x 12.2 (W) x 13.7 (H) mm, the FBR53-HW PCB automotive-grade relay is presented as the industry's smallest 40-A device of its type. The tiny relay can replace larger plug-in devices and conserve PCB space in applications requiring switching of heavy loads such as power outlets, fan motors, electronic power steering, and starters.

The 1 Form U (Form A) relay weighs 6 g, is rated at 14 Vdc, and can handle a maximum 80 A inrush. Constructed of LCP material, the relay operates in temperatures from –40° to 125°C.

Contact resistance is 1.2 mΩ, mechanical life is 10 million operations, and an electrical life is 100,000 operations. The relay comes in standard coil voltages of 9, 10, and 12 Vdc, with 0.86-W coil power. ($3.50 ea/10,000—12 weeks ARO.)

Fujitsu Components America, Sunnyvale, CA
Information 800-380-0059
components@us.fujitsu.com
http://us.fujitsu.com/components

HolyStone ceramic capacitors are radial leaded

2008-03-01T21:58:00.001-08:00

HolyStone (Europe) syas it can offer customers a one-stop shop for a range of both radial leaded and chip safety certified ceramic capacitors.

For example, the 250Vac rated MLCCs are available in five chip sizes, from an 1808 to 2220, and in either NPO/COG or X7R dielectrics, and with a capacitance range of 2pF to 4.7nF.

This range is X2/Y3 and X1/Y2 approved by both UL and TUV. The chip capacitors are available with the firm's SuperTerm polymer terminations to reduce the risk of both mechanical and thermal cracking. It also offers Arc Protection coating to reduce the incidence of flash over.

Single layer radial leaded devices are X1/Y1 approved and are available in a choice of lead spacings from 5mm (0.2in). A capacitance range of 5pF to 10nF is offered across a range of dielectrics. Parts are coated with a flame retardant epoxy resin and are rated at 250Vac and 400Vac for the Y capacitors, and 400Vac and 440Vac for the X capacitors. The products carry UL, VDE and CSA approval.

See www.holystonecaps.com

IXYS driver ICs for electronic paper-type flexible displays

2008-03-01T21:57:00.001-08:00

IXYS has driver ICs which are aimed specifically at electronic paper-type flexible displays.

The MX860, which is a 268 output source driver IC, and the MXEI2300, a 300 output gate driver IC, are both used in flexible display products. The ICs were designed for low power, bi-stable, reflective displays that eliminate the need for backlighting.

Products incorporating organic or polymer based flexible displays are expected to move into production during 2008 and 2009.

"We have continued our R&D investments in the display IC area in the last few years. This started with our pioneering work in OLEDs, and expanded to product lines that enable the new flexible display technologies that are based on polymers and use less power than ordinary displays," said Dr. Nathan Zommer, CEO of IXYS.

The display IC technology comes out of the Clare Micronix division of IXYS.

See www.ixys.com

Omron introduces 1x64 splitter planar waveguide

2008-02-26T19:31:00.001-08:00

Omron Components Business - Europe has extended its range of compact bi-directional PLC splitter modules for Passive Optical Networks with a new 1x64 version. Omron P1C planar waveguide devices are suitable for FTTx Passive Optical Networks, DWDM and CWDM systems, optical cable TV and other outside equipment applications. The new 1x64 version complements the existing 1x4, 1x8, 1x16 and 1x32 splitters already available.

Each device in the range is a packaged optical waveguide chip based on patented plasma chemical vapour deposition (P-CVD) technology. The combination of PLC structure and P-CVD process technology provide high stable optical characteristics and good reliability. In addition, the splitter modules exhibit low insertion loss, low polarisation dependent loss and high port uniformity. The splitters are tested to Telcordia GR1209 and GR1221. Optional custom packaging, metal fittings and connectorised cassette modules are also available. All products are immediately available to order.

Source : Click here

TI expands application chips beyond phones

2008-02-26T19:28:00.001-08:00

Texas Instruments Inc (TXN.N: Quote, Profile , Research) unveiled new application chips on Tuesday that can be used in everything from music players to medical equipment, with an aim of expanding its business beyond the cell phone chip market.

TI, which faces competition from Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O: Quote, Profile , Research) in the wireless market, said it would address broader markets with by expanding its OMAP product line, which is mostly used to support features like gaming and video in cell phone.

"We're basically making this technology available to thousands of customers instead of tens of customers," said Neil Anderskouv, vice president of TI's digital systems business.

TI would not disclose any revenue projections.

TI's OMAP 3500 line of digital chips would support features such as graphics displays in navigation equipment, medical imaging equipment or music players, he said.

The company is working with as many as 100 clients on making products using the new chips, Anderskouv said, but did not name the clients.

TI, whose biggest client is the world's largest cell phone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile , Research), derives about 40 percent of its revenue from wireless chips.

San Diego-based Qualcomm has been making inroads on TI in the market for advanced phones, and overtook its Dallas-based rival in the wireless chip market in the first quarter of 2007.

Qualcomm ended 2007 with an 18.2 percent share of the $30.8 billion cellular chip market, compared with TI's 16 percent share, according to estimates from research firm iSuppli.

In-Stat analyst Jim McGregor said it made sense for TI to bring out versions of OMAP to suit other markets.

"It wasn't necessarily the best fit outside wireless," McGregor said.

TI said its OMAP3503 chipset would ship within four weeks. It also announced OMAP3515, OMAP3525 and OMAP530, which it said would be available in the second half of the year.

Closed-loop digital-input Class D amp is industry’s first

2008-02-26T19:25:00.001-08:00

Architecture improves sound quality, reduces power demands, and lowers audio subsystem cost

Claimed to be the first closed-loop digital-input Class D amplifier, the TAS5706 improves sound quality and lowers system cost by relaxing power supply performance requirements. Targeting the HDTV market, the 20-W device speeds time to market and provides flexible output configurations along with easy-to-use support tools.

For LCD TVs, the audio amp can be powered from the existing 24-V backlight power supply, making a dedicated power rail for the audio subsystem unnecessary. Other sound enhancement features include dynamic range compression, a dedicated subwoofer channel for 2.1 applications, and speaker equalization.Housed in a QFP package, the amp supports stereo, quad, and 2.1 output configurations along with PWM headphone and subwoofer outputs. ($5.46 ea/100 — available now.)

Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX
Product Information Center 800-477-8924
http://www.ti.com

Tyco Electronics RN73 high stability precision chip resistors

2008-02-26T19:24:00.003-08:00

The RN73 series of high stability precision chip resistors from Tyco Electronics has been extended to offer resistance tolerances down to 0.01 per cent, which means the devices are up to 10 times more accurate than previously available versions.

The resistors are available in a choice of packages, down to 0402 case size. Standard package size is 0805.

Based on nichrome thin film technology, the devices are produced with three sputtered layers of resistive metal film. This enables very stable high frequency performance to be achieved.

Temperature coefficient of resistance values down to 10ppm/ deg C, and even 5ppm/ deg C for some case sizes, are available over a wide value range (5R1 - 470K) in the E96 and E24 value grids.

For applications requiring higher power, the alternative RP73 series resistors offer increased power dissipation, higher temperature capabilities (up to +155 deg C) and increased operating voltages (200Vdc) compared to the standard RN73 series.

See www.tycoelectronics.com