September 12, 1997

Communications Products

Every issue, EDN brings you the latest products that best meet your design needs. Many of these products are useful in just about any application area; others are applicable in specific areas. Communications is one field that we believe merits special attention, so we present a sampling of new communications products that caught our eye. Take a look; you might well find something you could use.

ASIC implements hybrid fiber-coax-cable modem

.Designed for reception and transmission of data over broadband, coaxial-cable networks, the STEL-2176 contains in one IC all of the modulator/demodulator functions necessary for subscriber modems in hybrid fiber-coax-cable systems. On the downstream path, the demodulator section is programmable to receive 16, 64, or 256 QAM signals and provides analog and digital AGC and digital-carrier tracking. The output is MPEG-2-compliant. On the up-stream path, the modulator section is programmable to either QPSK or 16 QAM PSK modulated signals with optimal spectral shaping and fine-tuning resolution across an output frequency range of 5 to 65 MHz. The STEL-2176 costs less than $30 (OEM).

Stanford Telecom, Sunnyvale, CA. 1-408-745-2660, fax 1-408-541-9030, www.stelhq.com.

DC/DC converter powers amp and radio in cell phones

Two dual-output dc/dc converters are intended for wireless handsets, providing high-power outputs that directly drive amplifiers by delivering as much as 5.5V at 800 mA from a one- to three-cell battery. An on-chip linear regulator provides a low-noise, 200-mA output for radio baseband and logic circuits. Both the MAX1705 and the MAX1706 feature a synchronous-rectifier PWM boost topology with internal switches and efficiencies as high as 95%. The devices accept inputs as low as 0.7V and provide outputs that are adjustable from 2.5 to 5.5V. The MAX1705 has an internal, 1A n-channel MOSFET switch for output currents to 800 mA. The MAX1706 has a 0.5A switch that allows smaller inductors at lower output currents. Prices start at $2.96 (1000).

Maxim Integrated Products, Sunnyvale, CA. 1-408-737-7600, ext 6087, www.maxim-ic.com.

GaAs FET features high dynamic range, low noise

Useful in the receivers of cellular and PCS base stations, the CFB0301 GaAs MESFET maintains a noise figure of less than 1 dB across a frequency range of 0.8 to 2.0 GHz with a 34-dBm third-order intercept point. The device, which has a 600-µm gate width and 1/4-µm gate length, comes in an industry-standard, 70-mil surface-mount package. The CFB0301 costs $3.50 (100,000).

Celeritek Inc, Santa Clara, CA. 1-408-986-5060, fax 1-408-986-5095, www.celeritek.com

VCO/PLL signal analyzer lowers phase-noise floor

Used to test all types of VCOs with embedded PLLs from 10 to 3000 MHz (optionally to 26.5 GHz), the enhanced HP 4352B signal analyzer offers a lower phase-noise floor to meet wireless-VCO requirements. The instrument provides typical offset of ­157 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz in response to wireless GSM, DECT, and CDMA measurement needs for a phase-noise floor of ­150 dBc/Hz. In addition, option 001 for the HP 4352B provides a control voltage drive of ­15 to +35V. Measurement speed is optimized for high throughput, covering 100-Hz to 10-MHz frequency offset in 7.1 sec/sweep in the phase-noise-measurement mode. The HP 4352B costs $50,000; option 001 costs $3000.

Hewlett-Packard Co, Palo Alto, CA. 1-800-452-4844, www.hp.com.

Digital down-converter fits TIM-40 form factor

Controlled by an onboard 60-MHz TMS320C44 DSP, the SMT324 digital down-converter ex-tracts a narrowband radio signal anywhere within the IF bandwidth. The standard-sized TIM-40 module includes 1 or 4 Mbytes of SRAM and two HSP50016 digital-down-converter chips operating at 50 MHz. The bandwidth and sample rate of the baseband signals are programmable. In-phase and quadrature complex data passes to the C44 DSP across external-memory buses. Prices start at £3000.

Sundance Multiprocessor Technology Ltd, Waterside, Chesham, UK. +44 1494 793167, fax +44 1494 793168, www.sundance.com.

DBS-receiver chip allows variable rate

Combining all the mixed-signal functions necessary to capture and process high-quality audio/video signals in DBS equipment, the SATCOM2 chip set features a variable data rate. The chip set forms a complete receiver front-end, including demodulator, baseband filter, ADC, and digital receiver. SATCOM2 demodulates QPSK signals ranging from 10 to 85 Mbps and complies with open DVB standards for satellite video transmission. The analog-signal processor accepts 480-MHz intermediate frequencies from commercially available L-band tuners. The two-chip set costs less than $18 (consumer volume).

