Збирач потоків

The new BBA series features higher field strengths for critical test environments up to 18 GHz

Rohde & Schwarz, a leading global supplier of test and measurement equipment and a reliable partner for turnkey EMC solutions, has expanded its broadband amplifier portfolio of the R&SBBA300 family with the two innovative amplifier series R&SBBA300-F for 6 to 13 GHz and R&SBBA300-FG for 6 to 18 GHz with additional power classes such as 90W, 180W and 300W.

Together with the already successfully introduced broadband amplifier series R&SBBA300-CDE for 380 MHz to 6 GHz and R&SBBA300-DE for 1 to 6 GHz, Rohde & Schwarz now offers compact dual-band amplifiers covering the entire frequency range from 380 MHz to 18 GHz in 4HU desktop models only.

The R&SBBA300 family is the new generation of compact, solid-state broadband amplifiers, designed for high availability and a linear output across an ultra-wide frequency range. It supports amplitude, frequency, phase, pulse and complex OFDM modulation modes and is extremely robust under all mismatch conditions, providing reliable test results in all circumstances.

Typical applications include EMC, co-existence and RF component tests during development, compliance test and production. The very wide frequency range makes them ideal for wireless and ultra-wideband testing.

The R&SBBA300-F series is a cost-effective solution for applications between 6 GHz and 13 GHz; the R&SBBA300-FG series covers a continuous frequency band from 6 GHz to 18 GHz. The two amplifier series can be used for ultrawideband applications as well as to address various EMC standards within mobile communications (FCC, ETSI), automotive (ISO), aerospace (DO-160), and military (MIL-STD-461). Both the R&SBBA300-F and the R&SBBA300-FG are now available in the power classes 30 W, 50 W, 90 W, 180 W, 300 W.

The R&SBBA300 broadband amplifier family offers two powerful tools for tailoring the RF output signal to the application: adjusting the amplifier either for excellent linearity or faithful reproduction of pulse signals by shifting the operating point between class A and class AB, and setting the amplifier for maximum tolerance to output mismatch or for maximum RF output power to utilize the power reserves for the application.

This allows users like developers, test engineers, integrators, or operators to optimize the output signal and react flexibly to a wide variety of requirements. Both parameters can be changed during amplifier operation.

“In addition to high linearity and excellent harmonic properties, our users also need extremely wide, continuous frequency bands at high RF output power,” said Michael Hempel, product manager for amplifier systems at Rohde & Schwarz. “The BBA300 series is our direct response to these requirements, offering outstanding bandwidth with high output power.”

Rohde & Schwarz also provides fully compliant EMI test receivers, signal generators, antennas, software and other essential system components and service for EMC testing.

The post Rohde & Schwarz extends the broadband amplifier range to 18 GHz appeared first on ELE Times.

Empowering a New Era of Physical AI and Robotics Development in the Asia-Pacific Region

EDOM Technology announced the official distribution of NVIDIA’s latest NVIDIA Jetson Thor module and developer kit, built for physical AI and general robotics. This move is set to accelerate technological upgrades and local deployment of applications such as intelligent robotics, AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot), AIoT, and smart manufacturing across the region.

Jetson Thor is the most powerful edge AI module in the NVIDIA Jetson series. Built on NVIDIA Blackwell GPU architecture, it delivers over 2,070 TFLOPS of AI inference capability, specifically designed for humanoid robots, AMRs, and industrial smart devices. Its highly integrated computing architecture supports multi-sensor fusion, Transformer model inference, and real-time motion control, enabling a deep integration of generative AI and the physical world. Jetson Thor seamlessly integrates with NVIDIA Isaac ROS, NVIDIA Omniverse, and NVIDIA Isaac GR00T, forming a complete AI toolchain from data generation and simulation training to edge deployment. This significantly accelerates the adoption and commercialization of Physical AI applications, making it a key enabler of next-generation edge AI and robotics intelligence.

As NVIDIA’s long-standing partner and authorized distributor of Jetson series modules in the Asia-Pacific, EDOM brings around 30 years of experience in distribution and technical integration, covering AI modules, embedded systems, sensor integration, industrial automation, and component applications.

EDOM provides comprehensive product offerings of the Jetson Thor platform, including the Jetson AGX Thor Developer kit and Jetson T5000 module. Equipped with NVIDIA Holoscan Sensor Bridge for real-time data processing, along with high-speed interfaces such as GMSL, MIPI, 25GbE, 5G, and Wi-Fi modules, as well as high-performance storage interfaces, these solutions effectively meet the stringent low-latency and high-bandwidth demands of edge computing. Additionally, EDOM supports custom hardware design and system integration reference solutions, fully assisting customers in accelerating product development and deployment processes.

Jeffrey Yu, CEO at EDOM Technology stated:
“Jetson Thor represents a major breakthrough in NVIDIA’s physical AI and robotics applications. We are honored to be the authorized distributor for Jetson Thor in the Asia-Pacific. By combining technical supports, educational resources, and platform ecosystems, we aim to help customers accelerate innovation and advance the deployment of generative and physical AI technologies.”

With the launch of Jetson Thor, the module is expected to see wide adoption in fast-growing physical AI and robotics sectors across Asia-Pacific, including smart manufacturing, AMRs, smart transportation, and service robots. For example:

• In high-precision AOI (Automated Optical Inspection), Jetson Thor can process large-scale image data in real time and perform inference, improving yield rates and automation in factories.
• In AMR factory logistics, through multi-sensor fusion and real-time motion control, it enables autonomous navigation and smart scheduling in complex environments.
• In humanoid and companion robots, Jetson Thor’s integration with GR00T multimodal models and visual recognition enables highly interactive scenarios, ideal for applications in aging societies and public services.
• With support for multiple GMSL cameras and high-speed Ethernet, Jetson Thor is also well-suited for smart city traffic nodes, performing real-time image analysis and behavior recognition.

