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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
Last week's delivered circulation: 23,700
Published every Tuesday from the UK.
Issue 212: 19 April 2005
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22559 product announcements and technical articles on our
website http://www.electronicstalk.com/ - all fully searchable
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In this issue:
* Editor's Message
* Other industry news
* Our Top new products selection
[1] Microcontroller is complete signal chain on a chip
[2] Thin film inductors aim for RF applications
[3] Eighth-brick convertors boast increased efficiency
[4] Carrier board simplifies CompactFlash development
[5] New technology speeds system-level verification
[6] Function library speeds DSP programming tasks
[7] Handheld enclosures get a grip
[8] Prototyping family extends to single-chip designs
[9] Brighter claims for while LED range
[10] Compact serdes answer EMI concerns
* New technical articles and case studies
* Other featured product news
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Moore's Law - or rather its publication in the long-defunct magazine Electronics. Indeed, it would be a fair bet that the soon-to-be Intel cofounder Gordon Moore actually wrote the article concerned several weeks before the event.
Nonetheless, the mere fact that 40 years on the formula that the number of transistors that could be realised on an integrated circuit would double each year has remained valid is remarkable. And Moore himself - who never had a great deal of confidence in his original prediction - now believes that his law will hold good for a further 10-20 years.
Not surprisingly, copies of the original copy of Electronics are in short supply. Intel is reportedly offering upwards of $10,000 for a mint example, and there are reports on the net of copies disappearing from university libraries in the USA (notably the University of Illinois).
Could it be that electronics magazines have become collectable? I suspect not, but I shall be hanging on to my old copies of Wireless World just in case.
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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ASIA PACIFIC EXPANSION FOR WOLFSON
(Wolfson Microelectronics, 19 Apr 2005)
Wolfson Microelectronics is expanding its operations in the Asia Pacific region with new offices in Singapore and Osaka, Japan, and with the expansion of its teams in Tokyo, Shenzhen and Seoul.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/wol/wol187.html
or send a blank email to mailto:wol1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
RESTRUCTURING COSTS PUSH FAIRCHILD INTO THE RED
(Fairchild Semiconductor, 18 Apr 2005)
Fairchild Semiconductor has announced results for the first quarter ended 27th March 2005.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fai/fai339.html
or send a blank email to mailto:fai3[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
NEW COMPANY ADDRESSES DESIGN FOR YIELD
(Ponte Solutions, 19 Apr 2005)
Ponte Solutions has revealed plans to deliver the semiconductor industry's first full-chip, model-based design-for-yield solution.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pou/pou100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:pou1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DURASWITCH PUTS NEW NAME TO STOCKHOLDERS
(Duraswitch, 14 Apr 2005)
Subject to stockholder approval next month, Duraswitch is to change its corporate name to InPlay Technologies.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dur/dur143.html
or send a blank email to mailto:dur1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
ALBUQUERQUE TO HOST SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURE
(Emcore Corp, 19 Apr 2005)
Emcore Corp is setting up a modern solar panel manufacturing facility as part of its Albuquerque, New Mexico solar cell fabrication operations.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/emr/emr106.html
or send a blank email to mailto:emr1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
EXPANSION BRINGS SOCKET MANUFACTURE IN-HOUSE
(Dimensions Consulting, 15 Apr 2005)
Dimensions Consulting has doubled the size of its headquarters in Santa Clara, California to include an in-house manufacturing division for all its test sockets.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dim/dim102.html
or send a blank email to mailto:dim1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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OUR TOP NEW PRODUCT SELECTION
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[1] MICROCONTROLLER IS COMPLETE SIGNAL CHAIN ON A CHIP
(Texas Instruments, 15 Apr 2005)
The MSP430F42x0 generation of microcontrollers is billed as the industry's first low cost, signal-chain-on-a-chip (SCoC) MCU solution for high precision sensing and measurement applications. The MSP430F42x0 MCU's ultra-low-power core and complete chain of integrated peripherals such as a 16bit sigma delta analogue to digital convertor (ADC), up to 32Kbyte of Flash memory and a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver with an internal charge pump let designers reduce overall system costs and development time for single-chip portable multimeters, altimeters, industrial weight scales, thermostats and instrumentation and sensor measurement applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex803.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tex8[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[2] THIN FILM INDUCTORS AIM FOR RF APPLICATIONS
(NIC Eurotech, 15 Apr 2005)
In order to address the growing number of RF and wireless applications NIC Components Europe has introduced its NTL series of surface mount thin film inductors. The new high specification inductors complement NIC's existing range of inductive and resistive products, one of the broadest offerings in the market. Housed in ultrasmall, low profile case sizes of 0201, 0402 and 0603 the NTL series has a self resonant frequency (SRF) of up to 10GHz, current rating up to 1.8A, and a high Q-factor across a wide frequency range - up to 52 at 1.5GHz.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/nic/nic143.html
or send a blank email to mailto:nic1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[3] EIGHTH-BRICK CONVERTORS BOAST INCREASED EFFICIENCY
(Lambda, 15 Apr 2005)
Ideal for systems employing distributed power architectures, the new PAE50/100 series of RoHS-compliant eighth-brick DC/DC convertors from Lambda delivers high power within a compact footprint, with increased efficiency and hence reduced system heating. Eight different models are available with output voltages from 1.8 to 5V. The output performance of the PAE50/100 series is unmatched across the range, with output currents of 10 to 30A, delivering output power up to 100W.
