TI Gives Audio Manufacturers More Bang for Their Buck with Cost-Optimized DSPs for Low- to Mid-Range A/V Products

Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to driving innovation in the home theater market, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced the expansion of its award-winning Aureus(TM) generation of high-performance audio digital signal processors (DSPs). The two new Aureus digital audio processors, TMS320DA707 and TMS320DA705, provide a cost-optimized platform that brings more features and high-quality sound to low- and mid-range applications requiring multi-channel decoding. Such applications include audio/video (A/V) and DVD receivers, home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs), set-top boxes, mini-components, high-definition televisions (HDTV) and automotive multimedia systems. (For more information please visit www.ti.com/performanceaudio6.).

“TI’s new Aureus product is an ideal solution for our entry-level receiver line, because it enabled us to incorporate more advanced features and customize our products in a cost-effective manner,” said Mr. Nobuaki Okuda, Executive Officer, Engineering, Onkyo. “In this competitive home theater market, we are always looking for ways to offer compelling features in our systems to drive consumer demand, and TI’s Aureus DSP helped us reach that goal.”

Driving Cost and Consumer Expectations
Building on TI’s Aureus product line, the new DA705 and DA707 DSPs come with an optimized software solution of decoders, post-processors and a system framework. The performance audio software solution for the DA705 includes certified decoders (Dolby(R) Digital EX, DTS-ES 96/24, AAC) and post processors (Dolby Pro Logic(R) IIx, DTS NEO:6, Bass Management), as well as TI value-added post processing products such as TI Room Simulators, TI Graphic EQ and TI Matrix Processor. The DA705 is an ideal solution for high volume consumer electronics, not only because of its cost-effective price point, but also because the optimized software solution runs without external SDRAM, lowering the overall system cost. With this device, OEMs can bring entry level audio systems high-end features, such as DTS 96/24 decoding with 96 kHz post-processing, ten-band graphic equalizer, 18 preset surround modes and 7.1 channel output. Dolby Pro Logic IIx capability, a feature included on the most sophisticated A/V receivers and processors, provides OEMs the flexibility to decode native stereo or 5.1 audio into a
6.1 or 7.1-channel surround listening experience.

The new DA707 DSP natively supports off-chip SDRAM memory, enabling further customization and differentiation in the manufacturer’s applications. The modularity of TI’s performance audio framework enables OEMs to easily plug in differentiating post-processing modules from TI, such as TI Virtual Sound (surround sound from two speakers), TI Bass Boost (extended bass response) and TI Perfect Playback (compressed audio enhancement); from Aureus-supported third parties, such as Audyssey Labs, Neural Surround and Dolby Laboratories; or from their own intellectual property.

The Aureus product line consists of a 32/64-bit floating point programmable DSP and a comprehensive software solution, enabling multi-channel decoding applications. The TMS320DA710 and TMS320DA708, the high performance members in the Aureus DA7xx generation, were introduced in August 2005. These devices provide developers with the hardware and software foundation required for designing high- and mid-range multi-channel audio applications.
With the DSPs, an optimized software solution of certified, industry-standard decoders and post-processors is provided, enabling performance headroom for substantial customization through high-performance proprietary audio processing algorithms.

By expanding the Aureus generation of audio DSPs, TI enables developers to push the edges of the consumer electronics market and drive innovation in both home and car audio applications. TI’s Aureus solution was recently awarded the “Best DSP for Audio” from In-Stat’s MPR (Microprocessor Report) Analysts' Choice Awards for 2005 and the DA710 was a finalist in EDN magazine’s 2005 “Innovation of the Year Award” in the “ASSP and SOCs”
category.

Intelligent Design Reduces Development and Manufacturing Cost The new DA707 and DA705 DSPs are not only software compatible with the other DA7xx and previous generation DA6xx devices, they are also pin compatible with the high performance DA708. This allows OEMs to introduce a family of end equipments with a single hardware design, using a DA708 for the high performance products and a DA707 or DA705 for the lower-cost derivatives.

The three pin-compatible DSPs were designed such that a system with a DSP, SDRAM, parallel flash and multichannel audio inputs and outputs could be designed on a two-layer board, resulting in a manufacturing cost savings compared to a multi-layer design. The result of the pin-compatible family and intelligent chip design is lower development cost, lower manufacturing cost and faster time to market.

Tools and Support
The new DA707 and DA705 DSPs are supported by TI’s industry leading Code Composer Studio(TM) Integrated Development Environment (IDE). TI has established an extensive network of third parties and original design manufacturers (ODM) with capabilities ranging from software customization to completely manufactured end equipments.

Availability and Pricing
The new TMS320DA705 and TMS320DA707 DSPs are currently in volume production.
Both devices are 250 MHz and come in a 144-pin TQFP package. The DA705 costs $9.23 each in quantities of 10,000 units or more and the DA707 costs
$11.33 each in quantities of 10,000 units or more. The entire Aureus generation of digital audio processors is qualified to the Q100 automotive standard.

TI also offers a wide range of complementary high-performance analog and mixed signal components for audio applications with amplifiers, including low-power Class-D audio amplifiers, high-precision analog-to-digital (ADC) and digital-to-analog converters (DAC), sample rate converters, microphone preamps, single and dual output low drop out (LDO) regulators, low-voltage switching DC/DC converters and supply voltage regulators.