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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 27: 14 August 2001
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2254 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. LED driver saves space for backlighting
2. Development for embedded Internet applications
3. Convertors swiften PSU design cycles
4. Transceiver is smaller, faster and goes further
5. Little box of tricks to house compact SBCs
6. Platform accelerates SoC design and verification
7. VXI Tektronix replacement programme
8. Stripped-down 16bit MCU for volume applications
9. Feature rich printer is most compact ever seen
10. Test cells aid EMC self-certification
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these stories too...
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
Some months ago I was commenting on the painfully slow advance of the set-top-box market, and several of you offered your opinions, the strongest one of which was that there was little need to buy an STB and expensive TV when a PC could do the same job for a fraction of the cost.
So it was with great interest that I read this week that "TV-on-a-PC" specialist Hauppauge has developed a simple device, the WinTV Nova-T, that turns a PC into a free-to-air digital receiver and video recorder. Nova-T takes its input from a standard TV antenna, and uses the PC's hard drive as its recording medium.
Brown goods manufacturers beware. Nova-T will be available from UK high street and web retailers from the end of the month. Two versions will be available: a USB module, costing £199 inc VAT, and a PCI board for just £149 inc VAT. And with the number of free-to-air digital stations increasing almost monthly, this development may well shift the perception of the main vehicle for home entertainment.
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, email me directly.
Best wishes
Laurence Marchini, Editor
mailto:lauren[-email removed-]nicstalk.com
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THIS WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
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IMEC OPENS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICE IN CHINA
IMEC has opened a business development office in Shanghai to strengthen the interaction with Chinese companies and to set up new partnerships in China.
IMEC, 8 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ime/ime100.html
ISRAELI TRIO SCOOP TI UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
Three students from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology were awarded the US$100,000 grand prize for TI's DSP and Analogue University Challenge.
Texas Instruments, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex131.html
ASPEX EXPANDS TO NEW EURO HQ
Fabless semiconductor company Aspex Technology has announced opened a new European headquarters at Denham, Middlesex.
Aspex Technology, 14 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/asp/asp102.html
BRIGHTCOM EXPANDS WORKFORCE, AND MOVES TO HOUSE IT
Thanks to the success of its Bluetooth Application Processors BrightCom Technologies is to move its HQ and hire more engineers, doubling the size of the company to 60 people compared with a year ago.
BrightCom Technologies, 14 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/bri/bri104.html
INNOVEDA SHEDS 140 JOBS IN QUEST FOR PROFITS
Innoveda has reduced its global workforce by approximately 140 people in a move aimed at positioning the company for a rapid return to profitability.
Innoveda, 9 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/inn/inn117.html
SURTECH BOOSTS CONTRACT MANUFACTURING OPERATION
Surtech Interconnection has boosted its production capabilities with a GBP 600,000 investment in a new production line based on two Multitroniks Intelliplacer 10 pick-and-place machines.
Surtech Interconnection, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sue/sue100.html
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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1. LED driver saves space for backlighting
Toshiba Electronics has launched a compact, high-efficiency LED driver IC that will reduce battery power, lower component count and simplify the design of cellular phones, PDAs, portable terminals and other space-limited applications that use a white backlight. Supplied in a miniature, six-pin SOT23 package, the TB62731FU step-up DC/DC convertor delivers an output power of 320mW, allowing it to drive up to six white LEDs in series with a minimum of external components.
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2. Development for embedded Internet applications
LiveDevices has launched its Embedinet Pro software development kit (SDK) to accelerate the development of low-cost embedded Internet solutions for the data telemetry, home appliance and automotive markets. Available at a 40% introductory discount, the package includes the complete range of high-performance hardware and software required by OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to design pervasive computing solutions within tight budgets and timescales. The Embedinet Pro SDK provides a feature rich, TCP/IP connectivity solution that is designed to minimise resource usage.
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3. Convertors swiften PSU design cycles
Texas Instruments has released a series of high-performance synchronous-buck DC/DC convertors that enable designers to quickly develop a power supply with as few as six external components. The new synchronous DC/DC convertors with internal 12A MOSFET switches are capable of supplying greater than 6A of continuous output current over the entire operating temperature range and operate over a 3.0 to 6.0V input voltage range.
