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ELECTRONICSTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information Guide
for Electronics Engineers
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London, UK
Published every Tuesday at 12:30 (UK)
Issue 14: 8 May 2001
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1287 product announcements and technical articles
on our web site, all fully searchable at
http://www.electronicstalk.com/ - take a look!
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In this issue:
* Editor's Message
* Our Top Ten new Products Selection
1. Advanced TDMA technology to boost cable bandwidth
2. Optimised solutions for key Bluetooth applications
3. Faster turnaround for submicron chip designs
4. IR transceiver slims down to fit latest PDAs
5. Multimedia extends 2.5 and 3G wireless devices
6. Glands screen and seal for EMC at sea
7. Machine vision makes PSU ATE run even faster
8. 60W dual-output convertor needs no heatsink
9. Rugged PCI chassis squeezes in four slots
10. First 64bit 66MHz multiport Ethernet adapter
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these stories too...
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
Welcome to the latest Electronicstalk Newsletter: we're 14 weeks old and going strong, which I guess in the dot.com world makes us middle-aged!
If you've only just joined us, you are doubly welcome, and joining an ever-growing band who have chosen to sign up for our weekly digest of all the best of what's new on the Electronicstalk website.
Following the return from space of Dennis Tito, the aerospace industry appears to the fore this week, but for mostly the wrong reasons. Concorde, we hear will be grounded for longer than expected - bad news for the large numbers of electronics companies involved in upgrading the plane's electronic systems. And, not content with antagonising the rest of the world by failing to honour his predecessor's Kyoto commitments, George W Bush has sent out an army of salesmen to convince us that Star Wars was not just a good title for a movie.
But the story from the wider world that really did catch my attention was the news from Japan that advanced voice recognition technology will now allow a computer to detect a range of emotions including anger, surprise and joy. Now, if only they could get one to understand sarcasm... that really would be a breakthrough.
I hope you find this issue of our weekly newsletter useful. In addition to the new products, news and ideas featured here, there are hundreds more on our website and dozens more being added daily, so do take a look if you can. But you don't need web access! All the full stories behind the summaries and headlines in this newsletter can be retrieved by email alone: see details below.
In the meantime, if you've got any suggestions as to how we might make the site or the newsletter better (or if you've just got a bee in your bonnet about any issue of relevance to the industry), email me directly.
Best wishes
Laurence Marchini, Editor
lauren[-email removed-]nicstalk.com
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THIS WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
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ARC INTERNATIONAL RAISES TURNOVER, REDUCES LOSS
ARC International has announced results for the first quarter ended 31st March 2001.
ARC Cores, 3 May 2001
mailto:ara1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ara/ara106.html
CYPRESS AND AGILENT AIM FOR OPTICAL MICE
Cypress Semiconductor and Agilent Technologies are to jointly develop the electronics for next-generation optical mice.
Cypress Semiconductor, 3 May 2001
mailto:cyp1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cyp/cyp107.html
ALTERA AND SYNPLICITY BOOST PROGRAMMABLE IP
Altera and Synplicity have announced a multilevel partnership that will enhance the implementation of intellectual property (IP) in system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) applications.
Synplicity, 3 May 2001
mailto:sya1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sya/sya100.html
ANSOFT TAKES OVER HFSS LINE FROM AGILENT
Agilent Technologies has agreed to license its High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software product line to Ansoft.
Ansoft Corporation Europe, 7 May 2001
mailto:ans1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ans/ans104.html
ANGLIA BUYS BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS MAKER
Anglia has stepped in to rescue 85 jobs in the Ayrshire town of Girvan by buying the assets of AG Manufacturing Systems (AGMSL), which produces battery management systems.
Anglia, 7 May 2001
mailto:ang1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ang/ang101.html
IVT HELPS RFI TO BLUETOOTH TEST SOLUTIONS
Radio Frequency Investigation (RFI) has announced the second in a series of partnerships with IVT Corporation, to develop and enhance its Bluetooth services.
