Out in Front: December 7, 1995

Silicon Systems’ 32H6840 is the first device that uses mixed-signal technology to integrate DSP and analog motor control onto a single chip. It targets disk, tape, and CD-ROM drives and contains a DSP that is code-compatible with Texas Instruments’ DSP. The high-performance DSP within the 32H6840 operates at 15 MIPS and controls the servo system, comprising the actuator and spindle motors, that handles the closer track spacing of high-density disk drives. The 32H6840 also contains disk-drive-specific functions, such as a fault detector, which retracks the head in the event of a power loss. For low-power operation, the device has a frequency synthesizer that lets you select the DSP clock rate. The 32H6840 sells for $12 (1000) compared with $14 to $16 for discrete analog and digital components. -- by Markus Levy

Silicon Systems, Tustin, CA. (800) 624-8999, ext 151.