These applications demonstrate Jetson Thor’s powerful computing capabilities and provide developers and enterprises in Asia-Pacific a complete path from AI training to edge deployment.

EDOM will continue to act as a critical bridge between technology and the market, working with system developers, integrators, and academic institutions. By driving the local deployment of the NVIDIA Jetson platform across key sectors—such as smart transportation, AIoT, and smart manufacturing—EDOM is accelerating the development and implementation of generative AI and Physical AI throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The post EDOM Strengthens NVIDIA Jetson Thor Distribution Across APAC appeared first on ELE Times.

The memory modules combine high-speed performance, compact layouts, and tool-free modularity for reliable edge AI operation in tough environments.

Until last year, Google historically held its mobile device launch events in October, ceding the yearly first-mover advantage to primary competitor Apple with its September comparable-device announcements. In 2024, however, Google “flipped the script”, jumping ahead to August. The same thing seems to have happened this year…assuming Apple does a late summer or early fall event at all, of course, since all we have right now is a lot of leaks, not a solid date. That said, Google rolled out the latest updates to its longstanding smartphone, smart watch, and earbuds products last Wednesday, August 20th at its Made by Google event, along with making additional announcements related to other R&D programs and product lines.

I suppose I probably should touch on (and get past) the “schtick” aspect of this post title’s first. I didn’t watch the livestream, as I was fully focused on my “day job” duties at the time. And truth be told, I still haven’t watched the archived video in its entirety, because I can’t stomach it:

Say what you want about Jimmy Fallon as a comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer; I personally think he’s quite talented, generally speaking:

As a tech event host, however, in this initial experiment at least, his skill set was a mismatch, IMHO at least. Not that the other guests, or even Google’s own spokespersons, were much—if any—better, for that matter. Here’s what TechCrunch noted in retrospect:

The result was a watered-down, cringey, and at times almost QVC-like sales event, which Reddit users immediately dubbed “unwatchable.” In large part, this had to do with Fallon’s performance.  Trying to shift his goofy late-night persona to a corporate event, he ended up coming across as deeply uninterested in the technology, necessitating an over-the-top display of decidedly less-than-genuine enthusiasm.

The Verge’s conceptually similar take was aptly titled “The Made by Google event felt like being sucked into an episode of Wandavision”. Here’s an excerpt:

The real unsettling thing was understanding that I — and other gadget nerds and media — were not the target audience for this show. The point of a keynote is to be both informative and impressive, telling the most interested audiences about the ins and outs of the new products and attempting to wow them with live demos and technological feats. Today’s Pixel event was less concerned with product minutiae and more concerned with making it all entertaining.

That said, Victoria Song’s self-aware closing comments were thought-provoking; perhaps at least some of the reason for my underwhelming reaction was that I’m traditional and…old:

Back in the day, [Steve] Jobs needed media to get the word out and build buzz. In this new age, companies can go straight to the source through influencers, YouTube (which Google also owns), and livestreams. It’s why you see an increasing number of influencers invited to launch events — and featuring in them. There were plenty in attendance today. It’s not that journalists are getting left out. It’s more that the keynote as we know it isn’t the only way to get attention anymore. All I know is today felt like the end of an era. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ll confess that traditional keynotes have felt stale as of late. As cringe as it was, this was at least something different.

That all said, I give Google kudos for taking it straight to Apple this time, which depending on your perspective, reflects either genuine confidence or deluded arrogance. And I’d still suggest you stick with The Verge’s 11:39 abridged video versus slogging through the full 1:16:55 version:

The processors

One downside to the reality that “gadget nerds and media were not the target audience for this show” is that we didn’t end up getting nearly as much technical detail as we’d like. At this point, for example, we don’t have any idea whose SoC is inside Google’s new Pixel Buds 2a earbuds:

INSERT https://youtu.be/v7sWikAU-os

To be fair, we don’t generally find out this kind of info for these kinds of products anyway, at least until either the supplier reveals its presence or someone like me tears ‘em apart. And speaking of suppliers subtly-or-not revealing themselves, the fact that Qualcomm rolled out its latest “Snapdragon W5+ and W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platforms” for smart watches and the like the same day as Google’s event was a tipoff that it’s what’s powering the new Pixel Watch 4:

The main IC, comprising a quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 CPU matrix and a Hexagon V66K AI DSP, is fabricated on a 4 nm process (foundry source not identified). The key difference between the W5 (what Google’s smartwatch uses) and W5+ is the latter’s inclusion of a separate 22 nm-fabricated always-on coprocessor (AOC). The Qualcomm chipset’s narrowband non-terrestrial networks (NB-NTN) support enables emergency message transmission and reception via satellite when out of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, something rumored for the (near) future with Apple Watches but not available with Apple’s current wrist-wearable products. And dual-band GPS capabilities, coupled with “Location Machine Learning 3.0” RF front-end (RFFE) and processing algorithm enhancements, claim to improve positioning accuracy by up to 50%.

Speaking of “foundry sources”, a supplier transition here is one of the most notable aspects of the new Tensor G5 SoC powering Google’s latest Pixel 10 products, including the newest Fold:

Google provided no detailed block diagram, sorry, only a pretty concept picture:

And when it comes to specs, there’s only high-level handwaving, at least for now, until third-party developers and users get their hands on hardware:

• An up to 60% more powerful TPU
• A 34% faster on average CPU, and
• New security hardware

The other thing we know is that Google switched from its longstanding foundry partner, Samsung, to TSMC this time around. The Tensor G4 (along with its G3 precursor…perhaps that lithography stall was behind the foundry switch?) had been built on a 4-nm process. Now it’s fabbed on 3 nm.

