Consumer Electronics

According to an iSuppli tracking study, in 2007 consumer electronics will account for 23.3% and 19.6% of all electronics equipment and semiconductor revenues, respectively. As a percentage of system revenue, semiconductor revenue is increasing from 16.7% in 2007 to 17% in 2011. For that 5-year period, logic, analog, and memory will account for the largest portions of semiconductor revenue with 33.5%, 21.2%, and 14.7% shares, respectively. Below is a sampling of parts that should impact the consumer market.

Digital ICs Suited for next-generation, portable, HD video products, Texas Instruments (www.ti.com) offers the TMS320DM355 embedded DaVinci processor with ARM host control and complete developments tools. The part enables HD Video for less than $10 and doubles the battery life of today’s HD products. The corresponding development tool, the DM355 Digital Video Evaluation Module (DVEVM), will help developers quickly and easily create low-cost portable digital-video devices with HD video capability.

Texas Instruments TMS320DM355 embedded DaVinci processor

Targeting attachable Web cameras and laptop-embedded cameras, Vimicro (www.vimicro.com) offers the VC0336 Web camera processor , featuring a vast array of functions for enhancing web camera multimedia experiences such as HD video recording, audio recording, auto focus, and audio noise cancellation.

The M25PX32 32-Mbit serial flash memory with dual I/O from STMicroelectronics (www.st.com) is suited for digital flat panels and set-top-boxes, The device guarantees the support of a 75 MHz frequency through the entire 2.7 to 3.6 V supply voltage range and through the 40 to 85C industrial temperature range.

Analog ICs Maxim Integrated Products (www.maxim-ic.com) introduces the MAX7453 three-channel video reconstruction filter and buffer for Y/C (S-video) and CVBS video signal applications. Supporting all SDTV video formats, this device enables designers to turn two system-on-a-chip DAC outputs into three video outputs.

Analog Devices’ (www.analog.com) ADV7520NK low-power HDMI v1.3 transmitter for portable media and DVD players, video recorders, and other mobile multimedia devices can support high-definition audio and video content. The part integrates a buffer and includes 5-V-tolerant I/Os that support I2 C and hot plug detect.

Analog Devices ADV7520NK HDMI v1.3 transmitter

The LDS9350 and LDS9302L families of audio codecs from Leadis (www.leadis.com) use Gmax amplifier technology, which dramatically increases power efficiency and extends battery life in portable audio applications. The codecs need only 4 mW of power for quiescent current. The LDS9350 integrates a stereo codec, a Gmax stereo headphone amplifier, and integrated stereo FM transmitter, and a dc/dc converter, while the LDS9302L includes the Gmax headphone amps and provides all the same codec functionality and performance as the LDS9350, but without the onchip FM transmitter.

Platform

Atmel’s (www.atmel.com) AT91CAP ARM microcontroller-based system-on-chip platform features fast local memory, a wide range of industry-standard peripherals and interfaces, and a Metal Programmable (MP) Block that allows the designer to add custom logic. It enables application-specific products to be developed in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost of standard-cell ASICs, but at a unit price close to that of standard cell devices.

Atmel’s AT91CAP platform Changing the way we hear music CSR’s (www.csr.com) BlueCore technology enables the latest MP3 and portable media players (PMP) to stream music to two or more Bluetooth headsets simultaneously, allowing users to share music wirelessly. Since BlueCore supports native MP3 coding, the MP3 stream is sent directly to another device without needing to transcode the files from MP3 to SBC (the default coding in Bluetooth).

CSR’s BlueCore technology

Christina Nickolas