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ELECTRONICSTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information Guide
for Electronics Engineers
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London, UK
ISSN 1475-2913 - Free subscription
Published every Tuesday at 12:30 (UK)
Issue 62: 7 May 2002
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5362 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. TeraOPS performance from optically based DSP
2. Full-chip verification includes power simulation
3. Single-fibre connector is alternative to splicing
4. 16bit SAR convertor shrinks to SOT-23 package
5. Easy upgrade for web-enabled data acquisition kit
6. A/D convertor completes audio family
7. Toolset aids remote management of network devices
8. Big bandwidth boosts DSP performance on VME board
9. Simplified design route for RF transceivers
10. World's smallest claim for UMTS duplexer
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these stories too...
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
Time was when supercomputers were truly impressive pieces of kit. You know the sort of thing: bay upon bay of full-height 19in racks, probably needing at least heat exchangers, if not liquid nitrogen, to keep them from frying.
And the largest single application for these goliaths of the computing world was (and indeed still is) attempting to predict the weather.
I know we British feel it is something of a national stereotype to be obsessed by the weather. But we are not alone. Throughout the world, the weather is a tangible subject guaranteed to break the ice at any meeting. But I digress.
Having reported on successive generations of supercomputers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, each of which was deemed capable of ever-more-accurate meteorological prediction, it comes as something of a sea change to find that the latest attempt to model global climate change will rely not on supercomputers, but on the average PC. And we can all help.
Full details of the project can be found at www.climateprediction.com. But the basic premise is that the best way to predict the behaviour of a model such as the global climate is to run a whole series of simulations, each starting from slightly different data. And while each individual simulation is a (relatively) straightforward task, running the hundreds of thousands or millions of variants would take even the most powerful supercomputer upwards of 30 years to complete.
So, working in much the same way as the se[-email removed-]oject has done for the last few years in using surplus processing power in home computers to search for extraterrestrial life, Climateprediction.com gives each participant a single simulation to run, spanning the years 1950 to 2050.
The neat part is that the results will be easy to filter in that the climate pattern for 2000 is a known item, and so only those simulations that are still on track at that stage need to be analysed. (Which is handy, considering that up to 2 million participants will be involved.)
All of which rather takes me back. Many industry analysts of the 1980s predicted that networks of PCs might one day be able to replace supercomputers. Personally, I'll settle for knowing whether it's going to rain tomorrow while I'm playing golf.
I hope you find this issue of our weekly newsletter useful. We currently have more than six thousand engineers and other industry professionals on the circulation, so you're in good company.
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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R AND D EXPANDS AS IMEC REVENUES RISE
IMEC has revealed its financial results for 2001.
IMEC, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ime/ime105.html
EUROPEAN ACQUISITIONS PUT MORE POWER TO NATIONAL
National Semiconductor has acquired Fincitec and ARSmikro, based in Kemi, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia, respectively, in deals worth a total of US $15 million.
National Semiconductor, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nat/nat171.html
AMD TO DEVELOP 64bit MIPS-BASED DEVICES
MIPS Technologies has licensed its MIPS64 instruction set architecture (ISA) to AMD.
MIPS Technologies, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mip/mip157.html
RECORD QUARTER FOR MONTEREY
Monterey Design Systems has recorded its highest ever revenues in the quarter to 31st March.
Monterey Design Systems, 2 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mon/mon123.html
NEAR 50% REVENUE GROWTH FOR TTPCOM
TTP Communications has revealed its preliminary results for the year ended 31st March 2002.
TTPCom, 3 May 2002
mailto:ttp1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ttp/ttp130.html
RITTAL EXPANDS IN GERMANY
Rittal Electronic Systems has opened a new facility near Nuremberg in Germany.
Rittal, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rit/rit122.html
PENTAIR CONSOLIDATES SCOTTISH OPERATIONS
Pentair Enclosures Europe is combining its two operations in Scotland.