Radio Frequency Investigation, 7 May 2001
mailto:rfi1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rfi/rfi121.html
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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1. Advanced TDMA technology to boost cable bandwidth
With the battle to deliver next-generation digital cable services heating up, Texas Instruments has unveiled its new technology featuring end-to-end advanced TDMA that will enable a 50% increase in upstream plant capacity. The technology also harnesses the power of two chips - a new dual-channel receiver at the headend and a newly certified device at the customer premise - and TI's patented INCA (increased capacity ingress cancellation) technology, which together enable three times the upstream bandwidth per channel. These features will allow multiple service operators to offer symmetric services such as voice, multi-session videoconferencing and peer-to-peer networking.
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2. Optimised solutions for key Bluetooth applications
The original concept for Bluetooth wireless technology was to implement a simple cable replacement. However, once the cable is cut, "dumb" devices no longer have access to the intelligence of the host. To solve this problem, stand-alone intelligence needs to be embedded, along with software and additional processing power, into Bluetooth solutions so that they can provide more than basic Bluetooth communication. On top of that issue, implementing Bluetooth technology in real life applications requires differently optimised solutions that take into account the different power requirement, different performance requirements and different amounts of memory for the various types of devices requiring to be wirelessly networked.
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3. Faster turnaround for submicron chip designs
Monterey Design Systems has released version 1.5 of Dolphin, its complete physical design solution. The new version is a direct result of customer feedback requiring faster and predictable turnaround time. Version 1.5 includes significant improvements to the optimisation algorithms in Monterey's patented Global Design Technology to reduce total memory usage by 20% and increase performance by 65%. These improvements enable Monterey's customers to achieve design closure much faster than with version 1.3. Improvements include electromigration-driven clock tree routing. This is important for customers designing using deep submicron technologies at 0.13um and below.
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4. IR transceiver slims down to fit latest PDAs
Agilent Technologies has announced a new serial infra-red transceiver that is ideal for new-generation personal information devices, such as PDAs, which are becoming increasingly thinner and more compact. These highly popular personal information devices capitalise on the infra-red link to enable widely used applications like business card exchange, data synchronisation, data and file transfer, as well as new applications like mobile commerce. With a profile of 2.7mm high by 9.1mm wide by 3.65mm deep, the Agilent HSDL-3000 is one of the smallest transceivers in the market
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5. Multimedia extends 2.5 and 3G wireless devices
Driving the development of emerging 2.5 and 3G wireless applications, Texas Instruments has announced the availability of a new TI OMAP-based multimedia extension that can be used with Symbian's software development kits. The new plugins enable developers designing real-time applications such as multimedia messaging, video and Internet audio to take advantage of the multimedia capability in the Symbian software platform enhanced by TI's fully open DSP-based OMAP platform. "TI's new extensions with the industry-proven Symbian SDKs will accelerate the introduction of multimedia capabilities for 2.5 and 3G applications", said Jouko Hayrynen, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Nokia Mobile Phones.
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6. Glands screen and seal for EMC at sea
EMC interconnect specialist KEC has introduced a new bulkhead gland kit that has been specially developed for use at sea and in other harsh environments. Adopted by BAE Systems Marine as the standard EMC gland kit for current and new generation programmes such as LPD, Astute and Type 45, the KA 0641 provides top levels of 360-degree electrical screening and environmental protection to IP66 and IP67. Made from aluminium bronze, the KA 0641 is ideal for screening and sealing cables passing through bulkheads, panels or into enclosures and avoids the need for expensive inline connection.
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7. Machine vision makes PSU ATE run even faster
The fast measuring speed of the Intepro 9000 series ATE from Schaffner EMC Ltd can now be complemented with the addition of an advanced machine vision system, which eliminates many of the bottlenecks of the test process, increasing throughput and thereby reducing the costs of quality control. The new system uses one or more high-resolution CCD cameras mounted on the power supply test fixture of the Intepro 9000 series tester, combined with Neuro-Check advanced pattern-recognition software called up within the object linking environment of Schaffner's own PowerStar 5 test executive.
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8. 60W dual-output convertor needs no heatsink
The DualQor series of dual-output industry-standard quarter-brick-sized isolated DC/DC convertors from SynQor is capable of delivering up to 60W at 5 and 3.3V, without the need for an attached heatsink. The convertor module employs synchronous rectification and a patented topology to achieve efficiencies up to 90%. The DualQor converter has a 48V nominal input (35 to 75V range) and meets transient load requirements up to 100V for 100ms.
