Analog Devices’ Blackfin Processor Powers EtherWaves’ Sub-$10 DAB+ Digital Radio Module

Norwood, MA (PRWEB) August 20, 2007

Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI), a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing, today announced that the superior price-performance of its Blackfin processors has enabled EtherWaves Ltd. to deliver Sonata, the industry’s first production-ready DAB+ module with Bill of Material cost of less than $ 10. Sonata is a compactly designed Eureka 147 DAB and DAB+ receiver equipped with the features expected from a high-end digital radio product; FM radio reception with RDS, an AAC/MP3/WMAplayer supported by SD Card, crystal-clear sound processing and clock-radio functionality.

 

DAB+ uses an MPEG-4 High Efficiency AAC v2 audio codec (HE-AAC v2), the most efficient audio compression scheme available. It offers clear advantages for digital radio broadcast, providing greater bandwidth efficiency and more error correction than DAB, enabling more channels to be broadcast and improving the robustness of transmission. All of EtherWaves’ products run the company’s state-of-the-art ClearSignal digital radio software on Analog Devices’ Blackfin BF52x and BF53x general-purpose DSPs.

 

To meet the space, power consumption and cost constraints faced by consumer devices manufacturers, EtherWaves’ Sonata required a single processor capable of both baseband and audio processing. EtherWaves selected a Blackfin BF532 processor for Sonata because it offered an unmatched combination of processing power and low cost. Blackfin processors provide both micro-controller and signal processor functionality in a unified core, combining a dual-MAC signal-processing engine with the advantage of an orthogonal RISC-like microprocessor instruction set and single-instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) capabilities

 

“By building the Sonata module on a Blackfin platform, EtherWaves offers digital device manufacturers a compelling solution to the technical, cost and time-to-market challenges of implementing the newest digital radio standard,” said Linda Kedem, EtherWaves’ Marketing Manager. “Sonata provides one of the lowest cost BOMs today for a production-ready, DAB+ digital radio receiver.”

 

“We are pleased that our collaboration with EtherWaves has resulted in this innovative solution for the digital radio market,” said Jerry McGuire, vice president, General Purpose DSP Group, Analog Devices, Inc. “Blackfin’s powerful, flexible and cost-efficient architecture provides an ideal platform for today’s consumer devices that feature ever-expanding functionality at competitive price-points.”

 

A Convergent Future Demands Blackfin-Class Processing

Analog Devices’ Blackfin embodies a new breed of 16/32-bit embedded processor with the industry’s highest performance and power efficiency for applications where a convergence of capabilities — multi-format audio, video, voice and image processing; multi-mode baseband and packet processing; and real-time security and control processing — are critical. It is this powerful combination of software flexibility and scalability that has gained Blackfin widespread adoption in convergent applications such as digital home entertainment, networked and streaming media, automotive telematics and infotainment, and digital radio and mobile TV.

 

Because developers today seek to reduce time to market by choosing a robust ecosystem that brings them nearer to the capabilities of their end-products, Analog Devices provides an industry-leading tools, starter kits and support including the familiar ADI CROSSCORE


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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