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ELECTRONICSTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information Guide
for Electronics Design, Development and Manufacturing Engineers
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ISSN 1475-2913 - Free subscription
Published every Tuesday from the UK.
Issue 146: 6 January 2004
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14212 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] DSP-based boards are low-cost entry to PXI
[2] Active clamping boosts power controller efficiency
[3] Four-output supply squeezes in more power
[4] Signal integrity tool solves IC package parasitics
[5] Speedy DRAMs aim for broadband systems
[6] Embedded acquisition board goes to extremes
[7] Stencils smooth the switch to lead-free processing
[8] Low-voltage Flash cards cut consumption
[9] Resettable fuses aim for telecomms protection
[10] Platform speeds switch to digital surveillance
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these stories too...
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
Welcome to Electronicstalk in 2004, a year that is already showing highly promising signs for the electronics industry around the globe. And its not as if 2003 was all that bad, with the news yesterday that November's chip sales were up a whopping 26% on the figure recorded in 2002.
Mind you, when you try to analyse exactly what it is that has caused such a surge, the picture is not at all clear. Or, more to the point, so many different technologies are laying claims to driving the market recovery that there can be real hope of sustainability (the spectre of shortages notwithstanding).
Many pundits are predicting 2004 as the year of Wi-Fi, the gurus of Detroit have dubbed it "the year of the car", the Bluetooth community is certain its own time has come, and PC makers are looking ahead to a whole new generation of machines to be ready for the next chapter in the Microsoft Windows saga (which allegedly will require hardware specifications that render today's machines obsolete).
Add to that the global roll-out of 3G cellular services and increased worldwide provision of digital TV and radio services, and the market opportunities for electronics OEMs seem to expand ad infinitum.
One factor that is different in this recovery is that the market is even more global than it has ever been, with trade barriers descending and the Internet providing real opportunities for manufacturers to address demand, wherever it may be.
With just a modicum of good fortune, it could be a very happy new year indeed.
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.
Alternatively, the full stories behind all the summaries and headlines in this newsletter can be retrieved by email alone: see details below.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions as to how we might make the site or the newsletter better, email me directly.
Best wishes
Laurence Marchini, Editor
mailto:ne[-email removed-]nicstalk.com
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THIS WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
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To read more, use the web links. Or get the full stories emailed back to you: just send a blank email to the address shown. It's a free service. Try it! It works!
ACQUISITION TO AID SINGLE-CHIP GIGABIT ETHERNET
Agere Systems has acquired TeraBlaze, a privately held developer of Gigabit Ethernet switching solutions based in Cupertino, California.
Agere Systems, 5 January 2004
mailto:age1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/age/age118.html
FURTHER FUNDING GEARS NALLATECH FOR SALES ASSAULT
Nallatech has secured GBP 2 million in a second round of funding from existing investors, 3i and Scottish Equity Partners.
Nallatech, 24 December 2003
mailto:nal1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nal/nal116.html
ACQUISITION OPTIMISES LAYOUT PORTFOLIO
Cadence Design Systems has completed the acquisition of Q Design Automation, a privately held company and the leading provider of innovative solutions for migrating and optimising IC layout.
Cadence Design Systems, 6 January 2004
mailto:cad1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cad/cad191.html
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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1. DSP-based boards are low-cost entry to PXI
Exacq Technologies has developed two new product families of data acquisition boards for the PXI platform. The XH Series high speed data acquisition board line and the XM Series multifunction analogue I/O board line offer DSP-based performance and accuracy at a groundbreaking price point for the PXI platform, starting at just $795. Using a local 143MHz, 32bit digital signal processor (DSP), 16Mbyte of onboard memory, and PCIbus mastering, the new PXI-based Exacq data acquisition boards provide glitch-free capture and/or playback of analogue signals of a length limited only by host RAM size, even under Windows.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ecq/101/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ecq/ecq101.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ecq1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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2. Active clamping boosts power controller efficiency
The LM5025 is an integrated 100V pulsewidth modulation (PWM) controller for forward convertors with the active clamp/reset technique used in distributed power architectures. This new device is designed for high switching frequencies and provides higher efficiencies and greater power densities than conventional forward regulators in communications, automotive, distributed and industrial power systems, and multi-output power supplies. The active clamp technique is one of the most popular single-ended topologies used in distributed power architectures, allowing operation at duty cycles above 50% and higher primary to secondary turns ratios in the power transformer.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nat/nat262.html
or send a blank email to mailto:nat2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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3. Four-output supply squeezes in more power
The quad-output eF175 is billed as a landmark in component power supplies offering 175W output from an industry standard 84 x 127mm footprint. This remarkable power density is the result of using Gresham's military design experience and employing state-of the art power switching techniques. The PCB layout, transformer design and thermal management have all been derived from military projects.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ges/109/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ges/ges109.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ges1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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4. Signal integrity tool solves IC package parasitics