Beyond that… The Tensor G4 contained the following “octa-core” CPU cluster:

• 1× 3.1 GHz Cortex-X4
• 3× 2.6 GHz Cortex-A720
• 4× 1.92 GHz Cortex-A520

along with an Arm Mali-G715 MP7 GPU. Ars Technica notes that this time around, the total CPU core count is the same (eight), but the “mix” is different; one “prime” core, five mid-level ones, and two efficiency ones. Core identity and speed specifics are TBD, as are GPU details, although benchmarks (including relative comparisons to Apple SoC counterparts) have already leaked. To wit, the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) for on-device AI inference seems to be notably upgraded:

The more powerful TPU runs the largest version of Gemini Nano yet, clocking in at 4 billion parameters. This model, designed in partnership with the team at DeepMind, is twice as efficient and 2.6 times faster than Gemini Nano models running on the Tensor G4. The context window (a measure of how much data you can put into the model) now sits at 32,000 tokens, almost three times more than last year.

More on the Pixel Buds 2a (and Pro 2)

As I’d mentioned upfront in my Pixel Buds Pro teardown published at the beginning of 2023, Google’s initial earbuds product efforts had been hit-or-miss at best. The Pixel Buds Pro, though, introduced at the May 2022 Google I/O developer conference, was a notable update, adding both active noise cancellation (ANC) and “transparency”, among other improvements:

The subsequent enhancements made to their Pixel Buds Pro 2 successors, unveiled at last year’s Made by Google event, were more modest, and I took a “pass” on the upgrade. The original Pixel Buds Pro remain my Android-paired “daily drivers” to this very day, actually. But now, with the gen-2 update to the four-plus year old A Series:

I may reconsider my longstanding no-update loyalty. They carry forward the bulk of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 capabilities, including first-time A-Series ANC support, at the modest tradeoff of decreased between-charges operating time. Speaking of charging, the batteries inside the case (albeit not those in the earbuds themselves) are user-replaceable, precluding you from needing to toss the case in the trash when its original cells expire. And did I mention that the Pixel Buds 2a costs $100 less than its “big brother”? Presumably as an attempt to maintain (and maximize) the feature set differentiation, as a means of rationalizing the price differentiation, Google also announced a new color option and pending modest feature set updates for the Pixel Buds Pro 2:

More on the Pixel Watch 4

I never would have believed that a smartwatch update would be the highlight of a new product launch suite, but I actually think that’s what Google pulled off last week. The glass face is now curved across the entirety of its diameter, not just at the outer edges…as is the display itself, which Google refers to as “Actua 360”. The result? A 10% larger active area, even with 16% smaller bezels, and an edgeless appearance. It’s also 50% brighter, with a 3000-nit max output.

No word on battery capacity expansions for either/both the 41 mm and 45 mm diameter models, although given that the new Qualcomm chipset’s RFFE is ~20% smaller than before, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Google filled the now-available internal space with more Li-ion capacity. Regardless, Google claims that the Pixel Watch 4 has a 25% longer battery life (30 hours on the 41 mm version and 40 hours on the larger battery capacity 45 mm variant), further extendable to two days (41 mm) and three days (45 mm) via Battery Saver mode.

And when recharging is necessary, Google has made welcome updates here as well, claiming that the Pixel Watch 4 charges 25% faster than before, from zero to 50% in just 15 minutes.

The approach shown in the above video marks the third charging scheme Google has employed across only four smartwatch generations to date. The first-generation Pixel Watch was launched three years ago at Made by Google:

and previewed a few months earlier at the 2022 Google I/O conference. It remains in daily use on my wrist to this very day. The premiere Pixel Watch leveraged proprietary wireless charging, which was convenient but slow and inefficient, and also translated into thermal tradeoffs that “encouraged” the back panel to fall off. Second- and third-generation successors switched to physical charging contacts on that same back panel. And now Google’s moved them to the side, among other things, translating into improved (more accurately: finally feasible) repairability.

Unsurprisingly, the new SoC affords additional Gemini-fueled AI capabilities, both fitness-specific (a pending Fitbit revamp is planned, for example, and more general. Other UI enhancements are physical versus virtual: a 15% stronger haptic engine and a louder, clearer speaker. Pixel Watch 4 preorders are now open, with product availability slated for October.

More on the Pixel 10 phone family

And now for the smartphones, normally the upfront-in-coverage stars of the show. Unless you look closely, and disregarding the varied color options this time around, you won’t be able to discern any differences between them and last year’s Pixel 9 predecessors, at least from the outside. Same four models (10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro Max, and 10 Pro Fold, the latter also with October availability), same screen-size options (albeit with modestly boosted peak brightness) and other dimensions (albeit slightly thicker in some cases), etc. The biggest external evolution is the baseline Pixel 10’s added (third) 10.8 Mpixel backside telephoto camera, prompting a (presumably bill-of-materials driven) devolution of its ultrawide peer to 13 Mpixels from the Pixel 9’s 48 Mpixels (the wide camera resolution also dropped slightly, from 50 to 48 Mpixels).

