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December 1st, 2010, 11:39 GMT · By Alex Vochin
New Chip to Make Blu-ray Players Smaller, More Affordable |
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Although Blu-ray players have gotten both smaller and more affordable ever since they were initially presented to the world, it would seem that this slimming-down trend will be further accelerated by a new chip enabling smaller, lower-cost Blu-ray players and recorders, developed by STMicroelectronics.
According to STMicroelectronics, the new STODD01 is a power-supply IC capable of generating all the voltages needed to operate the player's circuitry, including the high-voltage driver for the blue laser supporting HD read/write capabilities.
The device integrates three power supplies to drive low-voltage digital ICs, analog circuitry, and the laser driver and, by using it, designers can eliminate multiple individual power supplies from the printed-circuit board, reducing component costs, design complexity, time to market, and assembly time.
In other words, Blu-ray solutions' manufacturers should thus be able to make their products a lot more affordable, not to mention a bit more compact.
Furthermore, as a direct result, the size of the board can also be reduced, which will allow new generations of compact set-top products, game consoles, PC drives and portable HD devices.
Each of the STODD01's power-supply channels benefits from highly efficient switched-mode conversion, which minimizes energy losses and heat generation, while the chip also provides a true shutdown mode, helping to minimize standby power consumption.
This enables HD products to attract buyers by offering enhanced user experiences and low operating costs, which is pretty much what everything is looking for nowadays.
The STODD01 from STMicroelectronics is now sampling to lead customers and is ready for mass production in the QFN16L 4 x 4mm package, priced at $0.80 in quantities of 1000, with alternative pricing options also being available, depending on order quantity.
We're eagerly looking forward to seeing the first products using this new chip making their way onto the market, but the exact moment when that will happen is not yet known, unfortunately.
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