Schroff UK, 3 May 2002
mailto:sch1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sch/sch131.html
BOOKHAM "PLEASED" WITH FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
Bookham Technology has revealed its results for the first quarter ended 31st March 2002.
Bookham Technology, 1 May 2002
mailto:boo1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/boo/boo108.html
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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1. TeraOPS performance from optically based DSP
Lenslet Labs has unveiled the architecture of the world's first commercial reconfigurable optically based digital signal processing engine (ODSPE). The ODSPE boosts the performance of digital signal processing, setting new performance levels of tera (one trillion, or 10 to the power of 12) operations per second, in a single component. The core of the ODSPE is based on an optical architecture, which performs vector-matrix multiplication (VMM) in a single machine cycle. The programmable optical core provides on-the-fly reconfigurability, meeting the market demand for functional flexibility.
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2. Full-chip verification includes power simulation
Lexsim from Nassda Corp is a full-chip circuit-level simulator designed for post-layout verification of large integrated circuits and their associated power networks. Lexsim is the first EDA tool able to simulate the nanometer effects of both the power network and signal interconnects for complex ICs with millions of transistors. By enabling semiconductor designers to identify and correct nanometer design problems during verification, Lexsim can help create chips that work successfully at first silicon.
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3. Single-fibre connector is alternative to splicing
Innovative technology, originally developed by Lemo for the CERN European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has been used in the manufacture of the first subminiature single-fibre-optic connector. This ground breaking technology has led to the production of the Lemo Redel D Series of connectors which offer an alternative to fibre splicing in confined areas, making them ideal for applications in the avionics, particle physical research, telecommunications and datacommunications industries.
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4. 16bit SAR convertor shrinks to SOT-23 package
The AD7680 is a 16bit successive approximation register (SAR) ADC with 15bit no missing codes in a 6-lead SOT-23 package. This is the industry's first 16bit SAR ADC in this tiny package. Featuring a fast throughput rate of 100Ksample/s, and using an advanced design technique to achieve low power dissipation (typically 3mW at 3V or 15mW at 5V), this convertor is the most recent addition to the Analog Devices PulSAR family of 16bit SAR ADCs.
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5. Easy upgrade for web-enabled data acquisition kit
The Adam-6000 series from Advantech is an Ethernet based family of data acquisition and control modules for use in applications such as building automation, unmanned stations and environmental monitoring sites. Internet connectivity and web pages enable users of Adam-6000 to achieve high-speed control and acquisition of data from anywhere in the world. Firmware upgrades are also possible via the Internet. Products in the Adam-6000 series can be combined to create an integrated system that is specifically designed to meet the exact needs of a given application.
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6. A/D convertor completes audio family
The WM8738 from Wolfson Microelectronics is the first in a family of dedicated stereo audio ADCs designed specifically to meet the emerging requirements for high quality recordable digital media. With the introduction of the WM8738, Wolfson now offers a complete kit of products (DACs ADCs and codecs) needed in the audio subsystem of high-performance consumer applications.
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7. Toolset aids remote management of network devices
The WindManage device management product suite from Wind River enables manufacturers of networked devices to quickly and easily incorporate a wide range of remote management capabilities into their products, providing a complete set of pre-integrated, standards-based technologies. As networks grow in size and complexity, the need for strong device management capabilities is essential. WindManage accelerates the development process by enabling manufacturers to build a variety of management layers quickly and to systematically upgrade and customise management interfaces across multiple product releases and product lines.
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8. Big bandwidth boosts DSP performance on VME board
New from Dy 4 Systems, the Champ-AV II quad 500MHz PowerPC 7410 board uses Dy 4's novel QuadFlow nonblocking architecture. QuadFlow provides for exceptionally high total node-to-node data flow of up to 2Gbyte/s, which combines with the power of the AltiVec DSP enhancements of the 7410 to offer the highest performance of any VMEbus DSP product. The new board embodies Dy 4's vision to build hardware platforms that simplify software development.