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4. Transceiver is smaller, faster and goes further
Available now from Low Power Radio Solutions, the BiM 2 transceiver is a complete reworking of one of the most successful low-power-radio products of all time. Operating in the harmonised pan-European SRD band at 433.92MHz, and fully compliant with both EN 300 220-1 and ETS 300 683, the BiM 2 integrates a SAW-controlled FM transmitter with a double-conversion superhet receiver to provide bidirectional wireless communication at ranges up to 200m.
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5. Little box of tricks to house compact SBCs
According to Impulse, the AEC-6100 Industrial Mini PC Box is an ideal housing unit for system integration using any compact card from Aaeon's PC line of compact single board computers. The AEC-6100 special size of 7.5 x 8.5 x 2.5in gives end users flexibility in movement and placement. The rear of the chassis houses a range of application adapters such as four RS-232 ports, a parallel port, and four USB ports.
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6. Platform accelerates SoC design and verification
Mentor Graphics describes its Platform Express environment as the semiconductor design industry's first for rapidly creating, configuring and verifying platform-based, SoC designs. The Platform Express environment enables design teams to build and configure a platform core and its corresponding peripherals and software in a virtual prototype. Simultaneously, Platform Express generates a custom verification environment to verify interfaces in the portion of the design surrounding the embedded processor and its attached peripherals.
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7. VXI Tektronix replacement programme
Following the announcement that Tektronix has made its VXI product line obsolete from the 31st March 2001, VXI Technology has created a programme that allows specific Tektronix products to be replaced with functionally superior products that will be supported for at least the next 10-15 years. These products, available in the UK exclusively from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), will enable existing Tektronix VXI product users to continue building systems with minimal engineering impact, and yet provide an upgrade path that can fully utilise the benefits of the VXI Technology line of modular switches and instruments.
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8. Stripped-down 16bit MCU for volume applications
Hitachi has extended its popular H8S/22xx 16bit Flash microcontroller series with a new stripped-down reduced-cost device. The H8S/2214F is available in a compact chip scale package (CSP), ideal for volume production of applications such as portable audio, video and communications devices; bar code readers; portable medical equipment; and handheld measurement equipment. The H8S/2214F offers 128Kbyte embedded Flash memory, 12Kbyte RAM and a basic peripheral set to minimise cost in comparison with other members of Hitachi's H8S/22xx series.
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9. Feature rich printer is most compact ever seen
The most compact 3in (7.62cm), 5V thermal line printer mechanism yet produced concentrates many print capabilities into its small volume. The new CP305 MRS from Able Systems is 20mm in height, including the printer control board, with outside dimensions of the entire package measuring just 121 x 20 x 55mm. Operating from a single power supply of 4.5 to 8.5V maximum, the CP305-MRS features software controllable printing modes with two resident character sets, five graphics modes and support for ten bar code standards.
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10. Test cells aid EMC self-certification
Laplace has introduced a range of EMC test cells aimed at the self-test and self-certification market. The Lc300 and Lc600 are compact test cells, fully calibrated for radiated emissions and immunity field strength. They will accept products up to 35cm cube and 60cm cube, respectively.
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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LSI PUTS COMPAQ SERVERS ON A FASTER PCIbus
LSI Logic is supplying high-performance PCI-X I/O chips to Compaq Computer for its market-leading ProLiant DL760 and ProLiant ML750 servers.
LSI Logic Europe, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lsi/lsi106.html
BROWSER SPEEDS SET-TOP BOX TO SPANISH MARKET
ANT's Fresco browser is a key component in telecomms manufacturer Interisa's digital set-top box (STB), which is being supplied to Spanish broadcaster Quiero TV.
ANT, 9 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ant/ant101.html
THERMAL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE CUTS DEVELOPMENT TIME
PipingHot Networks, developer of broadband wireless access equipment, has cut 3 months off the development time for a customer subscriber unit using Flotherm thermal management software.
Flomerics, 10 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/flo/flo100.html
VACUUM SYSTEM SPEEDS PRODUCTION TESTING AT CTS
To enhance its functional test procedures for back panels, CTS Corp has installed a central vacuum system at its High Blantyre (Glasgow) manufacturing plant.
Rietschle (UK), 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rie/rie101.html
SPOKANE SCHOOLS USE GIGABIT ETHERNET
The city of Spokane, Washington wanted to find ways for technology to make a difference in its children's education.
