Photo Detector IC targets home entertainment market.

Press Release Summary:



Model SP8055 is custom designed for audio/video recorder. It offers 8 high-speed data detection channels with 2 additional 140 MHz summing channels. Twelve gain settings provide functionality for DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM applications. Each setting is architected for specific media and speed combination. IC comes in clear, 16-pin 5.0 x 4.0 mm COB packaging and provides >60 dB PSRR, <10 mV typical offset, <1 ns group delay, and 2 V output swing.



Original Press Release:



Sipex Delivers its Most Advanced Photo Detector IC for the Home Entertainment Market



SP8055 shipping in volume for consumer audio/video DVD recorder

(Milpitas, CA - June 17, 2003) - Sipex Corporation (NASDAQ: SIPX) today announced its most sophisticated Photo Detector IC (PDIC), the SP8055. The device is custom designed for a flagship audio/video recorder from a leading Japanese manufacturer and represents Sipex's first entry into the home entertainment segment of DVD recorders. Thought by experts to be the first step in VCR replacement, home DVD recorders provide significantly higher resolution and a richer feature set.

To handle these additional requirements, the SP8055 offers 8 high-speed data detection channels with two additional 140MHz summing channels. The device's unprecedented 12 gain settings provide extremely versatile functionality for a multitude of low and high-speed DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM applications. Each of the 12 gain settings is uniquely architected for a specific media and speed combination, resulting in optimized performance in all recorder operating modes. Sipex's innovative 10GHz BiCMOS process allows extremely efficient gain switch implementation, resulting in advanced PDIC solutions currently not possible with standard bipolar processes.

"High speed write performance and the ability to work with virtually every type of media make the SP8055 an ideal solution for home entertainment systems," said Kevin Plouse, senior vice president of marketing and business development. "The home DVD recorder is the most highly anticipated segment of the flourishing DVD market and an excellent growth opportunity for Sipex."

SP8055 Features (Typical):
o 140MHz bandwidth
o Twelve selectable gain settings
o >60dB PSRR
o <10mV typical offset (Gains 1-32)
o 10ns typical settling time
o <1ns group delay
o >2v output swing
o Fast saturation recovery times (<20ns)
o -73dBm noise level (C-H), -68dBm noise level (RF channels)
o 16 pin clear COB packaging, 5.0mm x 4.0mm

About Sipex Optical Storage Products:
The optical storage product family offers complete electronic solutions that enable faster read speeds and smaller footprints in the pick up heads of DVD-R/W, DVD-RAM, and CDRW systems. This family includes photo-detector ICs, laser diode drivers, and advanced power control ICs. Utilizing extremely high-performance BiCMOS processing, Sipex's products lead or match all competitors in key parameters such as bandwidth, settling times and output noise.

About Sipex:
Sipex Corporation is a semiconductor company that designs, manufactures and markets high performance, value-added analog integrated circuits (ICs). Sipex serves the broad analog signal processing market with power management, interface, and optical storage ICs for use in computing, communications, and networking infrastructure. The company is headquartered in Milpitas, California with additional sales offices in Belgium, China, Germany, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Sipex sells direct and through distribution channels.

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