Product category:
Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Zilog | Subject: Remote on a Chip
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 04 July 2005
Microcontrollers come with IR
development aids
A new turnkey solution aims to make the development of universal infra-red remote controls significantly easier for design engineers working with end user device manufacturers and OEMs.
Zilog has announced details of its turnkey solution for universal infra-red remote (UIR) applications development The solution, dubbed "Remote on a Chip", comprises a number of "mix and match" elements designed to make the development UIR remote controls significantly easier for design engineers working with end user device manufacturers and OEMs
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Dec 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Zilog entered the remote control market in 1993, since when it has shipped in excess of 275 million units for that market.
Remote on a Chip builds on Zilog's market leadership in the supply of MCUs for UIR remote controls, providing a full service that encompasses every stage of the development and delivery of a remote control project.
Zilog is in the unique position of providing not only world class silicon, in this case the Crimzon Family of 8bit MCUs, but access to an industry-leading infra-red codeset database, a complete suite of development tools, customised firmware and software and use of expert design and engineering resources to assist customers in bringing products to market rapidly and cost effectively.
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Remote on a Chip's "one-stop shop" approach to remote control application design brings with it a number of value-added benefits for customers.
It caters for every type of customer and every level of experience, from state of the art design houses to customers who have limited experience with remote control development.
Zilog can walk the customer through the entire process from concept to completion and tailor a solution based on that customer's individual requirements.
Customers can draw on Zilog's expertise for each element of their UIR project and keep the entire project under one umbrella, in a controlled environment with agreed deliverables.
Without the need to outsource, customers can reduce overall time to market.
There are also cost benefits for customers using the Remote on a Chip solution.
Zilog has its own silicon, so there is no need to procure parts from third parties.
Competitors without their own silicon must source this from a third party, which is generally more expensive.
In addition, Zilog provides its development tools and software at minimal or no cost to customers, further driving down costs.
"The Remote on a Chip solution reinforces both our leadership in the UIR remote control marketplace and ongoing commitment to delivering innovation that works, while producing tangible benefits for our customers", commented Zilog Chairman and CEO James Thorburn.
"Our expertise in this market means we are one of the few companies able to offer UIR remote control solutions that are innovative and comprehensive, yet simple and designed to optimise cost and time to market for our customers".
Components that make up the Remote on a Chip solution are as follows.
Zilog's UIR remote control solutions are powered by the Crimzon MCU family, which is built on the Z8 architecture and includes both OTP and ROM versions.
These devices are optimised for UIR applications and offer the broadest portfolio of memory sizes for UIR MCUs (1 to 128Kbit ROM and OTP versions).
With 237byte of general-purpose RAM, a 2.0-3.6V voltage range, high and low battery voltage detection, and up to 32Kbyte of OTP memory, Zilog's Crimzon line of MCUs offers fast execution, efficient use of memory, sophisticated interrupts, input/output bit manipulation capabilities, automated pulse generation/reception and internal key-scan pull-up transistors.
Zilog owns one of the largest, most comprehensive database of UIR device codesets, currently in excess of 150,000 unique key codes covering approximately 1300 brands and 12,000 models worldwide.
The database covers the most popular OEM remote control devices in Europe, North and South America, including, but not limited to, TVs, VCRs, DVDs, cable and satellite set-top boxes, HDTV set-top boxes, TV combos, DVD combos, receivers, home-theatre-in-a-box systems, CD players, digital video recorders and audio shelf systems.
Zilog has acquired code from more than 3500 new remote controls in the last two years and is now adding codes to its database at a rate of over 100 remote controls per month.
Zilog has a wide range of development tools designed to give customers the ability to use Zilog's MCUs and IR codeset database to bring their products to market rapidly.
These tools include silicon development tools, for example, an in-circuit emulator with trace and event trigger that helps the engineer develop and debug code used with the Crimzon MCUs, and remote control development tools such as the Crimzon RC Bullet and RC Express which enable the development of remote control applications.
Zilog has a dedicated team of over 50 people who work specifically on the UIR business and are not only able to provide customised remote control solutions to customers, but also customised database generation, custom application code development, hardware reference design services, turnkey development and conversion services.
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