Texas Instruments Demonstrate All-Digital High-Resolution System at CES

Texas Instruments are to demonstrate an all-digital, universal system at CES 2003 next week. The Texas semiconductor manufacturer has integrated a FireWire IEEE-1293 interface, multi-channel digital signal processor and digital amplifier technologies onto a single board, which will enable the company to show attendees the ability to create an integrated high-resolution path from source component to loudspeakers using TI technologies.

The company now claims it is possible for manufacturers, using off-the-shelf Texas Instruments components, to build integrated systems able to convey Dolby Digital, DTS, PCM, DSD (for SACD) and MLP (for DVD-Audio) from component to component entirely within the digital domain.

The Texas Instruments Semiconductor Division’s demonstration of the single-board system at CES, will take place at booth 6802 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Product capabilities include:

  • Native IEEE-1394 networking
  • Dolby Digital, DTS and full-resolution digital SACD and DVD-Audio
  • Optional content protection for compatibility with high- resolution formats
  • High performance, flexible, multi-format audio decoding with a re-programmable 32/64-bit audio processing
  • TI PurePath Digital™ amplifiers

The board’s FireWire connectivity is made possible by TI’s TSB43CA43A integrated network controller, which in addition to standard S/P-DIF features, TI claims

…brings breakthrough performance, industry standard networking, command and control, content protection, and future-proof flexibility to the audio market.

The TSB43CA43A features an integrated IEEE-1394 link layer and 3-port physical layer, as well as a 32-bit microprocessor and 256K bytes of on-board RAM. Audio and video packet formatting are performed in hardware, making the TSB43CA43A ideal for A/V receivers and multi-format audio players including CD, SACD and DVD-Audio.

Also on the board is TI’s TMS320DA610 Aureus™ audio processor, the highest performance floating-point audio DSP, “…which allows designers to tackle the newest standards and deliver the most realistic audio experience to consumers.” With 225MHz and native support for 32/64 bit processing, the DA610 chip can decode the latest audio standards and still provide enough headroom for proprietary post- processing algorithms. TI provides a library of highly optimised decoders, including Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP), which is used in the DVD-Audio standard. With a variety of flexible peripherals including two Multi-channel Audio Serial Ports (McASPs), the DA610 can provide up to 16 channels of IIS output and can be easily interfaced with TI’s connectivity and digital amplification solutions.

TI’s latest digital amplifiers are also being demonstrated, displaying TI’s market leading PurePath Digital technology that is said to offer “high-resolution” audio quality. According to TI, their digital amplifiers

…enable a 100% digital system from the DVD disc to the ear, extending the benefits of clean and clear digital audio to the entire signal chain”.

It seems they’ve forgotten that from loudspeaker to ear, sound is analogue, unless the company plan to unveil a direct-to-brain audio interface! Best stay glued to your computer screens for our CES report…