New Family of Digital Audio Chips from Wolfson Address Needs of Next-Gen Media Products.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN DIEGO and EDINBURGH, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 2003

Wolfson Microelectronics plc, today introduced a new family of multi-channel input devices for the next generation of Class-D DVD players, AV receivers, digital set-top boxes and digital effects processors and recordable media. The WM8776 and WM8778 CODECs, and the WM8775 ADC are one of the first of their kind on the market to provide a dedicated solution for emerging recordable media technologies and digital amplifiers.

"Digital media is about to enter a new level of performance and quality that will push current mixed-signal semiconductors to their limits," said David Milne, CEO and managing director for Wolfson. "The introduction of the WM877X family, based on the proven technology of the WM8770, provides not only the integration to meet that new level, but the capacity to help the new technology grow."

The WM8776 stereo CODEC is the most highly integrated device of the family with five stereo ADC inputs with analog gain adjustable from +24dB to -21dB in 0.5dB steps. The device also features a stereo DAC with independent analog and digital volume controls, and stereo headphone and line output.

The WM8778 stereo CODEC includes an ADC input with analog gain from +24 dB to -21dB in 0.5 dB steps and a separate ADC digital gain from -21dB to -103dB in 0.5dB steps and a hardware and software control mode.

The WM8775 ADC includes an input multiplexor with four stereo inputs with analog gain adjustable from +24dB to -21dB in 0.5 dB steps and a separate digital gain from -21dB to -103dB (in 0.5dB steps. Analog inputs can be muxed into the ADC or mixed together before input to the ADC.

Both CODECs feature 108dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) DACs and all three products' ADC SNR is rated at 100dB. The DAC sampling frequency is 32kHz to 192kHz and the ADC sampling is rated at 32kHz to 96kHz.

All three products feature automatic level control on the ADC input. The user can set a pre-determined maximum analog signal level in order to prevent the ADC input full-scale voltage from being exceeded. The automatic level control will progressively ramp down the gain and limit the signal magnitude to the pre-determined limit.

All three offer the user a 3-wire SPI compatible or 2-wire serial control interface, master or slave clocking modes, programmable audio data interface modes and operate on 2.7V to 5.5V analog or 2.7V to 3.6V digital supplies.

Price and Availability

The WM8775 is available in a 28-pin SSOP and currently priced at $1.63 (U.S.) in quantities of 10,000. The WM8776 comes in a 48-pin TQFP and currently priced at $2.45 (U.S.) and the WM8778 is in a 28-pin SSOP and currently priced at $2.12 (U.S.) in quantities of 10,000.

About Wolfson

Wolfson Microelectronics plc is a privately held, award-winning, fabless semiconductor company based in Edinburgh, UK. Wolfson develops and markets high-performance mixed-signal semiconductors for multimedia and communications applications worldwide. The company currently has sales offices in the USA, Japan and Taiwan.