TI Unveils 24-Bit Data Acquisition System-on-a-Chip, Solving Customers' Complex Integration and Performance Issues

TUCSON, Ariz., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today introduced a new family of low-noise (75nV), 24-bit data acquisition system-on-a-chip solutions from the company's Burr-Brown product line which incorporates a quad 16-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and I2C(TM) interface. (See dataconverter.ti.com/sc03084 .)

The unequaled integration of high-precision analog and digital processing makes the MSC1211 the ideal choice for demanding high-resolution measurement applications in industrial process control, portable instrumentation, weigh scales, smart transmitters and chromatography. By surpassing customers' complex design requirements at a price significantly below the cost to duplicate the same functionality, the MSC1211 stands as the most valuable data conversion system on the market.

"Building on the successful and innovative MSC1210 family, TI now offers customers a series of pin-compatible, mixed-signal devices which further push the envelope of high-performance functionality in a single chip," said Robert Schreiber, product line manager for TI's microsystem data converter products. "Since the functionality and performance featured in the MSC1211 is traditionally implemented with external circuitry, this device will simplify the design of complex systems, improve performance and reduce customers' overall component cost."

Inside the MSC1211

The MSC1211 family integrates a 24-bit delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with an enhanced 8051 processor core, flash memory and a variety of high-performance on-chip peripherals to achieve unparalleled system performance -- all at 4mW power consumption. The integration of the analog and digital cores gives customers the ability to customize the device to meet their specific requirements.

The enhanced 8051 core executes up to three times faster, with lower power, than the standard 8051 core. The MSC1211 family offers a variety of flash memory sizes with pin and function compatibility, thus allowing the customer to freely migrate between devices as their code requirements change.

In terms of analog performance, the MSC1211 family offers the industry's lowest noise performance in a mixed-signal device (75nV). The noise performance of the ADC is better than most standalone ADCs on the market and is significantly better than any comparable mixed-signal device. The ADC also has a much faster (10X) sampling rate versus competitive devices.

The analog features consist of a 24-bit delta sigma ADC, four 16-bit DACs, a flexible eight-channel multiplexer, burn-out detect, selectable buffered input, offset DAC, programmable gains of up to 128, selectable data output rate, programmable single-cycle settling filter, precision on-chip voltage reference or external differential voltage reference, on-chip temperature sensor, on-chip calibration, low voltage detect and brown-out reset.

The digital features include an enhanced 8051 microcontroller core with dual data pointers, four flash memory size options (4K, 8K, 16K, 32K) -- all with external memory capability as well -- 1.2kbytes of SRAM, four I/O ports, a 32-bit accumulator/shifter, dual UARTs, three timers/counters, I2C Multi- Master interface, SPI interface with direct memory access and a watchdog timer.

A lower-cost version without an I2C Multi-Master interface, the MSC1212, is also available and pin-for-pin compatible with the MSC1211 and MSC1210.

Available Today

The MSC1211 and MSC1212 are packaged in a TQFP-64 and operate on a single 2.7V to 5.25V supply. Suggested resale pricing is based on the four flash memory size options (prices for 1,000 piece quantities):

   MSC1211Y2 (4K)      $16.65
   MSC1211Y3 (8K)      $17.20
   MSC1211Y4 (16K)     $18.45
   MSC1211Y5 (32K)     $19.95
   MSC1212Y2 (4K)      $16.15
   MSC1212Y3 (8K)      $16.70
   MSC1212Y4 (16K)     $17.95
   MSC1212Y5 (32K)     $19.45

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com/ .

  Please refer all reader inquiries to:  Texas Instruments Incorporated
                                         Semiconductor Group, SC-03084
                                         Literature Response Center
                                         P.O. Box 954
                                         Santa Clara, CA 91380
                                         1-800-477-8924, ext. 4500

  Trademarks
  All Trademarks are property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Brett Schroer of Texas Instruments Incorporated,
+1-520-746-7984, or schroer_brett@ti.com ; or Heather Mills, +1-972-308-9131,
or hmills@golinharris.com , for Texas Instruments Incorporated. Please do not
publish these numbers or e-mail addresses.

Web site: http://dataconverter.ti.com/sc03084
http://www.ti.com/