Pop off the screen and peer inside, and things get more interesting. The 3rd gen Fold version, for example, is now IP68 water and dust resistant; Google was also refreshingly candid that it’s not a “forever” panacea (for it or any other device, for that matter, either). The Pixel 10’s Wi-Fi downgrades from 7 (on the Pixel 9) to 6e. Battery capacities have gone up slightly across the board, as have between-charges battery life estimates. And how does one charge those batteries? Legacy wired USB-C connections are faster than before, at least for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, which can charge to 70% in 30 minutes using a 45-W input. And that same product variant also supports up-to-25W wireless Qi2.2 charging. The others are “only” 15W-capable, although their common Qi2-gen technology first-time embeds magnets, branded by Google as Pixelsnap:

One pleasant surprise, speaking of bill-of-materials costs, was that tariff pressures aside (Pixel products are variously manufactured in China, Vietnam and, increasingly, India), and aside from the $100-more Pixel 10 Pro XL, there were no other price increases from last year’s models to this year’s. And Google also didn’t “hide” tariff costs by cutting RAM capacities (which would counterbalance its burgeoning AI ambitions, anyway) or offering only higher-capacity, higher-priced (and profitable) storage variants, the latter as Apple is rumored to be doing with at least some of its various upcoming iPhone 17 flavors. Speaking of storage, the baseline interface moves from UFS v3.1 on the Pixel 9 to faster v4.0 on the Pixel 10…as long as you purchase a device with at last 256 GBytes of flash memory, that is. Bump that up to 512 GBytes or further, and you also get “Zoned UFS” (ZUFS). Google didn’t say much about it last week, but here’s how SK Hynix explained it in a year-plus-back press release:

The ZUFS is a differentiated technology that classifies and stores data generated from smartphones in different zones in accordance with characteristics. Unlike a conventional UFS, the latest product groups and stores data with similar purposes and frequencies in separate zones, boosting the speed of a smartphone’s operating system and management efficiency of the storage devices. The ZUFS also shortens the time required to run an application from a smartphone in long hours use by 45%, compared with a conventional UFS. With the issue of degradation of read and write performance improved by more than four times, the lifetime of the product also increased by 40%.

The explicit ZUFS tie to higher capacities suggests to me that it’s explicitly tied to multi-die memory modules, which are inherently easier to manage from a multiple-simultaneous-access (read and/or write) standpoint. Further, regarding the claimed performance and durability improvements, it’s conceptually feasible that a portion of the total capacity allocation might derive from more costly (on a per-bit basis) but more robust single- or dual-bit-per-cell flash memory, with the remainder using cheaper but slower and less durable triple- or quad-bit-per-cell flash and the operating system on-the-fly directing usage to one or the other as appropriate. One final internal (with external ramifications) change of note: with the exception of the Fold variant and only in the United States, Google has dropped physical SIM support from this year’s phones, just as Apple had done with its iPhone 14 product line three years back.

Other “teasers”

Google also mentioned last week that a pending migration from Google Assistant to Gemini, in both free and paid service tiers, was planned for its various existing Home devices (likely a reaction to both users’ increasingly vocal complaints about their existing setups and competitor Amazon’s underway Alexa+ staged rollout), along with reassuring everyone that Gemini support in Android Auto and Google TV is still on the way. And apparently, judging from a teased image, “Gemini for Home” will be supported by not only legacy but also new hardware. I could imagine, for example, that legacy memory capacity and processing horsepower limitations would significantly hamper, if not completely preclude, local “edge” AI inference capabilities:

(yes, that’s Formula 1 Team McLaren driver Lando Norris)

And what about new (specifically Google-branded) product categories? Company executives indicated, for example, that Google has at least temporarily paused internal tablet development after the underwhelming market acceptance of its most recent (2.5 year old) Pixel Tablet model:

a particularly interesting twist in light of chronologically-coincident reports that Amazon is dropping its Android-derived Fire OS and refocusing on “pure” Android for its future tablets.

Similarly, Google claims it has no definite (public, at least) plans to release branded smart glasses or other head-mounted wearables—instead being content to develop foundation O/S and application suites for partners to productize—or even a smart ring. I’m particularly skeptical about that last one, as I am regarding Apple’s claimed non-interest in the smart ring product category. I’ve been testing various manufacturers’ smart rings in recent months, with compelling albeit embryonic outcomes, and I find it hard to imagine either Apple or Fitbit-by-Google perpetually ceding that particular product-category space to others (that said, the effectiveness of patent-portfolio barriers should never be underestimated).

Stay tuned for the first in a series of smart ring-themed posts by yours truly in EDN starting next month. And with that, nearing 3,000 words, I’m going to wrap up for today. Apple is rumored to be holding its own event in a few weeks, which I’m as-usual also planning on covering. Until then, as always, let me (and your fellow readers) know your thoughts via the comments!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

Related articles

• Google’s fall…err…summer launch: One-upping Apple with a sizeable product tranche
• Google’s Pixel Buds Pro earbuds dissected: Noise is (finally) actively detected
• The Google TV Streamer 4K: Hardware updates on display(s)
• Playin’ with Google’s Pixel 7
• The 2024 Google I/O: It’s (pretty much) all about AI progress, if you didn’t already guess
• The Pixel Watch: An Apple alternative with Google’s (and Fitbit’s) personal touch

 

The post If you made it through the schtick, Google’s latest products were pretty fantastic appeared first on EDN.

Penny + giles potentiometers dont like isopropyl so I had to take them apart. Absolute works of art these motorized faders. They are driven with two 2A opamps acting as an H-Bridge lol submitted by /u/XDFreakLP [link] [comments]

Silicon Craft is graduating NFC from a passive data carrier to a complete electrochemical measurement system. With this technology, a simple phone tap can both power and execute a diagnostic test. 

Within my year-back coverage of Google’s August 2024 multi-product launch event, I devoted multiple prose paragraphs to the $99.99 TV Streamer 4K, the company’s high-end replacement for the popular prior Chromecast with Google TV 4K and HD series:

Memory-drive evolutions

Part of the motivation for Google’s product-succession move, we belatedly learned, was a requirement unveiled three months later that all new Google TV O/S-licensed devices needed to ship with a minimum of 2 GBytes of RAM. While the original (4K) Chromecast with Google TV met that specification, the HD sibling undershot it by 25% (1.5 GBytes). The TV Streamer 4K, on the other hand, doubles the onboard RAM allotment to 4 GBytes.

