Dolphin Integration unveils the new generation of PWM audio DAC for Set-Top-Boxes at 28 nm and 40 nm

Grenoble, France – February 9, 2015 -- Dolphin Integration announces the rollout the third generation of audio converters with the sDACa-MT1.03, an ultra dense DAC with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for audio applications. This new product is delivered as a Virtual Component of Silicon IP with a set of application schematics enabling the user to select a solution optimized for the targeted performances while guaranteeing the lowest cost of Bill-of-Material.

The configuration flexibility of this audio DAC enables to support a large set of output peripherals, such as:

• A sound amplifier with analog inputs
• A sound amplifier with digital inputs
• A line output (up to 6 Vrms)
• 16/32/50 Ω headphones

This stereo DAC has been designed to support most worldwide STB standards. Thanks to its flexibility, such a Silicon IP is also suitable for various other applications such as wireless speakers, digital radio or Smart TV. The sDACa-MT1.03 can reach performances up to 105 dB of SNR with its application schematics. Moreover, its small silicon area, under 0.1 mm² at 28 nm, combined with a reduced pin count and a low-cost Bill-of-Material offer the perfect match for developing cost effective SoCs targeting high volume markets.

Key features :

• Anti Pop-up Noise control signal
• Spread-spectrum feature for safe integration with RF transceivers
• PLL-less feature to prevent jitter issues on the DAC master clock
• Jerkless feature to prevent performance drops due to jitter on the audio signal
• Optionally delivered with a voice trigger enabling to detect voice and wake-up the rest of SoC
• Delivered with advanced views enabling Noise Propagation Checks (NPC)
• Logic design, enabling to save test cost thanks to pure logic SCAN test

Availability:

At 40 nm SMIC and 28 nm TSMC but readily retargetable from 180 nm to 28 nm in most foundry processes.

Measurement reports: available on request.

For further information on the sDACa-MT1.03 Virtual Components, please visit us or contact us at converters@dolphin-ip.com.

About Dolphin Integration

Dolphin Integration contributes to "enabling mixed signal Systems-on-Chip" for worldwide customers - up to the major actors of the semiconductor industry - with Silicon IP components best at low-power consumption.

This wide offering is based on innovative libraries of standard cells, register files, memory generators and power regulators. Complete networks for power supply can be flexibly assembled together with their loads: from high-resolution converters for audio and measurement applications to power-optimized micro-controllers of 8 or 16 and 32 bits.

Over 30 years of diverse experiences in the integration of silicon IP components and providing services for ASIC/SoC design and fabrication, with its own EDA solutions solving unaddressed challenges, make Dolphin Integration a genuine one-stop shop covering all customers’ needs for specific requests.

The company striving to incessantly innovate for its customers’ success has led to two strong differentiators:

• state-of-the-art “configured subsystems” for high-performance applications securing the most competitive SoC architectural solutions,
• a team of Central and Field Application Engineers supporting each user’s need for optimal application schematics, demonstrated through EDA solutions enabling early performance assessments

Its social responsibility has been from the start focused on the design of integrated circuits with low-power consumption, placing the company in the best position to now contribute to new applications for general power savings through the emergence of the Internet of Things.