Analog Devices' Audio ICs Deliver Audiophile Sound for HDTV Experience


Audio processors and Class-D amplifiers provide digital TV designers with a complete audio subsystem optimized for performance, time-to-market and lower system cost.

Norwood, MA(10/1/2007) - Expanding its Advantiv(TM) advanced television solutions portfolio, Analog Devices, Inc., today introduced audio processors and Class-D audio power amplifiers that deliver a complete advanced TV audio sub-system while allowing designers to meet multiple product performance and price targets. Designed to work together, the chips provide all the critical sub-system functionality required for an advanced TV audio implementation, including an embedded processing engine to ensure big sound from small speakers; analog interfaces for line inputs/outputs; analog broadcast audio decoding and speaker output; flexible, multi-format digital interfaces for HDMI sources and all digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasts); and audio/video 'lip-synch' delay correction and synchronization.

"The engineering required for the audio processor and Class-D power stage amplifier to work well together is significant," said Martin Cotter, product line director, Advanced Television Segment, Analog Devices. "ADI has solved the design difficulties associated with this open-loop interface, thereby eliminating customary system-level concerns, such as "pop/click" reduction and physical interfacing challenges. This reduces design cycle time, minimizes system cost, and delivers a quality audio experience for consumers--key benefits for TV manufacturers with defined 12-month new product refresh cycles."

About the Audio Processors
ADI's new ADAV4101, ADAV4312 and ADAV4322 audio processors incorporate a powerful, embedded processing engine to compensate for the space-constrained speakers in today's thin flat, LCD, and plasma TV designs. This "digital audio enhancement engine" does all the processing necessary to deliver the big sound required to match high-definition video quality. This feature is coupled with high-performance, multi-channel, 24-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that accept analog line inputs from DVD/VCR players and set-top boxes and drive analog audio to power amplifiers for speakers or auxiliary outputs.

"The ADAV43x2 and ADAV44x2 audio processors are not just input/ouput devices with lots of high performing digital interfaces, analog interfaces and multiple ADCs and DACs doing advanced signal processing," said Martin Cotter. "They are enhanced, fully programmable audio processors, with full support for HD-ready and iDTV designs. They also support multi-standard analog broadcasts, such as BTSC, EIAJ, A2-Korea, A2-Europe, and NICAM, from analog terrestrial tuners via an on-chip demodulator and decoder."

The audio processors provide a range of flexible digital interfaces, with sample rate conversion, which ensures the devices are fully compatible with the requirements of interfacing to HDMI audio and digital tuners. By default, the devices load a dedicated TV audio flow that incorporates full matrix switching to allow any input source type to be connected to any output.

While providing standard TV audio processing, they can also be designed to enable advanced audio features, such as full-room equalization, surround-sound virtualization or bass-frequency enhancement. Many of these features are offered from Analog Devices or under license from third-party suppliers, such as Dolby, SRS-Labs, and BBE. The audio processors also enable design engineers to customize the audio flow to conform to specific system or customer needs. Analog Devices provides a range of tools, including the award winning SigmaStudio(TM) graphical design tool, to allow easy debug and verification of any customized implementations. They also feature automatic volume control to compensate for volume changes during advertisements or when switching channels, dynamic bass, a multi-band equalizer, and up to 400 ms of delay memory for audio/video synchronization.

About the Class-D Amplifiers
ADI's audio processors are complemented by new Class-D amplifiers. The ADAU1590, ADAU1592 and ADAU1513 are 2-channel Class-D amplifiers with the best performance of any audio power amplifiers in their class. The new amplifiers have a 90 percent power efficiency rating at 8 ohms and a 101-dB dynamic range. The ADAU1590 and ADAU1592 feature on-chip PDM (pulse-density modulation) and a closed-loop architecture that ensures premium audio amplification by conditioning a signal to compensate for output errors before it is sent to the speaker. They also include integrated sigma-delta modulators that accept an analog input signal and generate a switching output to drive the speakers directly. The ADAU1590 and ADAU1592 achieve 0.005 percent THD+N (total harmonic distortion-plus-noise) while delivering 11.5W (stereo) and 18W (stereo) into 6 Ohms respectively. The low distortion, noise and PSRR (power supply rejection ratio) combine with the optimized interface of ADI's audio processor (ADAV4101/4312/4322) to suppress audio pops and clicks when the TV is turned on or off and eliminate residual background noise when the speaker volume is at its lowest setting.

The ADAU1513 Class-D power stage, delivering 14W (stereo) into 8 Ohms with 90 percent efficiency, is directly driven from the PWM digital outputs on the ADAV4201, ADAV4412 or ADAV4422 audio processor. The power stage comprises thermal and output short-circuit protection with logic-level error flag outputs for interfacing to a system microcontroller along with reset and mute control of the power stage.

Availability and Pricing
The ADAV4101, ADAV4312, ADAV4322, ADAV4201, ADAV4412 and ADAV4422 audio processors are available in production volume now. They are available in an 80-lead LQFP (low-profile quad flat package) and are pin-for-pin and software-register compatible. For pricing info, please contact av.products@analog.com. For more information, please visit: www.analog.com/pr/Advantiv/audio.

The ADAU1590, ADAU1592 and ADAU1513 Class-D amplifiers are available in production volume now. The ADAU1590, ADAU1592 and ADAU1513 amplifiers are available in 48-lead LFCSP (lead frame chipscale package) and 48-lead TQFP (thin quad flat package). For pricing info, please contact av.products@analog.com. For more information, please visit: www.analog.com/pr/class-damps.

Analog Devices in Advanced TV
Because the signal processing performance requirements for HD video, audio and interconnect functions are significantly higher than for standard-definition TVs, ADI offers the Advantiv(TM) advanced television portfolio, providing cost-effective analog, digital, and mixed-signal solutions to the most difficult multi-format ATV design challenges. Supported by ADI's system-level experts, these customer-driven solutions enable the latest in HD home entertainment systems. Analog Devices offers a broad range of industry-certified solutions for advanced television (ATV) applications, with products that enable rewarding experiences for consumers enjoying the latest high-definition (HD) TVs, DVD players, digital video recorders, audio/video receivers, camcorders and cable and satellite set-top boxes. For more information visit http://www.analog.com/pr/advantiv.

About Analog DevicesInnovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating over 40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices' common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "ADI" and is included in the S&P 500 Index.

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