Another increasingly problematic issue with prior-generation devices was their dearth of integrated nonvolatile (flash memory) storage, which adversely affected not only how many apps and other downloaded content could be held on-device but even the available capacity to house operating system updates. Both the 4K and HD variants of the Chromecast with Google TV included only 8 GBytes of storage, only around half of which were user-accessible. The TV Streamer 4K quadruples that total amount, to 32 GBytes.

Then there’s the competitive angle. A year ago, the most advanced device in licensee-slash-competitor (frenemy?) Walmart’s product arsenal was the $19.88 onn. 4K Streaming Box (which I just noticed they’re calling the “Streaming Device” again in conjunction with the recent packaging refresh) with 2 GBytes of RAM and 8 GBytes of nonvolatile storage, memory capacity-matching the Chromecast with Google TV 4K at less than half the price. That said, as any of you who saw one of my last-month teardowns already knows, Walmart subsequently unveiled a “Pro” device of its own, with 3 GBytes of RAM, 32 GBytes of nonvolatile storage, and, at $49.99, a price tag once again half that of the Google TV Streamer 4K counterpart.

And amid all this memory-related chitchat, don’t overlook equally important processing and graphics horsepower, along with connectivity and other hardware enhancements. Walmart has historically leveraged Amlogic SoCs, sometimes architecture- and/or clock speed-upgraded from one generation to another, and other times generationally essentially the same. Up to this point, at least, Google has also done the same. What’s inside the TV Streamer 4K, claimed to be “22% faster” this time? And does its feature set “adders” versus competitive alternatives, such as the ability to act as a Google Home and Matter-and-Thread hub…umm…matter? Let’s find out.

eBay once again comes through

Sorry, folks, but given my per-teardown monetary compensation, I’m not going to drop $100 on a brand new dissection “patient”, especially if I’m not confident upfront that I’ll be able to get it back together afterwards in cosmetically pristine and fully functional form. Fortunately, back in early May, I came across a “Porcelain” color (“Hazel” is also available) used-condition device with all accessories included on eBay for $52.25 plus tax, with free shipping. It was a bit beat up, but seemingly still worked fine:

Here’s how it and the accompanying accessories arrived (inside a bubble wrap-rich cardboard box, of course), as usual, in the following photo (and others to come) accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes:

Let’s have a close-up peek at the power supply first. I was admittedly surprised to still see Google shipping devices accompanied by wall warts with legacy USB-A outputs, mated to USB-A to USB-C cables, although the combo still seemingly provides sufficient juice to power the streamer:

That’s a 5V/1.5A (7.5W) output, if you can’t discern the faint fine print:

Next, the remote control:

It’s a slightly larger version of the one bundled with the Chromecast with Google TV HD (to the right in the following photos), notably moving the volume controls to the front versus the side:

And now for the star of the show, with the following specifications:

• Length: 6.4 in
• Width: 3.0 in
• Height: 1.0 in
• Weight: 5.7 oz

Note that (optional for use, in addition to built-in Wi-Fi) wired Ethernet support is integrated this time, not necessitating the use of a separate USB-C hub. More generally, left-to-right, there’s the status LED, a “find remote” button that does double-duty for reset purposes, USB-C (software-enabled for both power and peripheral data purposes), GbE Ethernet, and HDMI 2.1:

Open sesame

Time to dive inside. That underside rubberized “foot” is usually a fruitful pathway bet:

No luck yet, but the various-shaped and -sized opening outlines barely visible below the translucent next-level layer are encouraging:

That’s better…

…save for the lingering “bubble” after I put the “foot” back in place, a familiar sight to anyone who’s ever imperfectly applied a screen protector…

Let’s pause for a moment and take in the lay of the land:

There are screw heads in all four corners, along with recessed tabs on both sides, and additional holes (with metal visible within them) at both the top and bottom edges:

Removing the screws was easy:

The tabs were more of a struggle and, ultimately, a surprise. What I thought I needed to do was to carefully bend them out of the way, thereby enabling the two halves to vertically separate. And indeed, I was able to shift one to the side, fortunately not breaking it in the process. But when I turned my attention to the other, the two halves instead separated sideways in response:

And then they vertically lifted apart. Turns out I could have saved myself some trouble (and potential tab breakage) by just sliding them apart from the beginning:

Tackling various temperature inhibitors

Next up: that sizeable heat sink. Remember the earlier-mentioned “additional holes at both the top and bottom edges”? Those were for the four additional screws that now need to be removed; the tips had been visible through the holes to the other (bottom) side:

Houston, we have liftoff:

Next, the PCB, held in place by plastic tabs (and the connectors’ inserts to the case back panel):

And yes, as you can see from the now-present smear, I got thermal paste all over myself, etc. in the process of getting the PCB out of the bottom case half:

A close-up of the LED light pipe and button mechanical bits:

Voila:

Already visible are the PCB-embedded Wi-Fi antennae on both sides; the TV Streamer 4K supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac (both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) along with both Bluetooth 5.1 and a Thread transceiver. Before going any further, let’s get rid of the rest of that thermal paste, properly this time (via rubbing alcohol and a tissue):

Now let’s flip the PCB over and see what the other side reveals:

Another Faraday cage! And another embedded antenna (lower left). I’m guessing that it’s for Bluetooth and, doing double-duty, Thread, both protocols being 2.4 GHz-based.