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9. Rugged PCI chassis squeezes in four slots
Amplicon's RK-604A rugged industrial 4-slot mini node chassis with pure PCI backplane and its highly compact design is ideal for applications where space is at a premium, and may be used either as a wall or desk mount chassis for control/embedded applications. This compact chassis measuring just 248 x 260 x 122 mm, made out of heavy duty steel, has been designed to incorporate any PCI backplane, but in particular the popular NuPro 775 bus backplane suitable for half-size boards. The device operates from an in-built 105W ATX power supply with 85-265V AC, or optional DC input.
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10. First 64bit 66MHz multiport Ethernet adapter
Sequoia has introduced the world's first 64bit 66MHz multiport Ethernet adapter, which features a PCI short-form size, ideal for ISPs, wireline and wireless servers and other high-performance telecommunications applications. The Znyx ZX370 Series from Sequoia provides increased bandwidth, reduced latency and a compact size compared with other multiport network adapters. The ZX370 Series is the first Ethernet adapter to break the 33MHz barrier, providing a 66MHz (or 33MHz) host PCI connection, with latency-sensitive packets now communicating with the host server in half the normal time.
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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LOW-TEMPERATURE POLYSILICON LCD IN ITALIAN EBOOK
IPM-NET has chosen Toshiba's 20cm low-temperature polysilicon LCD technology to deliver low-power high-resolution display functionality in a new electronic book to be launched this summer.
Toshiba Electronics Europe, 3 May 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tos/tos116.html
AC DRIVES POWER NOVEL AUTOMOTIVE TEST RIG
The reliability of car timing belts, is being revisited following the installation by Slater Drives Systems of AC drives on an innovative test rig.
ABB Automation, 3 May 2001
mailto:abb1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/abb/abb110.html
UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
Mike Rea, MD of AEC UK, explains about keeping the power on and shows how uninterruptible power supplies save data from corruption and ultimately save companies time and money.
AEC UK, 7 May 2001
mailto:aec1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/aec/aec100.html
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...And take a look at these stories too...
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SPACE-SAVING OPTICAL INTERFACE IC
A low-power optical interface IC that combines all the functionality for IrDA-compliant infra-red communications with built-in EMI protection will save space and simplify EMC compliance.
Rohm Electronics (UK), 2 May 2001
mailto:roh1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/roh/roh106.html
BICMOS OP AMPS FEATURE LOW OFFSET VOLTAGE
Microchip has announced a new family of unity gain stable op amps with low offset voltage.
Arizona Microchip Technology, 2 May 2001
mailto:ari1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ari/ari102.html
TRIPLE-OUTPUT POWER MODULES SHRINK ADSL DESIGNS
Texas Instruments has unveiled two new triple-output plug-in power solutions for asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) applications.
Texas Instruments, 3 May 2001
mailto:tex1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex102.html
1480nm PUMP LASER DIODE FOR DWDM SYSTEMS
Anritsu has introduced a 1480nm pump laser diode offering a minimum in-fibre power of 300mW.
Anritsu (UK), 7 May 2001
mailto:anr1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/anr/anr102.html
LINE DRIVERS FOR ALL ADSL AND G.SHDSL TECHNOLOGIES
Elantec Semiconductor has introduced a new family of CPE line drivers.
Elantec Semiconductor, 7 May 2001
mailto:ela1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ela/ela100.htm
NEW PACKAGE SHRINKS IGBT MODULES
Dynex Semiconductor has released a compact IGBT module package designed for applications up to 3300V, including traction auxiliaries and specialist motor drives.
Dynex Semiconductor, 7 May 2001
mailto:dyn1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dyn/dyn103.html
AC'97-COMPLIANT AUDIO CONVERTOR GAINS PEN INPUT
Wolfson Microelectronics reckons it could revolutionise the PDA industry by combining pen-input functionality with a high-performance portable audio codec.
Wolfson Microelectronics, 7 May 2001
mailto:wol1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wol/wol104.html
SINGLE-CHIP TRANSMITTER TUNES ITS OWN ANTENNA
An integrated, single-chip ASK RF transmitter designed specifically to meet the needs of low-cost loop antenna transmitters is now available from Micrel Semiconductor.
Micrel Semiconductor Europe, 7 May 2001
mailto:mib1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mib/mib114.html
LIGHTNING AND TRANSIENT ZONE PROTECTION IN ONE
Advance-Galatrek has launched a new range of transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSSs), with devices optimised for a variety of applications.
