As well as showcasing a new light sensor combined with proximity sensor and line of data converters, Intersil has a number of application-centred demonstrations on its Electronica booth. Top billing goes to an automotive infotainment demo that includes various mixed signal parts - ambient light sensors to control the overall display brightness, active LED drivers to illuminate various evaluation boards that simulate automotive interior lighting, and newly-acquired D2Audio's automotive digital audio amplifier evaluation platform.
Notably, the demo is an opportunity for D2Audio to demonstrate its second-generation DAE-2 audio digital signal processor with integrated Class-D amplifier controllers. Boasting real-time digital audio feedback and digital feedforward power supply correction, D2Audio's founder Dr Skip Taylor says: "Visitors will be able to stand behind the steering wheel and feel the immersive audio experience for themselves."
D2Audio's digital amplification and audio processing expertise is now firmly focused on high volume applications such as digital TVs and automotive infotainment systems. It will also be running a demo of its first and third generation digital class D controllers in a digital TV " the latter is a complete soc, integrating the amplifier controllers and audio dsp. With the aim of delivering 'high-end analog amplifier performance and sound quality to low cost applications', its 'intelligent' amps directly tackle the space occupied by good quality analog Class D amps and aim to win the battle on the basis of their 'tunability' and power efficiency.
Whilst one can debate the various merits of analog only and mixed signal solutions, what's makes D2Audio's approach of interest is their consideration of the whole acoustic environment, which is why, as Taylor explains, they have always favoured a DSP approach: "We have developed many automated techniques to enable our customers, and their customers in turn, to optimise the audio performance and experience." Chief among these is a set of audio processing technologies that D2Audio calls the SoundSuite collection, designed to overcome the limitations of most consumer devices. Notes Taylor: "We are fighting cosmetics: TVs have small speakers which manufacturers often want to hide, making the audio experience much harder to achieve. Our challenge is to deliver the experience consumers expect regardless of whether the audio has the performance capabilities of that, as it is delivered to the processing chain."
D2Audio gives its customers several additional optimisation routes: they can provide D2Audio with their system definition, such as the speakers they'll use and the cabinetry, and D2Audio will provide a calibrated solution; or, suiting higher end multimedia systems, they can supply a system with integrated microphone and some extra circuitry that enables their end customers to optimise the sound depending on the characteristics of the room the multimedia system is installed in. This is achieved through a one-button set-up facility, and takes into account factors such as the size of the room, of the speakers, and the size of overall sound system.
As for the future, Taylor says: "Intersil has a wealth of complementary capabilities that will allow us to take our soc approach even further. Aside from all the input output and peripheral capabilities we can integrate into the chip, Intersil is big on analog power. One of the things we count on for delivering a complete solution is power, so we want to take advantage of that."
Intersil acquires D2Audio
Making audio sound louder: Techniques for portable audio designers
Class D Audio Amplifiers: What, Why, and How
Class D Audio Amplifiers: What, Why, and How - Part 2
Class D Audio Amplifiers: What, Why, and How - Part 3