Request free details from the supplier:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/lbd/174/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lbd/lbd174.html
or send a blank email to mailto:lbd1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[4] CARRIER BOARD SIMPLIFIES COMPACTFLASH DEVELOPMENT
(C Data Solutions, 14 Apr 2005)
C Data Solutions has a new low cost carrier board for its CompactFlash Computer. The CompactFlash Computer is a Freescale ColdFire MCF5272 processor, 32Mbyte SDRAM, 8Mbyte Flash all packaged in a Type II CompactFlash card, measuring 42 x 37 x 5mm and is preloaded with uClinux. The CompactFlash Computer is available for $200 in small volumes or $100 in OEM quantities. The low cost development kit costs $400. The carrier board has four CompactFlash connectors, two on top and two on the bottom.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cds/cds101.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cds1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[5] NEW TECHNOLOGY SPEEDS SYSTEM-LEVEL VERIFICATION
(Aldec, 19 Apr 2005)
Aldec has released Riviera 2005.04 with an all new system-level simulation engine and improved SystemC debugging. Riviera is based on Aldec's industry-proven VHDL and Verilog mixed-language simulation technology used by ASIC and high-density FPGA designers for new generation system-on-chip designs. Riviera 2005.04 includes an all new simulation technology designed for use in system-level verification. The system-level platform (SLP) incorporates a completely redesigned simulation engine that dramatically reduces simulation run times for gate-level and timing verification.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/axw/axw123.html
or send a blank email to mailto:axw1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[6] FUNCTION LIBRARY SPEEDS DSP PROGRAMMING TASKS
(Sundance Multiprocessor Technology, 13 Apr 2005)
Sundance Digital Processing has released the GDD600, a new and powerful library of floating-point DSP vectors and functions. Offering a broad range of callable functions, the GDD600 library significantly reduces the development time of many DSP applications targeting Texas Instruments' (TI) TMS320 DSP-based platforms. In addition to the hand-coded and optimised functions, the GDD600 includes a data conversion unit that facilitates the conversion of fixed-point and integer formats into floating-point units, as well as the conversion of floating-point units into integer formats.
Request free details from the supplier:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/sda/114/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sda/sda114.html
or send a blank email to mailto:sda1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[7] HANDHELD ENCLOSURES GET A GRIP
(Hammond Electronics, 19 Apr 2005)
Hammond Electronics has launched a new range of handheld enclosures, the 1553 soft-side family. Featuring an ergonometric curved shape that fits comfortably into the hand, the cases are initially available in two sizes, 117 x 79 and 147 x 89mm, both produced in RAL 7035 light grey or RAL 9011 black. The units are moulded in general purpose ABS and are ideal for housing handheld instruments, remote controllers, flying lead machine controllers and many other applications where a stylish, easy to hold enclosure is required.
Request free details from the supplier:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ham/119/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ham/ham119.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ham1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[8] PROTOTYPING FAMILY EXTENDS TO SINGLE-CHIP DESIGNS
(Synad Technologies, 18 Apr 2005)
In support of the rapidly growing ASIC prototyping market, Synplicity is expanding its FPGA-based ASIC prototyping solution offerings by introducing Synplify Proto single-chip ASIC RTL prototyping software. The Synplify Proto software is the first prototyping tool to address the need for single FPGA prototyping by integrating logic synthesis (Synplicity's Synplify Pro Advanced FPGA synthesis) with debugging capabilities (Synplicity's Identify RTL debugger). The product also includes a utility to convert instantiated Synopsys DesignWare IP in the customer's ASIC RTL code to synthesiseable RTL equivalents for the FPGA.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/syc/syc111.html
or send a blank email to mailto:syc1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[9] BRIGHTER CLAIMS FOR WHILE LED RANGE
(Toshiba Electronics Europe, 15 Apr 2005)
Toshiba is commercialising a new range of white LEDs claimed to achieve the industry's highest level of luminosity. The new devices can be used in a variety of domestic and commercial lighting applications that have conventionally used incandescent bulbs, as well as in designs that require high-brightness LCD backlighting. The company is scheduled to ship samples of the new white LED beginning in July and start mass-production in October at an initial volume of 1 million units per month.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tos/tos264.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tos2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[10] COMPACT SERDES ANSWER EMI CONCERNS
(Fairchild Semiconductor, 15 Apr 2005)
Fairchild Semiconductor has an innovative new line of ultracompact serialiser/deserialisers called uSerDes (micro-serdes), offering the industry's most compact, lowest EMI and lowest power solution for high speed data serialisation within ultraportable applications. The new Fairchild FIN12 and FIN24 series devices are ideal for solving the increasingly complex design challenges posed reliable data transmission, in particular through the hinge or rotation axis to the display in clamshell designs. These uSerDes devices reduce traditionally wide parallel paths of data to a high-speed serial link, reducing the interconnection to six to seven times fewer wires.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fai/fai338.html
or send a blank email to mailto:fai3[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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CHIPSET AIMS TO BOOST BANDWIDTH FOR LEGACY FIBRE
(Phyworks, 15 Apr 2005)
