ANALOG DEVICES EXPANDS BLACKFIN® FAMILY WITH ULTRA LOW COST, 800 MMACS DSP

Norwood, MA (09/14/2010) - Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI) today introduced the Blackfin ADSP-BF592 with 800 MMACs/400MHz of performance for just $3 (in 10K quantities). Featuring active power draw as low as 88 mW and a tiny 9 mm x 9 mm 64-lead LFCSP package, the Blackfin BF592 now makes integrating high-performance DSP (digital signal processing) practical for many power-constrained and small form-factor applications in the industrial, medical, video, audio and general-purpose markets.

“The low-cost, high-performance BF592 opens up many product possibilities for current and new Blackfin customers,” said Richard Murphy, business development manager, Processors-DSP Core Technology Group, Analog Devices. “Having an affordable 800 MMACs of DSP allows designers to incorporate sophisticated signal processing previously only feasible for higher-priced end products.”

Target applications for the BF592 include portable medical products; audio devices; imaging products, such as CMOS-sensor-based 2D barcode scanners; and smart metering products in smart grid applications.

“Analog Devices is pushing the DSP cost/performance envelope to make it easier for designers to differentiate their price- and power-constrained products,” said Tony Massimini, chief of technology, Semico Research Corp. “The Blackfin BF592 offers performance and lower power consumption at competitive pricing. These are important factors for designs in high-growth consumer markets, especially portable applications.”

Blackfin BF592 Highlights

• The highest pure DSP performance for its price point - At 800 MMACs or 400-MHz clock speed, the Blackfin BF592 provides developers the ability to run more sophisticated algorithms for more system-level advantages.

• The lowest power in ADI’s Blackfin portfolio - The BF592 consumes 80 percent less power than comparable solutions. A low active power draw of just 88 mW at 300 MHz and low standby power of less than 1 mW extends battery life.

• Smaller footprint – With a 9 mm x 9 mm footprint, the industry’s smallest 800-MMAC device allows designers to pack a tremendous amount of performance into space-constrained designs.

• Optimized for multiple applications - With a peripheral set including two SPORT’s, a PPI, two SPI’s, four general-purpose counters and a factory-programmed instruction ROM block containing the VDK RTOS and C-runtime libraries, the BF592 is feature- and cost-optimized for compute-intensive applications that operate without the need for external memory or executable flash.

• The BF592 is offered in commercial and industrial temperature grades and is automotive qualified.

Low-cost development platform

An EZ-KIT Lite® evaluation kit for the Blackfin BF592 is available for only $199, and includes an evaluation suite of ADI’s VisualDSP++ development environment with the C/C++ compiler, assembler and linker. ADI also offers a $150 Blackfin emulator (ADZS-ICE-100B), which provides designers with a comprehensive development platform that lowers the cost of entry to the Blackfin BF592. In addition, a complementary selection of ADI’s power ICs, data converters, sensors, signal conditioning ICs are available for optimizing processor and overall signal-chain performance.

Pricing and Availability

The Blackfin ADSP-BF592 is priced at $3.00 per unit based on 10,000-unit quantities. Processors are sampling to customers today. EZ-KIT Lite evaluation kits (ADSZ-BF592-EZLITE) for the Blackfin BF592 processor are available now from ADI’s authorized distributors and are priced at $199. To learn more about the Blackfin BF592 processor family and development platform, view a webcast presentation hosted by Arrow Electronics and ADI.

Innovative Design Demands Blackfin-Class Processing

Analog Devices’ Blackfin 16/32-bit processors enable engineers to advance the intelligence, functionality and connectivity of any application that benefits from a convergence of digital signal processing and control processing in a unified architecture. Delivering exceptional price/performance and energy efficiency, and complemented by a rich ecosystem of development tools, applications and third-party support, Blackfin is the processor of choice for a wide range of innovative applications including industrial, medical, automotive, security, digital home entertainment and portable devices.

Supporting Resources

Analog Devices Blackfin BF592 Background Information
Analog Devices Blackfin BF52 Overview Video
Analog Devices Blackfin BF592 Processor Datasheet
Analog Devices Blackfin Processor Evaluation Kits
Analog Devices Products for Energy Applications
Analog Devices Products for Industrial Applications

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About Analog Devices

Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices is included in the S&P 500 Index.

Blackfin, EZ-KIT Lite and VisualDSP++ are registered trademarks of Analog Devices, Inc. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners.

Editor's Contact Information:

Sue Martenson
781/937-1989

sue.martenson@analog.com