National Semiconductor Adds Cable Driver and Equalizer to Its Growing HDTV Signal Path Portfolio

National Semiconductor Adds Cable Driver and Equalizer to Its Growing HDTV Signal Path Portfolio

New Chipset Delivers Standard- and High-Definition Performance and Features The Industry's Lowest Power and Best ESD Protection for Video Production Equipment

LAS VEGAS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS CONVENTION, April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:NSM) announced today a high-performance HDTV (high-definition television) serial digital cable driver and adaptive cable equalizer that feature the lowest power consumption and highest ESD (electro-static discharge) protection, while providing the analog output and input necessary for error-free serial digital video (SDV) transmissions.

The CLC002 SD/HD (standard definition/high definition) TV serial digital cable driver and CLC034 SD/HD TV adaptive cable equalizer are the newest members of National Semiconductor's extensive SDV portfolio. These analog-intensive products deliver the signal conditioning necessary for standard- and high-definition serial data transmission at Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard data rates. Developed on National's internal BiCMOS wafer fabrication technology and supported with state-of-the-art designed-in testability, these products deliver quality and performance predictability to designers of digital video routers, switchers, and conversion and generation systems.

"National's CLC034 equalizer was selected for Convergent Design's next generation of HDV-Connect digital video products because the CLC034 features the highest ESD protection, lowest power and best performance available in the industry today," said Mike Schell, president for Convergent Design Inc. "The CLC034 delivers the signal integrity and low bit error rate performance necessary to reliably deliver serial digital video data."

"The introduction of this cable driver and equalizer reaffirm National's strong commitment to our already extensive SD and HD signal path portfolio," said Jeff Waters, product line director for the Communications Interface Division at National. "With the world's best ESD protection and lowest power coupled with the strength of our manufacturing and supply chain, National has built a growing portfolio of products that video production equipment suppliers can count on to drive the future of their own portfolios."

Technical Features of the CLC002 HDTV Serial Digital Cable Driver

National's CLC002 SD/HD TV serial digital cable driver is a monolithic, high-speed cable driver designed for use in SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 259M and SMPTE 344M serial digital video applications and ITU TG.703 serial digital data transmissions. Packaged in an 8-pin SOIC, the CLC002 drives 75 Ohm transmission lines (Belden 8281, Belden 1694A or equivalent) at data rates up to 1.485 Gbps.

The CLC002 provides two selectable slew rates for SMPTE compliance. Using an external resistor, the output voltage swing is adjustable from 800 mV to 1.0 V. In addition, the CLC002 provides greater than 8 KV Human Body Model of ESD protection.

Technical Features of the CLC034 Adaptive Cable Equalizer

National's CLC034 adaptive cable equalizer is a monolithic integrated circuit for equalizing data transmitted over cable or any media with similar dispersive loss characteristics. Packaged in a 16-pin SOIC, the equalizer operates over a wide range of data rates from 143 Mbps to 1.485 Gbps and supports SMPTE 292M, SMPTE 259M and SMPTE 344M serial digital video interfaces. The CLC034 also provides greater than 8 KV Human Body Model of ESD protection.

The CLC034 implements signal-level restoration to correctly handle pathological data conditions. The signal-level restoration can be bypassed for low data rate applications. The equalizer is flexible, allowing either single-ended or differential input drives.

Additional features include a combined carrier detect and output mute pin that mutes the output when no signal is present. A programmable mute reference pin enables the user to select a signal degradation level. A cable length indicator pin provides information on the amount of cable being equalized.

About National's Communication Interface Products

National Semiconductor, the LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) technology innovator and market leader, offers a wide range of interconnect solutions that transfer high-speed digital signals using world-class analog technology. These solutions help system designers develop high-performance applications in a variety of market segments, including communication and industrial. The products feature high reliability, low power and low noise, and dramatic systems savings in cable and connector costs. National Semiconductor is the world's largest supplier of high-speed LVDS products, according to Databean's 2004 Analog IC Market Share survey.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the CLC002 and CLC034 are available now by contacting a National Semiconductor sales or distribution representative. In 1,000-unit quantities, the CLC002 driver is priced at $12 and the CLC034 equalizer is priced at $39 each. Evaluation boards for both products are also available.

More information about the products is available at http://www.national.com/pf/CLC/CLC002.html and http://www.national.com/pf/CLC/CLC034.html . For more information on National's communication interface products, visit http://lvds.national.com/ .

About National Semiconductor

National Semiconductor, the industry's premier analog company, creates high-performance analog devices and subsystems. National's leading-edge products include power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers, communication interface products and data conversion solutions. National's key markets include wireless handsets, displays, PCs and laptops. The company's analog products are also optimized for numerous applications in a variety of electronics markets, including medical, automotive, industrial and test and measurement. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $1.98 billion for fiscal 2004, which ended May 30, 2004. Additional company and product information is available at www.national.com.

NOTE: National Semiconductor is a registered trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Media Contact Gayle Bullock 408-464-2516 gayle.bullock@nsc.com

Reader Information Design Support Group 800-272-9959 www.national.com

Source: National Semiconductor Corporation

CONTACT: media, Gayle Bullock of National Semiconductor Corporation, +1-408-464-2516, or gayle.bullock@nsc.com

Web site: http://www.national.com/

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