Analog Devices Inc, Norwood, MA. 1-617-937-1428, fax 1-617-821-4273, www.analog.com.

GaAs MMIC serves as space-saving CDMA driver amplifier

Housed in a tiny 28-pin SSOP, the AWD1900 driver amplifier serves as an active-device building block for CDMA cellular-telephone transmitters operating from 1850 to 1910 MHz. The part consists of a three-stage, Class A GaAs MESFET cascaded amplifier; an SPDT output switch; and an integrated, 1-bit, 15-dB attenuator. Equipped with switchable dual outputs, the AWD1900 has a typical ACPR of 40 dBc at an output power of 10.5 dBm. The device also provides a stepped gain function of 32 dB/17 dB. Operating from a 5V supply, the IC draws less than 100 mA. The AWD1900 costs $5 (100,000).

Anadigics Inc, Warren, NJ. 1-908-668-5000, fax 1-908-668-5132, www.anadigics.com.

Thermal-analysis program targets telecomm equipment

Flotherm software uses computational fluid dynamics to help you design telecomm equipment and associated enclosures with adequate airflow and heat transfer around complex subsystems and racked circuit boards of varying geometries and heat outputs. The program lets you anticipate airflow and heat transfer in and around enclosed systems by generating 3-D predictions of air movement and temperature. Flotherm evaluates the effects of such variables as rack spacing; power dissipation; circuit-board and subsystem configuration; heat-sink size, shape, and placement; fans; enclosure walls; vent placement; and natural ventilation characteristics. Annual licenses start at $14,000.

Flomerics Inc, Marlborough, MA. 1-508-460-0112, fax 1-508-624-0559, www.flomerics.com.

Kit creates set-top boxes

Packing both hardware and software, this reference-design kit gives you what you need to build a set-top box. Hardware consists of a PowerPC 403GC RISC processor, a CD21 MPEG-2 audio/video decoder chip, a peripheral chip, 4 Mbytes each of system and video memory, 2 Mbytes of flash memory, a transport-interface module connector, an audio DAC, a digital encoder, and a peripheral expansion port. Development environments that come with the kit are based on pSOSystem, OS-9, and DAVID operating systems. The reference-design kit costs $7500.

IBM Microelectronics, Hopewell Junction, NY. Fax 1-415-855-4121, www.chips.ibm.com.

GaAs power amplifier works at 1.9 GHz

The MRFIC1818R2 1.9-GHz GaAs integrated power amplifier comes in a PFP-16 power flatpack that optimizes thermal and electrical performance through a solderable backside contact and allows the convenience and cost benefits of reflow soldering. For use in Pan-European digital 1W DCS1800 handheld radios, the amplifier provides 33-dBm output power with a power gain greater than 30 dB from a 4.8V supply and 36-dBm output power with a 6V supply. The device costs $18.95 (1500).

Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector, Phoenix, AZ. 1-602-413-3593, fax 1-602-413-4433, mot-sps.com/sps/general/about.html.

Transistor driver operates from
4.8V with 60% collector efficiency

This 0.25W npn silicon bipolar transistor--for use as a driver in GSM Class IV phones and in AMPS, ETACS, or 900-MHz NMT cellular handsets--offers high gain and efficiency. At 4.8V, under digital-telephone operating conditions, the AT-38086 provides 28-dBm output power (23.5-dBm CW output), 60% collector efficiency, and 11-dB power gain, all at 900 MHz. Supplied in a compact, outline-86, plastic, surface-mount package, the AT-38086 costs $0.80 (10,000).

Hewlett-Packard Co, Palo Alto, CA. 1-800-537-7715, www.hp.com.

10BaseFL transceiver IC cuts power by 35%

Four members join a family of 10BaseFL transceivers, all of which are implemented in a BiCMOS process that reduces power dissipation. The ML-4668, a medium-access unit that contains the standards-compliant AUI, plugs into the same socket as the ML4663 yet lowers power dissipation by 35% compared with a system based on the older device. The ML4667 is a BiCMOS implementation of the ML4662. For cost-sensitive applications, the ML4665 offers the same MAU function as the ML4668 but eliminates some options. The ML4669 is a 10BaseFL-to-10BaseT media converter. All four devices drive as much as 100 mA of current into the LED. Prices range from $18.10 to $21.90 (1000).

