Top Stories Texas Instruments Release New Digital Audio Solution Better sound quality for a wide range of applications Consumers who play music on their PC or home audio systems will soon be able to enjoy the world-class, concert-hall sound quality of high-quality home entertainment systems thanks to a new digital audio solution from Texas Instruments Incorporated. This all digital audio solution combines TI's newly developed true Digital Audio Amplifier with its leading digital signal processor (DSP) technology to enable a richer, fuller and crisper sound quality when listening to music on your home stereo system or with your PC. In addition, this new technology will also help bring the highest sound quality to other consumer and automotive entertainment applications, such as digital headsets, home theater in a box (HTIB), car audio systems and traditional home audio mini-stereo systems. "TI has established a new standard in sound quality for PC and home audio systems. With this digital audio technology, audio systems will now be able to offer a sound quality that seems like you are listening to an orchestra playing in one of the world's most renowned concert halls," said Harry Davoody, vice president of TI's Digital Audio Video/Imaging Business Unit. "TI developed this complete digital audio solution by combining its new Digital Audio Amplifier with its leading DSP technologies, allowing consumers to enjoy the audio performance of high-quality home entertainment systems at a more reasonable price." According to DSP and audio market research firm Forward Concepts, the PC and home audio industries are moving away from analog audio systems and replacing them with new systems that are using digital audio technologies to improve the sound quality and performance. "Digital audio technologies are driving the consumer entertainment market. With the emergence of digital audio amplifiers, the market dynamics are changing again as OEMs leverage this technology to bring the audio performance of high-quality stereo systems to the PC and home audio systems," said Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts. "By combining its leading DSP technology with its newly developed, true Digital Audio Amplifier, Texas Instruments has clearly established itself as one of the leading suppliers of digital ICs for the audio market." TI's Digital Audio Technology Brings High-Quality Audio to the Consumer TI's new digital audio solution is based on four basic components. At the heart of the system is TI's DSP technology. When the application requires decoding or additional audio processing, the solution will leverage a TMS320C54x™ DSP to enable the host system to send digital data directly to the speakers from a CD, DVD, TV, game console, the Internet or other source. The DSP also provides audio filtering and processing for Dolby Digital, 3-D Surround Sound, DTS, MP3, and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). The solution will also use TI's dedicated Digital Audio Processor to perform speaker equalization and correction, tone management, dynamic range compression and expansion, and volume, bass and treble control. To communicate with the PC or the home audio system, the solution must have a digital interface chip, such as TI's Universal Serial Bus (USB) streaming controller or S/PDIF chip. The final piece of the digital audio solution is TI's new true Digital Audio Amplifier. The new Digital Audio Amplifier technology is based on the equibit™ technology from Toccata Technology, a company TI acquired in March 2000. In today's audio systems, companies are using an analog method to boost the signal, but by keeping the audio signal in a digital format, this technology has removed the majority of static and noise that is normally introduced into the signal when using analog amplifiers. In addition, TI's Digital Audio Amplifier technology does not require bulky heat sinks so audio manufacturers are able to greatly reduce the form factor size and power consumption of their design by up to a factor of 10. Applications In All Audio Areas Many types of audio applications can benefit from the high quality, power efficiency, space savings and ease of use in TI's all-digital audio solution. These include consumer entertainment such as HTIB, DVD receivers and mini/micro systems, PC gaming and entertainment applications, business applications, such as speakerphones and multimedia conferencing systems, and digital headsets for all application areas. In addition, TI's all-digital audio solution will enhance automotive entertainment, reducing space and heat dissipation for manufacturers while allowing consumers to enjoy the experience of high-quality multichannel digital audio in their vehicles. The company's Web site address is http://www.ti.com/. All trademarks are the property of Texas Instruments. [Reprinted with kind permission from Texas Instruments]

 HeadLines

Analog Devices Releases New MP3 Chip Atmel AT90S Microcontroller with USB Interface New High Speed 8051-Compatible Microcontroller New Low Voltage Step-Down Controller New Highly Accurate Battery Pack Controller New PIC 18Cxxx Microcontroller with Integral CAN Solution New microprocessor integrates Ethernet and USB on-chip Texas Instruments Release New Digital Audio Solution

 Other Stories
Zilog Annouces Internet Connectivity Software for it's Z180 Series
New Motorola MCU
Higher Resolution Scanners Possible
New Headphone Amp is excellent for Computer Applications
TI Announces new Bluetooth Chipset
First RISC-based Programmable System-On-A-Chip Announced
STMicroelectronics Announces Front-end Breakthrough for Digital Satellite Receivers and STBs
TI Acquire Burr-Brown
New GPS Receiver IC with Accuracy within 0.5m
New Improved Voltage Convertor from ON Semiconductor
National Semiconductor Improves Internet Delivery through the Cellular Network
New Dual Digital Potentiometer from Dallas Semiconductor
Linear Technologies New Single Supply Precision Op-Amp
Maxim's new RS485 Receivers with Fault Detection
Phillips new two-chip solution for Contactless Angular Measurement
Motorola's New Turbo-Charged ColdFire Microprocessor
Linear Technology's New Active Low Pass Filter
New Supply Monitor IC monitors 4 Voltage Lines ST Microclectronics releases new Flash Microcontroller with Flash Protection
New Technology for High Quality Phone Calls over the Internet
New Single Supply High Precision Op-Amps
24-bit Analogue to Digital Convertor Released
PICmicro®'s with USB Connectivity
National Semiconductor Class D Audio Power Amplifier Chipset
Philips Semiconductors breaks the 64k Barrier
New CMOS Single Gate Logic Products
World's Lowest On-Resistance Analog Switch
New Temperature Sensor with Comparator
Philip's New CAN 2.0B Compliant Microcontroller
Analog Devices New Sound Chip
ADC with Temperature Correction
Digital Temperature Sensor with SDI
New CMOS Series Voltage Reference
Motorola's New Audio Super-Chip
New Temperature Sensor Reads Temperature at Four Positions
Analog Devices New Op-Amp
New Low Pressure Sensor
Energy Measurement IC's The Latest
Current Sense Amps now come in Small Packages
New Reset and Fail Comparator