While here, let’s get this cage off. Unlike most I’ve encountered, this one has numerous discrete “dimpled” tabs holding it in place, versus longer segments each with multiple embedded “dimples”:

Tedious patience eventually won out, however:

The “fins” (which I presume are for “spring” purposes) on top of the Faraday cage are interesting:

And what’s with the three gold-color “clips” (for lack of a better word) scattered around the cage, readers? I’ve seen them in past teardowns, too; I’m not sure what purpose they serve:

A new generation, a supplier transition

A closeup reveals, at lower left, an unknown chip stamped thusly:

MG21
A020H1
B02ARA
2436

to its right, an unknown-function MediaTek MT6393GN (although this has me suspecting it’s a power management controller, and to my earlier “what SoC is in the design this time” question: hmm, MediaTek?), and at lower right, a Samsung K4FBE3D4HB-MGCL 32 Gbit LPDDR4 DRAM:

Back to the topside, and (tediously, again) off with another Faraday cage:

More thermal paste inside, unsurprisingly:

Zooming in, I’m guessing that the application processor is at far left, under the lingering lump of paste (which I’ll attempt to clean up next). Below it is the nonvolatile storage, a Kioxia (formerly Toshiba Semiconductor) THGAMVG8T13BAIL 32 GByte eMMC flash memory. To its right is the wired Ethernet transceiver, a Realtek RTL8211F. And at far right is the wireless communications nexus, MediaTek’s MT7663BSN “802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi 2T2R + Bluetooth v5.1 Combo Chip”.

Who’ll take my bet that under that glob of thermal paste is a MediaTek-sourced SoC?

I win! It’s the MT8696, based on a quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 and capable of clocking at up to 2 GHz. I can’t read the markings on the crystal in the SoC’s upper left corner, but TechInsights’ analysis report, which I’ll revisit soon, says that the MT8696 runs at 1.8 GHz in this design.

All that was left was to apply fresh thermal paste everywhere I’d cleaned it off, set the Faraday cages back on top of their brackets, push the tabs back in place, snap some side-view shots:

and then fire it back up and see if it still works. I didn’t bother with putting the top back in place at first, in case it didn’t work, but that white LED glow in the lower left is an encouraging sign.

Huzzah!

I let it run for about 15 minutes to ensure that it was thermally stable, then unplugged it and completed the reassembly process.

Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?

In closing, I’ll share the report summary of another teardown I came across, from TechInsights, with the identities of a few other ICs. And I’ll toss out a few questions for your introspection:

• Given that Google’s conspicuous reference to this one as the “4K” model, will they follow up later with a “HD” edition as they did in the Chromecast with Google TV era?
• Given the subsequent unveiling of both Walmart’s aforementioned 4K Pro Streaming Device and even newer “little brother” (sorta…hold that thought for another teardown to come) onn. 4K Plus Streaming Device, plus other manufacturers’ Google TV O/S-based products, all significantly lower priced, just how many TV Streamer 4Ks does Google really expect to sell?
• And at the end of the day, given that Google is fundamentally a software company (with a software-licensing business model), does it matter? Is TV Streamer 4K fundamentally just a showcase product to advance the feature set of the overall market, analogous to Microsoft and its Surface computer product line? Said another way, are Amazon (with its various Fire OS-based devices), Apple (with tvOS-based Apple TV products), and Roku (Roku OS-based sticks, boxes, and TVs) Google’s real competitors?

Wrapping up, some words I previously wrote (and EDN subsequently published) last August:

Competing against a foundation-software partner who’s focused on volume at the expense of per-unit profit (even willing to sell “loss leaders” in some cases, to get customers in stores and on the website in the hopes that they’ll also buy other, more lucrative items while they’re there) is a tough business for Google to be in, I suspect. Therefore, the pivot to the high end, letting its partners handle the volume market while being content with the high-profit segment.

How well (or not) has my year-back perspective held up? Any other thoughts on what I’ve shared today? Let me (and your fellow readers) know in the comments!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

 Related Content

• Google’s fall…err…summer launch: One-upping Apple with a sizeable product tranche
• Perusing Walmart’s onn. 4K Pro Streaming Device with Google TV: Storage aplenty
• Walmart’s onn. full HD streaming device: Still not thick, just don’t call it a stick
• Google’s Chromecast: impressively (and increasingly) up for the video streaming task
• The Google Chromecast Gen 3: Gluey and screwy
• Google’s Chromecast Ultra: More than just a Stadia consorta
• Google’s Chromecast with Google TV: Dissecting the HD edition
• The Google Chromecast Gen 2 (2015): A Form Factor Redesign with Beefier Wi-Fi, Too
• Google’s Chromecast with Google TV: Car accessory similarity, and a post-teardown resurrection opportunity?
• The Google Chromecast with Google TV: Realizing a resurrection opportunity

The post The Google TV Streamer 4K: Hardware updates on display(s) appeared first on EDN.

A variety of electromagnetic compliance (EMC) testing solutions—standalone instruments, software, and systems—will be on display at Rohde & Schwarz’s booth during IEEE EMC Europe 2025 symposium held at Sorbonne Université in Paris from 1-5 September 2025.

Start with HF1444G14, the new high-gain electromagnetic interference (EMI) microwave antenna covering 14.9 to 44 GHz. It will be paired with the company’s ESW EMI test receiver to demonstrate full compliance testing with a single measurement. The ESW EMI test receiver, boasting an FFT bandwidth of up to 970 MHz, facilitates measurements of CISPR frequency bands C and D in a single sweep.

Figure 1 The ESW EMI test receiver offers a wide measurement bandwidth and high dynamic range. Source: Rohde & Schwarz

Next, the EPL1007 EMI test receiver, supporting frequency ranges up to 7.125 GHz, can be either used for EMI pre-compliance testing or as a CISPR 16-1-1 compliant receiver. It’s a portable device that can operate on batteries, which makes it suitable for a wide range of testing environments.