Icemax is the newest addition to Fluent's design suite of products for the electronics industry. Icemax joins Icepak, the leading electronics thermal design tool, IcePro, the mechanical CAD interface to Icepak, and Qfin, the heatsink design and optimisation tool, complimenting the successful suite of products. Developed specifically to address the signal integrity issues in today's high-speed IC package designs, Icemax provides substrate designers and electrical analysts with an easy-to-use and highly automated modelling environment, seamlessly integrated with CAD data from major EDA layout vendors.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/fue/103/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fue/fue103.html
or send a blank email to mailto:fue1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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5. Speedy DRAMs aim for broadband systems
Toshiba has started to sample 512Mbit XDR DRAMs with a data transfer speed of 3.2GHz, the world's fastest speed of any memory device. XDR DRAMs are designed for high-performance broadband applications, including digital consumer electronics, network systems and graphic systems. The XDR DRAM is based on Rambus's XDR memory interface technology and offers octal datarate, which transfers eight data per clock cycle and offers eight times the bandwidth of today's best-in-class PC memory.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tos/205/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tos/tos205.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tos2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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6. Embedded acquisition board goes to extremes
The Stratus-X-ND is a PC/104 card that enables high-speed data acquisition without interrupts. Designed for extreme duty operation (from -40 to +85C), the card is suitable for use by OEMs in medical, military, aerospace, scientific and communications applications where commercial-off-the-shelf solutions are necessary. The card provides a large 1Msample buffer to eliminate interrupt latency issues and enable embedded high-speed transient data recording for Linux and Windows applications. In addition, multicard software legacy compatibility modes are provided for existing third-party software driver support.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ape/100/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ape/ape100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ape1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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7. Stencils smooth the switch to lead-free processing
Enabling the transition to lead-free production, innovative stencil design features, improved squeegee blade technology and added component protection have been announced by stencil specialist, Tecan. The next-generation solutions, specifically designed to improve the surface-mount technology (SMT) process, help to simplify the transition to lead-free manufacturing. Improvements to solder paste deposit consistency and resultant solder fillets are achieved by employing multilevel stencils, polished electroformed squeegees and reflow reflector shields.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tea/149/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tea/tea149.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tea1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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8. Low-voltage Flash cards cut consumption
Renesas Technology Europe has added dual-voltage and reduced-size dual-voltage versions to its MultiMediaCard (MMC) family, both of which are capable of operating on either 1.8 or 3V. The new 32, 64 and 128Mbyte cards can reduce system power consumption and size for 1.8V systems while supporting existing 3V systems. Both versions are suitable for use in digital consumer products such as mobile phones, digital cameras, PDAs, portable music players and digital TVs. The company has also developed 256 and 512Mbyte 3V MMCs.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ren/121/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ren/ren121.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ren1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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9. Resettable fuses aim for telecomms protection
Wickmann's range of Polyfuse fully resettable fuses has been widened with the introduction of the HVR250 series. Positive polymeric temperature coefficient (PPTC) devices, the fuses are optimised to provide overvoltage and overcurrent protection for telecomms and networking equipment which has to comply with the International Telecommunications Union's K20, K21, K45 and Telecordia GR-974 requirements. The HVR250 through-hole fuses can be supplied in uncoated and coated versions with hold currents from 80 to 180mA.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/wic/111/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wic/wic111.html
or send a blank email to mailto:wic1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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10. Platform speeds switch to digital surveillance
The Ateme VSIP is a new video development platform designed to support the transition from analogue to intelligent digital video surveillance. Video surveillance systems are currently undergoing a transition where more and more analogue solutions are being replaced by digital. Digital technology enables audio/video data compression that minimises transmission bandwidth and storage requirements and permits security cameras to operate on standard data networks without the expense of bulky coaxial cables.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/kan/153/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/kan/kan153.html
or send a blank email to mailto:kan1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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BRIDGE CHIP MAXIMISES DISK DRIVE SPEED
(Oxford Semiconductor, 6 January 2004)
Oxford Semiconductor's OXFW912 FireWire800 to IDE bridge chip is enabling LaCie's new Big Disk Dual FireWire drive to achieve data transfer rates up to 88Mbyte/s.
