Design Features: October 12, 1995

Cover Story
Streamlined custom processors: when stock performance won't cut it	Designing your own µP, µC, or DSP core-based system on a chip gives you access to core interfaces that wouldn't be available in a standard, off-the-shelf device. To make the most of your custom designs, familiarize yourself with these interfaces and various hardware emulators/ debuggers. —Marcus Levy, Technical Editor
Design Features The hottest new technologies and the latest design techniques to help you work efficiently and effectively.
New peripheral interfaces: fast & full of features	Your choices for peripheral interfaces have never been greater. The venerable IDE and SCSI are newly enhanced. New interfaces, such as USB, SSA, and Fibre Channel are becoming available. How to choose the right one? Consider price, performance, features, and technical maturity. —Maury Wright, Technical Editor
CCDs let you design vision into applications	The wide price range and versatility of CCDs make them well-suited for many applications. industrial and commercial uses for CCDs have flourished in the '90s. —John Gallant, Technical Editor
Choosing a heat sink: some tips and recommendations	There can be a bit more to choosing a heat sink than you might think. You need to consider thermal performance in addition to a variety of physical configurations. —Catharina Biber, Wakefield Engineering
"Xs" in digital simulation: Beware, here be dragons!	Anyone using a digital simulator can expect to encounter the dreaded "X" value, but there are few who truly understand its precocious sense of fun. This article tracks the nefarious "X" to its lair and reveals why users should be warned: Beware, here be dragons! —Clive "Max" Maxfield, Intergraph Electronics
Designing a DECT telephone tests your receiver knowledge	Designing a DECT telephone is similar to designing a digital FM radio. Noise figure, bit error rate, and intermodulation distortion all come into play. A good design allocates a receiver budget for each function in the radio. —Martin LaCon, Hewlett-Packard EEsof Division