Figure 2 The EPL1007 EMI test receiver is suitable for conducted and radiated measurements. Source: Rohde & Schwarz

Then there is the ELEKTRA test software, which automates EMC testing for EMI and electromagnetic susceptibility (EMS) measurements of an equipment under test (EUT). The software simplifies test configuration, speeds up test execution, and generates comprehensive test reports. Rohde & Schwarz will demonstrate new features of this test software, including the latest capabilities for immunity testing in reverberation chambers.

Figure 3 The ELEKTRA test software captures the entire system to measure EMI emissions and EMS immunity. Source: Rohde & Schwarz

Moreover, the Munich, Germany-based test and measurement company will also demonstrate EMI debugging on its oscilloscopes and probing solutions. Rohde & Schwarz’s MXO 5 oscilloscopes—featuring an update rate of more than 4.5 million wfms/s and more than 45k FFT/s for spectrum analysis—will be paired with the isolated probing system RT-ZISO to allow users to debug digital and power electronic devices quickly.

Rohde & Schwarz will also present four technical sessions at the conference.

Related Content

• EMI test considerations for power supplies
• EMC pre-compliance testing ups success rate
• Avoiding EMC Failure Through Pre-Compliance Testing
• EMC antennas for troubleshooting and pre-compliance testing
• EMI emissions testing: peak, quasi-peak, and average measurements

The post EMC compliance spanning instruments, software, and systems appeared first on EDN.

Power Integrations Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which provides high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion) is rolling out a new reference design kit tailored specifically for solar-powered race cars as 37 student teams prepare to race across the Australian Outback in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, starting 24 August...

Plessey Semiconductors Ltd of Plymouth, UK — which develops embedded micro-LED technology for augmented-reality and mixed-reality (AR/MR) display applications — has been acquired by London-based Haylo Labs, which has been established by Haylo Ventures (a venture operator founded in 2023 to build and scale deep-tech businesses) to focus specifically on the micro-LED, optical compute, and interconnect sectors...

Launch services and space systems company Rocket Lab Corp of Long Beach, CA, USA (the parent company of space power provider SolAero Technologies Corp) is boosting its US investments to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity and provide supply chain security for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors for national security space missions. The investments are supported by a $23.9m award through the US Department of Commerce, as part of the CHIPS and Science Act...

InnoScience (Suzhou) Technology Holding Co Ltd — which manufactures gallium nitride on silicon (GaN) power chips on 8” silicon wafers — and China’s largest tier-1 automotive supplier United Automotive Electronic Systems Co Ltd (UAES, a joint venture established in 1995 by China’s Zhonglian Automotive Electronics Co Ltd and Germany’s Robert Bosch GmbH) have established a joint laboratory to develop advanced power electronics systems for new energy vehicles using the advantages of GaN technology in size, weight, and efficiency. The two parties held an unveiling ceremony at UAES (Suzhou R&D Center)...

MeitY approved 23 chip design projects under its Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, thus strengthening the semiconductor design ecosystem in India. This favors domestic start-ups and MSMEs that work on chips applicable in surveillance cameras, smart energy meters, among others.

Alongside these approvals, 72 companies now have access to industry-grade EDA tools to shorten development time and improve design capabilities in India.

One of the beneficiaries is Bengaluru-based Vervesemi Microelectronics, which is designing integrated circuits for smart energy, motor control, and aerospace. Its forthcoming designs include chips for weighing scales, energy meters, small appliances, electric vehicles, and avionics.

Vervesemi is developing ICs for strategic and consumer applications, including ASICs for weighing scales, smart energy meters, BLDC motor controllers, EVs, drones, and aerospace systems. Sampling for most designs is expected between late 2025 and 2026.

The company mentioned that these efforts display India’s growing ability to design high-performance, Made-in-India ICs for the strategic and consumer market in import substitution and raising the country’s stature at a global level in the semiconductor field.

The DLI program is at the core of India’s $10 billion semiconductor mission, which aims to reduce reliance on imports while simultaneously fostering domestic talent and creating a robust ecosystem for chip design and development.

The broader impact of the DLI scheme is already visible, as India moves toward building a robust fabless semiconductor ecosystem. By empowering startups and MSMEs with access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and financial incentives, MeitY is laying the groundwork for a self-reliant design-to-deployment pipeline. Experts believe that this momentum, combined with strategic investments and global partnerships, could help India emerge as a competitive force in the global semiconductor supply chain, reducing reliance on imports and boosting domestic innovation.

The post Govt Sanctions 23 Chip Design Ventures Under DLI Scheme appeared first on ELE Times.

InnoScience (Suzhou) Technology Holding Co Ltd — which manufactures gallium nitride on silicon (GaN) power chips on 8” silicon wafers — has launched four new 700V SolidGaN devices (ISG6123TA, ISG6123TP, ISG6124TA, and ISG6124TP) that adopt industry-standard TOLL and TOLTP high-power packages, offering compatibility with both traditional controllers and motor driver applications, and streamlining design and simplifying adoption across various applications...

India’s electronics sector, one of the major achievements under the Make in India initiative, could witness long-term benefits following China’s decision to ease export restrictions on rare earth metals and critical minerals.

Rare earth elements (REEs) comprise the very stuff in a myriad of devices-hardly just companies assembling smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and electric vehicles, but also advanced display technologies. Rare earth elements (REEs) were an eternal source of limited supply, coupled with China dominating the supply chains worldwide, thereby posing an impediment to global electronics manufacturers.