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9. Simplified design route for RF transceivers
RFast is a complete development environment for the Xemics XE1200 transceiver series. The RFast allows users to evaluate RF products, and to develop, debug and optimise XE1200 applications. RFast includes RF demo examples for quick application designs. RFast also supports CoolRide software and other C development tools. It consists of the XE1200 general interface board (XE1200GIB), a target board, demo software and connecting cable.
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10. World's smallest claim for UMTS duplexer
Epcos has developed the world's smallest duplexer for use in UMTS mobile phones. Using SAW technology, the duplexer measures only 3.8 x 3.8 x 1.35mm. Duplexers are key RF components within third generation UMTS and CDMA phones. The devices are used to separate the signals sent and received simultaneously at different frequencies, thus permitting trouble free operation at the highest possible datarates.
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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CONNECTORS CLEAN UP FOR CARDIAC MONITORING
Developed by Aortech to improve patient care, the TruCCOMS cardiac monitoring system required the most reliable connector technology available.
Lemo (UK), 3 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lem/lem105.html
CONNECTORS SURVIVE REALITY TV
Polecam, a revolutionary portable camera and microphone system on a 6m pole, designed to go where cameramen and cranes cannot, requires reliable connector technology.
Lemo (UK), 7 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lem/lem107.html
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SINGLE-CHIP PHY EXTENDS TO INDUSTRIAL TEMPERATURES
LSI Logic has extended the operating temperature range of its popular 10/100 PHY, which now operates in rugged industrial temperature environments of -40 to +85C.
LSI Logic Europe, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lsi/lsi126.html
QFN PACKAGE IS SMALLER AND COOLER THAN TSSOP
Texas Instruments, IDT and Hitachi have combined to introduce 20-, 16- and 14-pin quad flat no-lead (QFN) packaging for gate and octal bit width logic devices.
Texas Instruments, 1 May 2002
mailto:tex2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex258.html
DUAL-OUTPUT CONTROLLER FOR FLEXIBLE POWER
The Endura ISL6225 is a highly efficient next-generation dual PWM controller IC for mobile applications.
Intersil, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ina/ina165.html
HIGH ACCURACY FROM COMPACT LDOs
The latest series of LDO linear regulators from Rohm are compact devices designed for low voltage applications requiring high accuracy.
Rohm Electronics (UK), 2 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/roh/roh124.html
COMPACTFLASH CARDS RUN TO INDUSTRIAL TEMPERATURES
Toshiba has extended its high-performance CompactFlash cards with versions that can meet the portable storage requirements of applications operating across the industrial temperature range.
Toshiba Electronics Europe, 2 May 2002
mailto:tos1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tos/tos147.html
WEB-BASED TOOL SPEEDS PRODUCT EVALUATION
PMC-Sierra has developed a new online tool to assist customers and partners in product evaluation.
PMC-Sierra, 2 May 2002
mailto:pmc1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pmc/pmc116.html
EASY INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMABLE ANALOGUE DEVICES
The ispPAC 30 system design kit allows fast and easy development of analogue designs using Lattice ispPAC programmable analogue components, including the new ispPAC 30 device.
Silicon Concepts, 3 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sli/sli102.html
INTEGRATED MAGNETIC MODULES ISOLATE AND FILTER
An integrated magnetic module provides all the isolation and common mode filtering required to support four pairs of category 5 UTP cables for use in Ethernet 100/1000Base-T duplex applications.
DT Electronics, 1 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dte/dte105.html
MICROWAVE AIR COILS FOR MICROELECTRONICS CIRCUITRY
Atek Technology has added microwave air coils to its range of specialist electronic materials.
Atek Technology, 7 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ate/ate102.html
HIGH-EFFICIENCY OSCILLATOR RUNS DOWN TO 1.6V
A new crystal oscillator from Fox Electronics, the F4500 Series, offers an input voltage of 1.8V +/-5%, with an operating voltage as low as 1.6V.