Micro Linear Corp, San Jose, CA. 1-408-433-5200, fax 1-408-432-1627, www.microlinear.com.

Low-noise devices enhance DBS
receivers and low-noise-box amplifiers

Two microwave/RF devices, the MGF4919G and MGF-4714CP, offer low-noise performance for DBS-receiver front-end applications and for second- and third-stage amplification in low-noise boxes, respectively. Housed in a ceramic package, the MGF4919G has a maximum noise specification of less than 0.5 dB with a minimum associated gain of 12 dB at 12 GHz. The MGF4714CP --supplied in a cost-effective, plastic surface-mount package--has a maximum noise specification of 1 dB with a minimum associated gain of 11 dB at 12 GHz and is easily matched to 50 ohm stripline. The MGF4919G and MGF4714CP cost $1.20 and $0.90, respectively (100,000).

Mitsubishi Electronics America Inc, Sunnyvale, CA. 1-408-730-5900, fax 1-408-732-9382, www.mitsubishi.com.

Dual-mode radio test set covers 800 MHz to 1.9 GHz

Based on the vendor's 11.10 specifications, the 2967 radio test set supports all protocols necessary to test GSM900, DCS1800 (GSM), and PCS1900 (GSM) subscriber units. In addition, the 2967 supports analog cellular standards, such as TACS, AMPS, NMT, and worldwide trunking systems based on MPT 1327. The 2967 tests all the essential RF and audio parameters by comprising a host of standard RF instruments, including a spectrum analyzer, a CW frequency counter, audio sources, an audio analyzer, and a digital multimeter. Prices start at $36,800.

Marconi Instruments Inc, Portland, OR. 1-888-369-2586, ext 105, www.marconi-instruments.com.

Communication controllers trim features to reduce cost

A feature-optimized version of the MPC860 family of communication controllers, the MPC850 series offers smaller packages, reduced cache sizes, and fewer serial channels for cost-sensitive applications. The MPC850SE is a subset of the MPC8xx architecture and includes DMA support and one Ethernet channel. The MPC850 expands this channel into a full serial-communications controller that accommodates multiple protocols, including Ethernet and HDLC. The MPC850 also adds a USB channel. Both devices come in 25-, 40-, and 50-MHz versions, and prices start at $27 and $29 for the MPC850SE and MPC850, respectively (10,000).

Motorola Microprocessor and Memory Technologies Group, Phoenix, AZ. 1-512-891-7228, www.mot.com.

Terminal adapter gives high-speed access to Internet

The Model 460 ISDN terminal adapter provides digital access to the Internet and the World Wide Web at speeds as high as 460 kbps using V.42 bis compression. With the Model 460, you can allocate ISDN bandwidth in three modes: two data calls, one data call and one voice call, or two voice calls. You can also bond the two data calls to form one 128-kbps data pipe. Two telephone ports allow connection of telephones, modems, and faxes for simultaneous voice and data operation. The Model 460 costs $299.

Telebyte Technology Inc, Greenlawn, NY. 1-516-423-3232, fax 1-516-385-8184, telebyteusa.com.

Power amp works in CDMA PCS handsets

Part of a family of RF MMIC power amplifiers, the Model CMM1321 is a 5V device for handsets designed for PCS operating in the 1.85- to 1.91-GHz frequency range. The amplifier delivers 28.5-dBm output power from a 5V supply with 30% linear power-added efficiency and 24-dB gain--all from a small SO-8 package. The IC requires minimal external circuitry for bias matching to meet the requirements of PCS CDMA (J-STD-018) systems. In addition, through simple matching adjustment, you can achieve equivalent performance for 1.6-GHz satellite bands. The Model CMM1321 costs $5.50 (100,000).

Celeritek Inc, Santa Clara, CA. 1-408-986-5060, fax 1-408-986-5095, www.celeritek.com.

Telecomm IC offers overvoltage/overcurrent protection

Intended for analog and ISDN line cards, PABX systems, main distribution frames, primary-protection modules, and other telecomm equipment exposed to lightning surges and other dangerous transients, the CLP200M offers primary and secondary protection levels in one surface-mount PowerSO-10 package. The dual bidirectional device has high-surge capability and a peak pulse current rating of 100A for a 10/1000-µsec surge. Compliant with Bellcore TR-NWT-000974 and CCITT K20 standards, the part protects against lightning surges as high as 4 kV and the longer surges that mains coupling and mains contact cause. The CLP200M costs $1.50 (more than 10,000).

SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Lincoln, MA. 1-617-259-0300, fax 1-617-259-4420, www.st.com.

CompactPCI board sports dual Pentium Pro CPUs

Based on a two-slot CompactPCI 6U form factor, the ZT 5520 uses two Pentium Pro processors operating in symmetric multiprocessing mode to boost reliability and maximize uptime in telecomm applications. The ZT 5520 supports two seven-slot CompactPCI buses using both the top and the bottom connectors, allowing the single-board computer to drive as many as 14 CompactPCI peripheral boards without an external bridge. A third connector provides rear-panel I/O connections to external devices, carrying two asynchronous serial ports, a parallel port, and a USB port. The ZT 5520 costs $3850.

Ziatech Corp, San Luis Obispo, CA. 1-805-541-0488, fax 1-805-541-5088, www.ziatech.com.

PowerPC/VME board forms telecomm-computing platform

Targeting telecomm and datacomm computing applications, the BajaPPC VMEbus board offers system control, network control, network bridging, protocol processing, and data filtering. You can configure the board with a PowerPC 603e, 603p, or 604e processor running as fast as 200 MHz with 8 to 256 Mbytes of DRAM. The BajaPPC also comes with fast-Ethernet and VME64 interfaces, plus two 32-bit PMC expansion sites. By combining the BajaPPC with PMC modules, you can create a network-bridge subsystem. Prices start at $2920 (1000).

Heurikon Corp, Madison, WI. 1-608-831-5500, fax 1-608-831-4249, www.heurikon.com.

Filter software improves communication-system design

Enhanced graphical filter-design software is now part of the SystemView Windows-based dynamic system simulator. Essential to the design of analog and digital communication systems, the filter software lets you design linear systems, such as elliptic and sin t/t filters, and incorporate these filter types into your system simulation. The sin t/t models are zero-intersymbol-interference filters that you can use to improve bit-error-rate performance. A new graphical interface allows you to synthesize filters by dragging poles and zeros in the SystemView root-locus window. Prices for SystemView version 1.8-9 start at $2950.

Elanix Inc, Westlake Village, CA. 1-818-597-1414, fax 1-818-597-1427, www.elanix.com.

Sampling power analyzer boasts
spread-spectrum capability

Capturing as many as 500,000 samples/sec, the Model 4500 digital power analyzer measures peak and average power from 1- to 40-MHz carrier frequencies for pulse, continuous-wave, and spread-spectrum signals. You can use the analyzer, which includes a built-in calibrator, for CDMA, GSM, digital television, and radar signal testing. Power sensors for the Model 4500 cover a peak power range of ­40 to +20 dB and an average power range of ­50 to +20 dBm. In the statistics mode, the instrument performs seven automatic measurements/channel, and pulse mode provides 14 automatic measurements. The Model 4500 costs $15,000.

Boonton Electronics Corp, Parsippany, NJ. 1-201-386-9696, fax 1-201-386-9191.

CAM devices have 32-bit I/O ports to meet network demands

Useful for high-bandwidth multimedia applications, the 4320L ATMCAM series of content-addressable-memory devices performs header translation at all practical ATM transmission rates. ATMCAMs are organized as 4k×32 bits and permit vertical cascading to any practical length. Compare and output times are 70 to 120 nsec at 3.3V. Also equipped with a 32-bit interface are the Wideport 1965 and 2485 LANCAMs. The wider 1965 has a 1k×128-bit input CAM array to handle the longer, flat address matches necessary for LAN-to-ATM applications. The 2485 has a 2k×64-bit CAM. With its faster 70-nsec compare speed, the 2485 is suitable for MAC-address processing. ATMCAM and LANCAM prices start at $19.50 and $29.50, respectively (OEM).

Music Semiconductors, Hackettstown, NJ. 1-908-979-1010, fax 1-908-979-1035, www.music.com.

Mini coax components target wireless designs

A series of miniaturized coaxial components and assemblies meets the expanding needs of wireless applications in the 800- to 2000-MHz range. Manufactured for surface-mount, pc, and microwave-substrate use, these components provide lower loss than microstrips with 100% shielding. As such, they serve as jumpers, resonators, and impedance transformers, incorporating solid Teflon or microporous dielectrics. Components come in 0.02- to 0.25-in. diameters and cover impedances from 10 to 93 ohms. Cable construction is available in a range of materials. Prices start at less than $1 (OEM).