The relaxation in export restrictions by China could go a long way in reducing supply constraints in India thus helping the domestic industry grow faster, and in removing supply-chain bottlenecks-according to experts of the industry. This is extremely important in sectors like semiconductors, consumer electronics, and electric mobility, where India aspires to build some competitive advantage.

Industry leaders believe that stable prices for critical minerals should lower production costs and foster further investment in the electronics ecosystem in India, thus quickening the country’s path to being recognized as a-global electronics manufacturing hub.

The change in policy comes at a time when India is enhancing PLI schemes to pull in global multinationals engaged in electronics and semiconductor fabrication. With a better supply assurance for rare earths, India should now find itself better placed to enter into global value chains and curtail its dependence on expensive imports from various markets.

Despite China being India’s strategic competitor, the loosening of export controls unexpectedly highlights global supply chains’ interconnectivity. Analysts say that the way is now clear for the electronics and EV sectors of India to be among the biggest beneficiaries if India continues to develop domestic processing and value addition firms.

The post Rare Earth Export Curbs Lifted by China: India’s Semiconductor and Electronics Sectors Poised to Benefit appeared first on ELE Times.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has indicated that two to three small semiconductor projects may soon be announced, using leftover funds from the ₹76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission (Semicon 1.0). Most of the outlay has already been committed to chip fabrication facilities, the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, and the Design-Linked Incentive scheme.

The government is also working out the framework for Semicon 2.0 with the aim of further mainstreaming the semiconductor ecosystem in India.

The announcement comes as a precursor to SEMICON India 2025, taking place from September 2 to 4 at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, the inauguration of which shall be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This edition has almost doubled in scale and has attracted more global and state participation, with all exhibition spaces being booked to capacity.

MeitY has further said that the first commercially produced Made-in-India chips may just be out by the end of 2025, with several companies racing to reach this milestone.

Industry observers say the combination of policy support, global partnerships, and rising investor interest has positioned India as an increasingly credible player in the global semiconductor supply chain.

Global players including Applied Materials, IBM, Infineon, LAM Research, Merck, Siemens, TSMC, and Tata Electronics will join the event, underscoring rising international confidence in India’s semiconductor push.

The post MeitY May Announce 2–3 Small Semiconductor Projects Soon appeared first on ELE Times.

submitted by /u/SpecialistRare832 [link] [comments]

❗️ Японська осінь 2025 kpi пн, 08/25/2025 - 11:14

The New High-Efficiency Audio Solution Ideal for Dashboard, eCall, and T-Box Applications

Nuvoton announced NAU83U25YG, a new automotive-grade Class-D audio amplifier. The NAU83U25YG Class-D amplifier features high-efficiency stereo, digital input, and delivers up to 3W (4 Ω load) or 1.7W (8 Ω load) output power. Featuring a two-wire gain adjustment interface, it is the ideal choice for automotive electronics applications such as dashboards, eCall, and T-Box systems.

As automotive electronics enter the era of the “smart cockpit,” vehicle intelligence has become a key industry focus. This trend is driving increasing functional requirements for audio solution providers in automotive applications. Nuvoton Technology strictly adheres to automotive industry standards, offering AEC-Q100 qualified products for automotive applications. To simplify system design, our solutions support digital I2S audio signal input from the vehicle’s main controller, reducing the need for external components and minimizing PCB size. Additionally, our digital amplifiers help prevent circuit interference and effectively solve EMI issues.

The NAU83U25YG stereo Class-D audio amplifier has advanced features like 80 dB PSRR, 90% efficiency, ultra-low quiescent current (i.e. 2.1 mA at 3.7V for 2 channels) and superior EMI performance. It offers lower distortion, reduced background noise, and a wider dynamic range. Additionally, this new amplifier supports comprehensive device protection.

NAU83U25YG Key Features

1. Gain Setting via I²C interface, 22 dB to -62 dB
2. Powerful Stereo Class-D Amplifier, 2ch x 3.0W (4Ω @ 5V, 10% THD+N)
3. Low Output Noise: 18 μVrms @ 0 dB gain
4. Comprehensive Device Protection:

• Overcurrent Protection (OCP)
• Undervoltage Lockout (UVLO)
• Overtemperature Protection (OTP)
• Clock Termination Protection (CTP)

5. Click-and-Pop Suppression
6. Package: QFN-20
7. Operating Temperature Range: -40℃ ~ +105℃
8. Automotive Grade: AEC-Q100 qualification & TS16949 compliant

Superior EMI Performance, Filter-Free
The NAU83U25YG amplifier stands out by eliminating the need for an external output filter, thanks to its spread-spectrum-oscillator technology and slew-rate control, effectively reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI). Moreover, it offers enhanced immunity and power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of > 80 dB at 217 Hz. Making the NAU83U25YG an excellent fit for Class-D audio amplifiers in wireless and AM (Amplitude Modulation) frequency band applications.

Leap Forward in Efficiency, Power
The Class-D topology represents a significant leap forward in both power efficiency and noise minimization in audio devices. By generating a binary square wave, Class-D amplifiers efficiently amplify the signal through power device switching. Compared to Class-AB devices, Class-D amplifiers offer power efficiencies that are two-thirds better.

The NAU83U25YG Class-D audio amplifier excels in driving a 4 Ω load with an impressive output power of up to 3W and fast start-up time of just 14 msec.

NAU83U25YG Target Applications

The new Class-D audio amplifier is designed for automotive electronics applications including dashboards, eCall, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) and T-Box.

The post Nuvoton Introduces Automotive-grade, Filter-Free 3W Class-D Audio Amplifier NAU83U25YG appeared first on ELE Times.

⏱️ Графік навчального процесу на 2024-2025 навчальний рік kpi пн, 08/25/2025 - 01:00