* Free brochure on OXFW912:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ofo/114/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ofo/ofo114.html
(or email mailto:ofo1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
RTOS HELPS DEPLOY SPACECREW ESCAPE SYSTEMS
(Green Hills Software, 26 December 2003)
Lockheed Martin Corp has selected the Integrity-178B RTOS for the vehicle management and control system on a novel unmanned crew escape demonstration test bed.
* Free brochure on Integrity-178B:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/gre/161/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/gre/gre161.html
(or email mailto:gre1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
THE MIND BEHIND THE WIRELESS MOUSE
(Cypress Semiconductor, 6 January 2004)
Carl Brasek, WirelessUSB Marketing Manager of Cypress Semiconductor's Personal Communications Division, looks at the key RF requirements for a wireless PC human interface device.
* Free brochure on WirelessUSB:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/cyp/217/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cyp/cyp217.html
(or email mailto:cyp2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
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...And take a look at these stories too...
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LEAD-FREE MOSFETs KEEP THEIR HEADS DOWN ONBOARD
(Toshiba Electronics Europe, 24 December 2003)
A new lead-free power MOSFET package offers full pin compatibility with existing TO-220 devices, while delivering a 13.5% reduction in PCB mounting height and significantly faster switching speeds.
* Free brochure on TO-220SIS MOSFETs:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tos/204/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tos/tos204.html
(or email mailto:tos2[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
BASEBAND CONTROLLER TAKES ON LATEST BLUETOOTH
(MindTree Consulting, 26 December 2003)
The BlueWiz1.2 Bluetooth baseband controller is one of the first BQB-qualified SoC IPs that implements all the mandatory and optional features of the V1.2 specification.
* Free brochure on BlueWiz1.2:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/mdt/100/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mdt/mdt100.html
(or email mailto:mdt1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
CELLPHONE MELODY CHIP SOUNDS A GOOD VIBE
(Rohm Electronics (UK), 26 December 2003)
A new stereo melody sound source IC for cellphones combines simultaneous generation of up to 64 polyphonic tones with LED and vibration control that can be synchronised with the sound output.
* Free brochure on BU8709KN:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/roh/165/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/roh/roh165.html
(or email mailto:roh1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
PLANAR PULSE RESISTORS AID DYNAMIC BRAKING
(TT Electronics Welwyn Components, 24 December 2003)
A new range of enhanced planar pulse resistors for dynamic braking provide a high-performance solution for variable speed AC motor drives and other pulse absorbing applications.
* Free brochure on Planar pulse resistors for dynamic braking:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/wel/118/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wel/wel118.html
(or email mailto:wel1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
EDUCATIONAL PRICING FOR DEVELOPMENT KIT
(Cambridge Microprocessor Systems, 6 January 2004)
A new low-cost software and hardware package enables educational establishments to provide a group of students with free access to industrial application programming tools.
* Free brochure on QF-200 education package:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/cri/101/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cri/cri101.html
(or email mailto:cri1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
FRONT PANELS AT THE DOUBLE
(Rittal, 1 January 2004)
A new high-speed service for subrack and plug-in board front panels provides a one-stop shop for front panels, including cutouts, screen printing or engraving and alternative finishes.
* Free brochure on Subrack and plug-in-board front panels:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/rit/161/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rit/rit161.html
(or email mailto:rit1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
TESTER KEEPS AN EYE ON PCB CONTAMINATION
(FinePoint Precision Cleaning, 29 December 2003)
A novel unit provides localised testing for corrosive or conductive residues on critical areas of printed circuit assemblies that will monitor and facilitate improvement in the manufacturing process.
* Free brochure on C3:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/fne/102/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fne/fne102.html
(or email mailto:fne1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
FLAGSHIP SBC GAINS RUGGED OPTIONS
(Thales Computers, 29 December 2003)
Thales Computers has released two new rugged versions of its flagship PowerEngine7 single board computer.
* Free brochure on PowerEngine7:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tha/126/0
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tha/tha126.html
(or email mailto:tha1[-email removed-]ctronicstalk.com )
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Engineering vacancies on the internet
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There are many recruitment websites out there, but Electronicstalk can recommend the following as we have had a relationship with them for some time:
Engineers Online: http://www.engineers-online.co.uk/
GoJobsite: http://www.gojobsite.co.uk/
Jimfinder.com: http://www.jimfinder.com/
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Browse the Electronicstalk archive by email!
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