Precision Tube Co, Salisbury, MD. 1-410-546-3911, fax 1-410-546-3913, www.precisiontube.com.

PMC module packs four full-duplex T1/E1 channels

Contained on a PCI mezzanine card, the Model 7102 adapter provides four 1.544-Mbps T1 or 2.048-Mbps E1 interfaces for transmitting image, voice, data, or other digital information. The module works with popular CPU hosts, including the Alpha, SPARC, Pentium, PowerPC, 68060, i960, and R4000. A frame aligner/generator manages all frame-oriented detection and generation and manages the data and frame synch interfaces for the onboard HDLC controller. The controller manages the buffer tables in the dual-port SRAM. Software drivers for Unix and VxWorks help implement communication applications. Prices start at $3995.

Pentek Inc, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 1-201-818-5900, fax 1-201-818-5904, www.pentek.com.

Telecomm ring generators furnish as much as 30W

You can use these board-mounted dc/ac ring generators in all types of PBX, PABX, T1-switch, wireless-loop, rural-telephone, and computer-telephony applications. Devices come in versions with outputs of 1, 3, 5, 10, and 30W and REN from 2 to more than 50. The 5W generator produces a square-wave output, and the others produce a sine-wave output. Input voltages range from 5 to 48V dc, with outputs of 50 to 85V-ac rms. Output frequency is typically 17, 20, or 25 MHz. Surface-mount technology ensures reliability, achieving an MTBF greater than 250,000 hours. Prices range from $15.25 to $94 (100).

Power Solutions Inc, Roslyn Heights, NY. 1-516-484-6689, fax 1-516-484-6809.

3.3V IC supplies eight T1 channels for Internet access

The PM4388 TOCTL--a single-chip, eight-channel, T1 data processor--lets you increase port densities in remote Internet-access equipment while reducing power consumption and board space. Housed in a 128-pin PQFP, the 3.3V CMOS device achieves a typical power consumption of just 20 mW/framer. Each of the eight HDLC controllers accommodates the 4-kHz management data link required by the T1 ESF framing standard with deep 128-byte buffers, requiring local µPs to poll each controller only once per sec. The TOCTL also supplies a 32-bit programmable pseudorandom binary-sequence generator and detector for each T1 framer to permit line testing and verification. The device costs $99 (1000).

PMC-Sierra Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. 1-604-415-6000, fax 1-604-415-6200, www.pmc-sierra.com.

Economical test sources span 1 MHz to 20 GHz

You can use these off-the-shelf, phase-locked sources to lower the cost of your test needs when the full capabilities of a signal generator are unnecessary. The sources cover a frequency range from 1 to 4500 MHz, with custom options to 20 GHz. Control options include onboard DIP switches, an IEEE-488 interface, or a complete embedded solution with front-panel keyboard and display. Prices start at $500.

RF Prototype Systems, San Diego, CA. 1-619-689-9715, fax 1-619-689-9733.

Modem chip set permits 56-kbps Internet access

Based on the vendor's FastPath telephony platform, the software-upgradable CL-MD56xx chip set supports US Robotics' x2 protocol for high-speed Internet access. Modems that employ the FastPath platform allow Internet access at 56 kbps by taking advantage of infrastructures currently being used by telephone companies and Internet service providers adopting the x2 protocol technology. The FastPath V.34+ architecture incorporates a 32-bit ARM RISC processor plus a high-bandwidth DSP, and the CL-MD56xx adds support for external ROM and flash memory. The chip set costs $53 (1000).

Cirrus Logic Inc, Fremont, CA. 1-510-249-4200, fax 1-510-226-2240, www.cirrus.com.

TEST system evaluates gigabit-Ethernet designs

Incorporating a 1.25-Gbps interface board, the GLA-2100GE gigabit link analyzer allows conformance testing of gigabit-Ethernet products. The system specifically addresses the PMD, PMA, and PCS sublayers of gigabit Ethernet, providing about 20 conformance tests. Each conformance test includes a reference to an IEEE-802.3z draft subclause, a test methodology, observable results, and a brief discussion. Software supplied with the GLA-2100GE runs under Windows 95 and lets you build, send, receive, and analyze all types of gigabit-Ethernet code groups. The GLA-2100GE costs $25,700.

Finisar Corp, Mountain View, CA. 1-415-691-4000, fax 1-415-691-4010, www.finisar.com.

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