Electronic dispersion compensation implemented in integrated circuit technology may prove to be the solution to the 10Gbit/s multimode fibre challenge.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/phy/phy105.html
or send a blank email to mailto:phy1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
FPGAS BOOST PROCESSING POWER FOR HD ENCODING
(Altera Europe, 18 Apr 2005)
Inlet Technologies is leveraging the performance of Altera's Stratix series of FPGAs for its Fathom product.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/aeu/aeu156.html
or send a blank email to mailto:aeu1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DSP-BASED SYNTHESISER IS MUSIC TO THE EARS
(Texas Instruments, 15 Apr 2005)
Alesis' new Fusion Synth Workstation for professional and "prosumer" musicians is powered by three floating-point digital signal processors from TI's TMS320C67xT DSP generation.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex802.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tex8[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
NOVEL LCD MODULES MEET GAMING DEMANDS
(Anders Electronics, 14 Apr 2005)
Anders Electronics is providing high-resolution 2.8in QVGA low temperature polysilicon TFT LCD modules for the multi-entertainment handheld device from Gizmondo Europe.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/and/and113.html
or send a blank email to mailto:and1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
CUSTOM TESTERS SPEED AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS TO MARKET
(National Instruments, 14 Apr 2005)
One of the world's largest suppliers of automotive systems and components has adopted NI products to reduce delivery time, costs and floor space in manufacturing.
Request free details from the supplier on PXI modular instruments:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/naa/197/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/naa/naa197.html
or send a blank email to mailto:naa1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
MEDIA PROCESSING BLOCKS HELP PUT VOIP TO THE TEST
(Pika Technologies, 14 Apr 2005)
Empirix is using reliable Pika media processing building blocks to enable voice services in its Hammer FX-TDM test systems.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/pka/pka107.html
or send a blank email to mailto:pka1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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Other featured new product news
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MCU PACKS IN A MEGABYTE OF FLASH
(Renesas Technology Europe, 15 Apr 2005)
A new microcontroller boasts the highest level of Flash integration available on any general purpose MCU.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ren/ren185.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ren1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
CHIP-ON-BOARD MODULES SUIT EMBEDDED APPLICATIONS
(Swissbit Group, 15 Apr 2005)
Swissbit reckons that its chip-on-board assembly method for memory modules offers many advantages not found in traditional surface-mount technology chip packaging forms.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sss/sss103.html
or send a blank email to mailto:sss1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DUAL-PORT RAMS PROMISE MORE BATTERY LIFE
(Cypress Semiconductor, 14 Apr 2005)
Cypress Semiconductor has unveiled a family of five high-performance MoBL (more battery life) dual-port RAMs targeted at mobile phone and PDA applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cyp/cyp255.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cyp2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
WIRELESS SOC CUTS BUDGETS FOR DOMESTIC NETS
(Zensys, 19 Apr 2005)
As the lowest priced, most efficient and smallest wireless solution in the home control space, the ZW0201 makes affordable, easy-to-use connected home solutions a reality for the mass market.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/zes/zes100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:zes1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
CAPACITORS PERFORM IN MICROWAVE APPLICATIONS
(AVX, 13 Apr 2005)
A new family of high performance RF/microwave capacitors have been designed for matching, bypass, coupling, feedback and DC block functions.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/avx/avx111.html
or send a blank email to mailto:avx1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
BUDGET TOOL AIDS PROGRAMMING, DEBUGGING AND TEST
(Computer Solutions, 13 Apr 2005)
The Cyclone Max is a flexible low-cost tool for Flash programming, debugging and testing of high-end microprocessors such as the Power PC and ColdFire.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/com/com136.html
or send a blank email to mailto:com1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
FRAGMENTED APPROACH AIDS TRANSISTOR-LEVEL DEBUG
(Concept Engineering, 15 Apr 2005)
New software improves transistor-level debugging and optimisation for IC and SoC designers using the Virtuoso Schematic Editor environment from Cadence Design Systems.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cce/cce103.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cce1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
LCD SLIPS IN TO REPLACE TIRED OUT CRTS
(Kent Modular Electronics, 15 Apr 2005)
A novel universal replacement 12.1in TFT chassis monitor fits in place of existing 12in cathode ray tube monitors in legacy applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/knt/knt105.html
or send a blank email to mailto:knt1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
ELASTOMERS INCORPORATE FERROUS FILLED POLYMER
(Chomerics Europe, 15 Apr 2005)
Cho-Mute can be used to eliminate EMI and EMC problems in a variety of applications such as transmitters, receivers, microcontrollers and microprocessors.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cho/cho129.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cho1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
AUTOMATIC TESTER CHECKS OUT PCB MANUFACTURE
(Concoat, 19 Apr 2005)
The Auto-SIR is a novel automatic tester that measures surface insulation resistance of printed circuit boards.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cnc/cnc115.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cnc1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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