12-bit DAC offers high dynamic performance

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

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

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

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CML evaluation kits for CMX990 RF transceiver with GMSK modem

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.

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Macroblock DC-DC converter for high power LED lighting apps

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

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

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.

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ARJ45 connector with 5GHz signalling frequency

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

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Altera, Bitec video dev kit for Cyclone III FPGAs

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

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