Fox Electronics, 7 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fox/fox103.html
MULTICORE DEBUGGING BOOSTS SYMBIAN DEPLOYMENT
Accelerated Technology, the Embedded Systems Division of Mentor Graphics, has become a Symbian Platinum Partner.
Mentor Graphics UK, 2 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/men/men187.html
DRIVER DEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT TAKES ON NATIONAL USB
Jungo Software Technologies has produced a driver development toolkit for National Semiconductor's USB device family.
Jungo, 3 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/jun/jun103.html
TRANSFLECTIVE PANEL IS BEST OF TWO LCDs IN ONE
NEC's 10.4in NL6448BC33-50 is a completely new type of VGA module known as a transflective panel.
Sunrise Electronics, 7 May 2002
mailto:suc1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/suc/suc113.html
DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS AVAILABLE FROM STOCK
Now in stock at Link Microtek is a broad range of high-performance directional couplers manufactured by US market leader Narda Microwave.
Link Microtek, 3 May 2002
mailto:lib1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lib/lib108.html
FEEDTHROUGHS, SEALS AND PACKAGES COME TO THE UK
Atek Technology has been appointed exclusive UK distributor for the Thunderline-Z range of feedthroughs, hermetic glass to metal seals and packages.
Atek Technology, 7 May 2002
mailto:ate1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ate/ate101.html
HIGH EFFICIENCY AND PFC FROM DIN-RAIL PSUs
HiTek Power has released the Hi-Rail low-voltage, DIN rail mounted power supply.
HiTek Power, 2 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/hwo/hwo102.html
INSTRUMENTATION PSUs HAVE UP TO THREE OUTPUTS
Datel's DMS-PS-CM series of AC/DC instrumentation power supplies are ideal for driving modern transducers, digital panel meters, op amps and data-acquisition components in complex applications.
Datel (UK), 2 May 2002
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http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dad/dad111.html
DIN-RAIL PSUs TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH
The Inlec series of efficient low-voltage DIN-rail mounted power supplies delivers a constant regulated 12 or 24V and will tolerate a broad range of input supply variations.
BTL Powertech, 3 May 2002
mailto:btl1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/btl/btl100.html
QUICK-FIT RELAY BOARDS TAKE ON PC PORTS
Available from Audon Electronics is a range of low-cost relay boards for connection to PC parallel and serial ports.
Audon Electronics, 2 May 2002
mailto:aud1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/aud/aud101.html
VME TAKES TOP-SPEED PENTIUM ONBOARD
Concurrent Technologies is extending its Intel-based VME processor family with the VP 100/01x, a high-performance low-power VME single-board computer.
Concurrent Technologies, 3 May 2002
mailto:cct1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cct/cct115.html
TWO PROCESSORS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
Intel's new dual processors for thin low-power 'ultra-dense' blade servers are available now in the new IBC 2800 range of PICMG 2.16 compliant, 6U single-slot CompactPCI blade servers.
I-Bus/Phoenix, 3 May 2002
mailto:ibu1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ibu/ibu121.html
PROGRAMMABLE PSUs FOR STAND-ALONE TEST OR ATE
The XDC Series of power supplies comprises a range of ten models offering 12kW of high power for ATE, production test, burn-in, bulk power and OEM applications.
TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), 2 May 2002
mailto:bla1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/bla/bla142.html
FIRST UK BLUETOOTH QUALIFICATION TEST FACILITY
Radio Frequency Investigation has received its official accreditation from the Bluetooth Qualification Review Board as a Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility.
Radio Frequency Investigation, 3 May 2002
mailto:rfi1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rfi/rfi137.html
TROUBLESHOOTER CHECKS COAX AND TWISTED PAIRS
Fluke has an easy-to-use coaxial and twisted-pair cable verification and troubleshooting tool designed for electrical contractors and security installers covering the voice, data and video market.
Fluke (UK), 7 May 2002
mailto:flu1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/flu/flu124.html
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