Product category:
Communications ICs (Wired)
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2006-) | Subject: TSB83AA22ZAJ and TSB81BA3D
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 25 May 2006
FireWire devices cut design challenges
Texas Instruments has announced two new 1394b devices designed to provide faster speeds with fewer design challenges.
Texas Instruments has announced two new 1394b devices designed to provide faster speeds with fewer design challenges The new TI integrated link/PHY device and the single-chip physical (PHY) layer device improve 1394b performance in notebook and personal computers
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 4 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Further expanding the largest 1394b portfolio in the industry, the introduction of the TSB83AA22ZAJ open-host controller interface (OHCI) 1394b link/PHY will give designers the ability to build devices using a 1394b link and PHY layer on the same chip.
The smallest 1394b device on the market in a 7 x 7mm micro-BGA package, the TSB83AA22ZAJ, is ideal for implementing high-performance 1394b in any size notebook computer.
In addition to complying with the established 1394b standards requirements, the Link/PHY product provides system advantages such as enhanced compatibility with legacy digital video equipment (ie DV camcorder), special power-down features and low-power modes, and extra-large FIFOs for improved performance.
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The TSB83AA22ZAJ also has two bilingual 1394b cable ports for system configuration flexibility.
"Video editing is becoming easier and easier, and having super-fast 1394b storage matched with a 1394b enabled computer gives the user a much more enjoyable experience", said Zeph Freeman, Worldwide 1394 Business Development Manager for TI.
"We are excited to see other major market players expand their 1394b offerings".
"Microsoft's announcement of future 1394b support in Windows Vista and Apple's recent announcement of the 17in MacBook Pro with 1394b will give consumers new high-performance options".
TI is also introducing the TSB81BA3D single-chip PHY which contains three bilingual 1394b cable ports and is fully-compatible with 1394a-2000.
With data transfers of up to 800Mbit/s - nearly twice the transfer rate of USB2.0 - TI's 1394b devices meet a growing demand for faster speeds due to larger capacity hard-disk drive (HDD) storage and high-definition video transfers.
Fully-interoperable with FireWire, i.Link and SB1394 implementations of IEEE standard 1394, the TSB81BA3D is also used in computers, add-in cards, consumer and industrial applications.
"Microsoft plans to include support for the IEEE standard 1394b in Windows Vista shortly after the release of the new operating system", said Mark Slezak, Programme Manager, Windows Device Experience Group at Microsoft.
"Building on the existing support in Windows XP for 1394a, the 800Mbit/s transfer rates in the IEEE1394b standard (and the specified rates of 1.6 and 3.2Gbit/s) will further expand the bandwidth available in Windows for scenarios such as high-definition audio and video transfers and external storage solutions".
In addition to developing 1394b for the personal computing space, TI is designing 1394b products to support consumer electronics applications such as that defined by HANA (High Definition Audio Video Network Alliance).
HANA uses 1394 to enable single-cable connections, ease of use and secure networks.
The transition to high-definition television (HDTV) and HD services, HANA's goal is to address the growing consumer demand to easily distribute content protected and non-content-protected material within the home.
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