eeProductCenter Ultimate Products 4.3

Analog Boards / Buses DSP Electromechanical Embedded Tools Interconnects Microprocessors Memory Logic and Interfaces Passives / Sensors PLDs / FPGAs Power Components Power Sources RF / Microwave Test / Measurement

Product Shopper New Product Info

(1)
GCT SEMICONDUCTOR
RF chip supports S-DMB, T-DMB mobile TV applications

eeProductCenter's Ismini Scouras says:
"GCT Semiconductor is sampling an RF chip, the GDM7003, that is capable of receiving media broadcast from both S-DMB and T-DMB (satellite and terrestrial-digital multimedia broadcasting)."

Readers Say:
"Interesting technology"
"Should be able to enable some cool mobile device technology."
"I looked at the website and only saw a 7001 and 7004 data sheet. Need more info!"
"3 seconds will seem like forever for channel switching if someone has something faster. The simultaneous feature is outstanding."

USABILITY RANK: 1

(2)
QUELLAN
Noise canceller stamps out RF interference

eeProductCenter's Ismini Scouras says:
"Based on Quellen's patented CSP noise canceling technology, the ultra small CMOS IC cancels unwanted RF interference to improve receiver sensitivity. In a weak signal area a cell phone using the QNx220 can recover several bars of lost signal strength and a GPS receiver can obtain a location lock in just seconds rather than minutes."

Readers Say:
"It is not true that the RF noise canceller can "stamp out RF interference. It can suppress some. I prefer using RF noise for good purposes like mapping fields in radiators, or measuring properties of moving objects."
"EMI is one of the most difficult design challenges in portable equipment. Wide frequency range should make is useful for lots of applications."

USABILITY RANK: 4

(3)
SYCHIP
WiMAX module enables next-generation mobile broadband

eeProductCenter's Gina Roos says:
"SyChip Inc., a subsidiary of Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., has launched its first mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) chip-scale module. The WiMAX9xxx module enables the addition of WiMax functionality to devices such as handsets, ultra-mobile personal computers, personal media players and personal navigational devices."

Readers Say:
"Can see this being very useful in hand-held products."
"Nice WiMAX integration. The software suite also makes integration into a product a breeze."

USABILITY RANK: 3

(4)
SEMTECH
RF transceiver consumes less than 3 mA in RX mode

eeProductCenter's Gina Roos says:
"Semtech Corp. has released the SX1211, a UHF radio frequency (RF) transceiver, which the company says offers the industry's lowest receiver (RX) current consumption of <3 mA &emdasg about five times lower than competitive devices -- increasing battery life in wireless sensor network applications."

Readers Say:
"Such devices are needed for wireless smoke alarms."
"Very good balance of power specs and Tx power / Rx sensitivity."

USABILITY RANK: 2

(5)
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS
RF SoCs integrate radio, MCU and flash

eeProductCenter's Ismini Scouras says:
"Texas Instruments Inc. has introduced a pair of RF SoCs designed for low-power and low-voltage wireless applications used in the 2.4 GHz and sub-1 GHz frequency bands. The CC2510 and CC1110 combine TI's state-of-the-art RF transceivers (CC2500 and CC1101) with an industry-standard enhanced 8051 microcontroller, 8/16/32 kB of in-system programmable flash memory, 1/2/4 kB of RAM and many other features --all inside a small 6-mm x 6-mm QLP-36 package."

Readers Say:
"Nice"
"OK for proprietary RF implementations, but there are better solutions for standard protocols such as Bluetooth and ZigBee."

USABILITY RANK: 5

(6)
MAXIM
802.11 g/b transceiver integrates PA, antenna diversity switches, and DCXO

eeProductCenter's Janine Love says:
"Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the MAX2830 single-chip, direct-conversion, low-power 802.11g/b RF transceiver with integrated power amplifier (PA), Rx/Tx/antenna diversity switches, and crystal oscillator circuitry."

Readers Say:
"Might be interesting for proprietary RF implementations. Better solutions exist that include PHY & MAC. Still need an LNA to be useful."

USABILITY RANK: 6

(7)
MAXIM
Universal GNSS receiver achieves 1.4-dB cascaded noise figure

eeProductCenter's Ismini Scouras says:
"Maxim Integrated Products is touting its MAX2769 as the industry's first universal, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver for GPS (L1 C/A code and P-code), Galileo, and GLONASS navigation satellite systems in a single chip."

Readers Say:
"While I congratulate Maxim to achieve the good NF, please consider that this feature makes the receiver more vulnerable to interference."

USABILITY RANK: 8

(8)
FREESCALE
RFICs support WiMAX basestation amplifiers

eeProductCenter's Janine Love says:
"The three new Freescale RFICs include the MW7IC2725N and the MW7IC2750N operating from 2.3 to 2.7 GHz, and the MW7IC3825N operating from 3.4 to 3.6 GHz. All three of them integrate two stages of gain and are manufactured using Freescale's seventh-generation high-voltage (HV7) LDMOS process technology."

Readers Say:
No comments.

USABILITY RANK: 9

(9)
STMICROELECTRONICS
Multi-band RF synthesizer operates up to 5 GHz

eeProductCenter's Gina Roos says:
"STMicroelectronics has unveiled its RF synthesizer with integrated voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). ST says the STW81103 is the first single-chip device that operates up to 5 GHz, offering the highest frequency coverage in the market. Applications include wireless network infrastructures, CATV systems, instrumentation and test equipment."

Readers Say:
"802.11n will likely make the 5GHz band more popular."

USABILITY RANK: 10

(10)
ANADIGICS
GaAs chip integrates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth RF front ends

eeProductCenter's Ismini Scouras says:
"ANADIGICS Inc. has started to sample a family of three front-end ICs (FEICs) in low profile standard packages targeting next-generation, WiFi-enabled smart phones and consumer electronics products."

Readers Say:
No comments.

USABILITY RANK: 7

In case you were wondering, here's how Ultimate Products works: Our editors select up to 10 of the most significant products posted at www.eeProductCenter.com during the calendar quarter. Then, using an electronic balloting process, we submit the products with the accompanying editorial reviews to selected, qualified readers. Those readers score the products by technical significance and
USABILITY on a scale of 1 through 5, with 5 being the highest score. The product ranked No. 1 in each category was judged as most technically significant for that category. Relative
USABILITY rankings and selected reader comments are also reported. More than 1,000 of you helped to choose these products. As always, we are grateful for your enthusiastic participation.

Patrick Mannion
Editor-in-Chief, Techonline Network and eeProductcenter.com
pmannion@cmp.com