(1)TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI touts fastest 16-bit successive-approximation ADC eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Texas Instruments ADS8422 sets claim to the fastest 16-bit successive approximation register ADC in the industry? 33 percent faster than the nearest competitive device, according to the company. It's billed as a 4 MSPS device that sacrifices neither AC or DC performance, and thus is suited to medical imaging, test and measurement, industrial automation, and scientific instrumentation." Readers say: » "We have already requested samples from TI based on our clients' interests."
» "High price limits it to High End application. Could see using it as a part of a measurement system."
» "Very fast."
» "This Analog/Digital converter will definitely revolutionize the rapid and accurate sampling of things like temperature and other analog sensors."
» "This product is very good and the price is right. I will be proud to specify this product."
» "Wish it was here a year ago."
» "The speed is still marginal for our application."
» "This A-to-D device is very useful as most of today's applications have multi-voltage interfaces.
» "I like the feature that the offset drift is only 0.2ppm/C. This is a great factor to design a high precision instrument for bio-related."
» "We have recently begun implementing this into our current designs
» "First impression is that the device would be very useful for high speed, high resolution ADC applications. The S/N ratio is particularly impressive to me."
» "Devices like this are becoming essential to the continued development of reasonably priced high capability test gear and laboratory instrumentation, without which further significant advances in electronics technology will be substantially delayed, if not altogether lost."
USABILITY RANK: 1
(2)NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR 8-bit ADCs proclaim 6 GSPS performance standard eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"National Semiconductor's new 8-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) family touts a new performance standard for sampling speed? up to 6 gigasamples per second (GSPS) data capture at 3.6 watts." Readers say: » "Hard to say if we would use it not knowing price."
» "The product could be used on a few applications."
» "Cool device! Too bad I don't have an appllication for it yet."
» "Built-in fifo option is a brilliant addition!"
USABILITY RANK: 8
(3)CIRRUS Op amps amplify low-level analog signals simply eeProductCenter's Bettyann Liotta says:"Cirrus is launching this family of op amps with four parts, two single and two dual versions. The op amps are a result of the company's effort to develop amps that can support their own A/D converters, which are the highest resolution, and lowest noise in the industry, according to Rich Wegner, senior marketing manager of Cirrus' industrial product division. "We want the amplifier to contribute as little error as possible, but it has to be able to provide enough gain to preserve measurement accuracy," he said." Readers say: » "Like the low power and voltage for my battery powered applications."
» "Low noise performance is nice, but bandwidth might be too low for many of our applications."
» "Looks good for instrumentation applications."
USABILITY RANK: 3
(4)ANALOG DEVICES First bidirectional isolator bus chip cuts board requirements by 80 percent eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Analog Devices says its ADuM125x family is the first to provide true bidirectional isolation for the I2C bus in industrial, networking and power supply applications. The digital isolators reportedly save as much as 80 percent in board space over traditional optocoupler solutions.
" Readers say: » "This is a easy to use integrated solution long waited for."
» "This product has possible application to a future requirement."
» "This device could be used in our more smaller application."
» "Interesting - could be useful for multi-board I2C isolation to reduce interference."
» "I have used the ADUM1100 with excellent results in several designs. This device, being bidirectional is quite attractive and will likely end up in some new applications in the near future."
» "Very good idea, especially in our application. Price may prevent our use of it, though."
» "I2C isolation has always been a pain; this will help."
USABILITY RANK: 2
(5)ANALOG DEVICES Variable-gain amp touts highest gain and bandwidth eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Analog Devices says its AD8336 DC-coupled variable-gain amplifer (VGA) delivers the industry's highest gain and bandwidth? 100 MHz bandwidth over a gain range of 60 dB (-14 to +46 dB). It's touted as the only such amplifier that's rated for operation over -55 to +125°C and a wide supply input (±3 to ±12 volts).
" Readers say: » "Too low of bandwidth."
» "Variable gain in very nice but the bandwidth is too high for routine data acquisition and too low for most RF applications. The temperature range appears excellent for military/industrial applications and the supply voltage range looks good (if it can handle anything close to rail output)."
» "Good replacement part for some older can amplifiers."
USABILITY RANK: 5
(6)LINEAR TECHNOLOGY Six-channel A/D does simultaneous sampling eeProductCenter's Bettyann Liotta says:"Simultaneous sampling is what makes these A/D converters stand out. There are only a small number of A/D converters that can do simultaneous sampling. "This is a dedicated architecture for the application because it requires a lot more circuitry," said Todd Nelson, product marketing manager of LTC's mixed-signal products." Readers say: » "Another good product."
» "Small size, low power, sleep mode and simultaneous sampling are a great combination for the low power devices I design. Good subsampling performance into the low MHz range is key for me."
USABILITY RANK: 4
(7)NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR 14-bit ADC has full power bandwidth of 1.1 GHz eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"National Semiconductor's 14-bit ADC14155, a 155 megasample/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC), offers a full power bandwidth of 1.1 GHz, the highest in the industry according to the company. Thus the chip, the first in a family of high-speed 14-bit ADCs that also offers parallel low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) and serial LVDS output options, is suited for high-dynamic-range requirements applications in 3G wireless base stations and test equipment.
" Readers say: » "We might be able to use this device in later in the year."
» "I am not sure how many applications will be able to afford it."
» "Good performance and nice LVDS interface, deserves a place in receiver chain."
USABILITY RANK: 6
(8)KENET 8, 10-bit ADCs tout new power/bandwidth benchmark eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Kenet Inc. touts its KAD2710 8- and 10-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) as best-in-class for ultrahigh performance with extremely low power. More specifically, the KAD2710 claims sampling rates of up to 275 million samples per second (MSPS) while saving more than 45 percent of the power required by currently shipping competitive products.
" Readers say: » "This could save some power which is good for any company."
» "Too expensive."
» "Interesting device for receiver chain."
» "Not dramatically different from AD parts."
USABILITY RANK: 9
(9)FAIRCHILD Wideband op-amps expand video's horizons eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Fairchild Semiconductor's first entries into the high-performance op-amp market include five new devices in the company's 210 MHz FHP3x50 and 50 MHz FHP3x30 families that tout the industry's best power and performance features for high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video applications.
" Readers say: » "The applications are good but we do not know price."
» "Could be useful for IF amps."
» "Cheap part, small size."
USABILITY RANK: 7
(10)INTERSIL Video front end touts high bandwidth, low jitter and ideal black levels eeProductCenter's Vince Biancomano says:"Leveraging the power of its digital phase lock loop for high bandwidth, low jitter performance, Intersil's ISL98001 triple-channel analog front end (AFE) for TVs, monitors, home theater and business projectors incorporates all of the functions required to optimally digitize YPbPr video signals and RGB graphics signals from DVD players and VCRs."
