Broadcast Video Test Equipment Maker PHABRIX Selects National Semiconductor’s 3-Gbps SDI Family

The PHABRIX SxE, winner of Broadcast Engineering’s Pick Hit award, builds on the success of the SxA, which won the prestigious IABM Peter Wayne award at IBC2008. The SxE’s functionality gives the professional broadcast engineer a compact and easy to use solution for both in-studio support and field broadcast applications, where portability is needed.

“We selected National’s products based on their raw performance, innovative architecture and outstanding design support,” said Philip Adams, managing director of PHABRIX. “Jitter performance is paramount in broadcast video test equipment and National’s LMH0340 and LMH0341, 3G-SDI serializer and deserializer deliver the ultra-low output jitter and high input jitter tolerance required for our demanding application. National’s unique SerDes architecture enabled us to implement the digital SMPTE video and audio processing in the FPGA instead of on chip. Now, our customers can simply download the latest firmware to update new raster formats or support more channels of embedded audio.”

“The PHABRIX SxE is a ground-breaking broadcast video test instrument that enables precision measurement,” said Erroll Dietz, vice president of National’s High-Speed Product Division. “As new technologies shape the future of broadcast video equipment, National will be at the forefront supporting PHABRIX with best-in-class components and subsystems that enable next-generation test gear designed to fit the engineer’s changing needs.”

PHABRIX selected the following National products for the SxE triple-rate SDI handheld video test instrument:

· National’s award-winning LMH0340 triple-rate SDI serializer with integrated SMPTE cable driver supports 30 ps output jitter at 3G and HD rates, requires no external voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and cleans FPGA PCLK jitter with an integrated LC-based oscillator.

· National’s award-winning LMH0341 SDI deserializer with reclocked serial loop through supports 3G/HD/SD data rates with 0.6 UI minimum input jitter tolerance, requiring no external VCO or reference clock.

· National’s LMH0384 triple-rate SDI extended reach adaptive cable equalizer supports 140m of cable equalization at 3 Gbps rates and features an auto-sleep mode that reduces power consumption by 87%.

· National’s LMK03000 precision clock conditioner integrates a phase locked loop (PLL) and VCO to clean and distribute ultra-low-noise clock signals throughout the system, with ultra-low 0.8 ps RMS jitter performance.

· National’s ADC10040 10-bit, 40 MSPS precision ADC uses a differential, pipeline architecture with digital error correction and an on-chip sample-and-hold circuit to minimize power consumption, while providing excellent dynamic performance.

National’s high-performance, energy-efficient analog technology can help video engineers differentiate their products. National provides the key functions every system engineer requires, including operational amplifiers, power management, data conversion, interface and serial digital video products, audio subsystems, display ICs and networking products.