Advance-Galatrek, 2 May 2001
mailto:agk1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/agk/agk105.html
EXTENDED-TEMPERATURE MINI ELECTROLYTICS LIVE LONG
Manufactured by Nippon chemi-Con and available from Young ECC, LXYVB miniature aluminium electrolytic capacitors provide life spans of 2000-8000h at 105C with rated ripple current.
Young-ECC Electronics, 7 May 2001
mailto:you1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/you/you102.html
BUDGET COMPACTPCI DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM
I-Bus/Phoenix has launched a new value-oriented high-reliability CompactPCI platform.
I-Bus/Phoenix, 3 May 2001
mailto:ibu1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ibu/ibu105.html
EMBEDDED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR BLUETOOTH CORE
Silex Communications has announced an exciting new development tool that lets designers run their own application code in the CPU of the single-chip Bluetooth solution, BlueCore.
Silex Communications, 4 May 2001
mailto:sib1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sib/sib103.html
15-MICRON DOT SPACING IMPROVES LCD CONTRAST
New character LCD modules that incorporate the latest technology to offer a dramatic improvement in viewability and readability are the first new display products to be announced by Flint.
Flint, 2 May 2001
mailto:fli1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fli/fli110.html
MOBILE LCD GRAPHICS DISPLAY FOR UNDER A FIVER
Following successes with LCD graphic technology in a wide range of mobile devices, DV3 Displays has introduced an off-the-shelf mobile LCD graphics display at less than GBP 5 in small volumes.
DV3 Displays, 2 May 2001
mailto:dvt1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
DESKTOP CASE BECOMES A CASED SUBRACK
The SRS Products Netcase desktop range has been extended to accept components that convert the case to a cased subrack.
SRS Products, 7 May 2001
mailto:sub1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sub/sub113.html
SERVOMOTORS PROVIDE ULTRA-SMOOTH OPERATION
Industrial Devices Corporation has introduced its new BN Series of brushless servomotors.
Industrial Devices Corporation, 7 May 2001
mailto:ine1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ine/ine100.html
ADAPTER PUTS DC/DCS UP TO 100A ON SURFACE MOUNT
Vicor has introduced a novel interconnect scheme.
Vicor UK, 2 May 2001
mailto:vic1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/vic/vic100.html
FILTERED D-TYPES FIT STANDARD SHELL DIMENSIONS
The Amtech 7.5A filter D-type connector uses a novel design to provide excellent levels of EMC and yet is built in the same shell dimension as a standard D connector.
Aerco, 3 May 2001
mailto:aea1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
CPU BOARD SUPPORTS DUAL 1GHZ PENTIUM PROCESSORS
Based on the Via VT82C694X/VT82C686B chipset, the Rocky 3742EVFG CPU board from Wordsworth Technology supports dual Intel Socket 370 Celeron processors through to a 1GHz Pentium III processor.
Wordsworth Technology, 7 May 2001
mailto:wor1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wor/wor103.html
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE FOR VLSI AND SOC TESTING
The Teradyne J973EP VLSI test system made its first appearance in Europe at Semicon Europa.
Teradyne, 3 May 2001
mailto:tee1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tee/tee102.html
MICROWAVE SWITCH SYSTEM AIDS HF TESTING
Keithley Instruments' Model S46 microwave switch system is the first system of this type that can be ordered in a wide variety of configurations for off-the-shelf delivery.
Keithley Instruments, 3 May 2001
mailto:kei1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/kei/kei100.html
STAINLESS-STEEL SENSOR HAS HIGH BURST PRESSURE
New from PSI-Tronix, the PSI-4/20 two-wire pressure transmitter has stainless-steel wetted surfaces, making it compatible with most fluids and gases.
PSI-Tronix, 7 May 2001
mailto:psi1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/psi/psi101.html
EMC SOFTWARE CONTROLS BOTH EMISSIONS AND IMMUNITY
EMC Compliance 3 is a highly flexible, fully configurable Windows-based test management tool for creation, execution, data acquisition and reporting of all EMC emissions and immunity tests.
Schaffner EMC, 7 May 2001
mailto:sca1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sca/sca113.html
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