RAD Data Communications, 8 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rae/rae100.html
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HOT-SWAP CONTROLLER INTEGRATES EXTRA FUNCTIONS
New from Supertex is the HV00LG hot-swap controller, negative supply IC, in an 8-lead SOIC package.
Supertex, 8 August 2001
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FOUR-CHANNEL PCI UART BROADENS DESIGN OPTIONS
Exar has expanded its family of universal asynchronous receiver transmitters (UARTs), with the XR17C154, quad (four-channel), PCI-based communications device.
Exar Europe, 8 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/exa/exa102.html
SMALLER MOSFETS DELIVER STANDARD PERFORMANCE
Fairchild Semiconductor reckons the first of its new generation of PowerTrench N-channel MOSFETs is substantially smaller than competing devices.
Fairchild Semiconductor, 10 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fai/fai128.html
LOW THERMAL RESISTANCE FOR HIGH-POWER IGBTS
Dynex Semiconductor has released a new range of high-power 3300V IGBTs packaged in industry standard isolated module outlines.
Dynex Semiconductor, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dyn/dyn103.html
COMPACT GENERAL-PURPOSE RELAY WON'T BREAK THE BANK
Easby Electronics is stocking a new, very-low-cost PCB-mounting relay from Schrack.
Easby Electronics, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/eas/eas111.html
NC RELAYS FOR SWITCHING SMALL ANALOGUE SIGNALS
Omron has extended its newest G3VM range of MOSFET relays by introducing models with normally closed contacts in single pole, single throw (SPST) format.
Omron Electronics, 14 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/omr/omr126.html
BUDGET EMULATION FOR ADVANCED 16BIT MCUS
Sequoia is bolstering its support for designing advanced 16bit Mitsubishi MCUs, with the introduction of the M30620T-CPE emulator to be used with M16C/62A type microcontrollers.
Sequoia Technology, 14 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/seq/seq116.html
LARGER ENCLOSURE FOR THE HAND OR WALL
Serpac has added new larger size enclosures to its S Series.
OKW Enclosures, 10 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/okw/okw110.html
STANDARD INSTALLATION SYSTEM FOR INDUSTRIAL NETS
Han-InduNet from Harting is a new concept in standardised installation systems for industrial networks and power distribution in plant and machinery.
Harting, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/har/har111.html
ULTRALIGHT SM COAXIAL CONNECTORS KEEP LOW PROFILE
New SMT coaxial connectors from Flint Distribution enable 2.5mm-high PCB-mounted connections, and are among the lightest in the world.
Flint, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fli/fli122.html
GUIDELINES FOR MASS SOLDER TEMPERATURE PROFILING
Available now from Dynamix Technology is IPC-7530, "Guidelines for temperature profiling for mass soldering (reflow and wave) processes".
Dynamix Technology, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dya/dya100.html
MINIATURE COUPLER TO STAR AT ECOC 2001
At ECOC 2001, FibreFab is introducing a number of new fibre-optic products, including the first demonstration of a novel coupler based on optical waveguide technology.
FibreFab, 13 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fib/fib100.html
RACK-MOUNT INVERTER IS PROTECTED IN AND OUT
Unipower Telecom's new INV5000 telecomms inverter produces 230V AC RMS at 5kVA in a 2U-high (88mm) shelf, which is mountable in either a 19 or 23in equipment rack.
Unipower Europe, 9 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/uni/uni113.html
SENSORS IDEAL FOR SENSING PLASTIC PELLET LEVELS
STI Automation Products Group has a pair of ultrasonic sensors ideally suited to sensing plastic pellet levels in large silos.
STI Automation Products Group, 8 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sti/sti102.html
PRESSURE TRANSMITTER HAS A BIG OUTPUT
PSI-Tronix has released the PSI-10000 high level output pressure transmitter.
PSI-Tronix, 8 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/psi/psi102.html
SENSOR MEASURES FORCES IN REAL TIME
New from Sensor Products Inc, Xsensor is an electronic tactile force and pressure indicating sensor.
Sensor Products Inc, 10 August 2001
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/seb/seb103.html
ALL THE FEATURES FROM A SMALLER LVDT
RDP Electronics' DCTH series of short-stroke LVDTs integrate all the features of larger displacement transducers into a compact, rugged housing.
RDP Electronics, 14 August 2001
mailto:rdp1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rdp/rdp117.html
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