Indeed, the profusion of digital products has triggered a similar, and often proportionately larger, need for high-quality analogue technology. A faster digital-signal processor, for example, enables a digital audio receiver to improve its performance by adding multiple audio channels. Each new channel, however, requires a separate power amplifier to drive its output. In fact, market-research firm DataBeans estimates that for every Euro of digital content added to an electronic end-product design, as much as 1.40 Euro in analogue technology is also required. The digital proliferation is doing much more than driving demand for analogue content. In many cases, new digital products require new levels of highly integrated, high-performance analogue circuitry that is able to convert, condition and regulate the signal, control and power paths. In fact, many of the features of current digital products are differentiated more by analogue innovation than digital circuitry.

Snaptastic

In digital still cameras, advanced processing technology has enabled rapid processing of images. The image quality depends on data converters in the camera's analogue front end to lower noise and increase dynamic range. Advances in data conversion have also enabled front ends to address issues such as lowering power to extend battery life, raising sample rates to increase camera-shutter speed and boosting the sensitivity of the image sensor to reduce the need for a flash. Such features have increased the analogue semiconductor content in a typical digital still camera from under 2.5 Euros a few years ago to more than 6.5 Euros today. Next-generation cameras may require for this figure to more than double.

Sounds appealing

In audio processing, the signal chain is increasingly perceived as digital. In reality, however, the profusion of multi-channel audio is placing new performance demands on analogue. The digital signal-processing challenges in multi-channel digital audio systems, for instance, require multiple high-performance analogue power amplifiers to drive speakers and codecs capable of converting analogue audio signals without compromising DSP performance.

Talking analogue

In the mobile market, infrastructure is migrating from 2G and 2.5G to higher performance 2.75G and 3G, driving the development of more intelligent, function-rich phones with features such as MP3 music and broadcast TV. But the features in these «digital" mobile phones are also driving the need for new analogue capability. For example, the trend to integrate higher resolution cameras into the handset demands better analogue image processing, image stabilisation and focus/zoom control, as well as the data converters and amplifiers required to support those functions. And as designers integrate new features and attempt to manage up to 20 different regulated voltages, advanced power management and battery-charging ICs are necessary to maintain battery life. These changes, combined with the RF and analogue-interface challenges of 3G, will increase the average analogue content two-fold.

Carry on doctor

Medical imaging now requires the availability of lar-ger amounts of digital resources, and the shift to portable formats is driving demand for high-performance analogue components. In medical applications, high-speed digital computation allows doctors to review higher resolution CT scans and ultrasound images to more quickly and accurately assess the patient's condition. But to take advantage of those new capabilities, designers must improve the signal-acquisition capabilities of their products by increasing channel density and improving front-end performance.

The bigger picture

While the advent of high-definition TV and cinema-quality sound are attributed to the digital revolution, the development of advanced TV is being driven just as much by analogue technology. Even in the era of digital broadcasting, TVs require dual interfaces (both digital and analogue) to support legacy VCRs, DVD players and camcorders. Highly integrated interface ICs that support multiple interface standards will be required to couple analogue and digital inputs to state-of-the-art flat-panel displays, whereas audio performance is defined by analogue.Data-conversion technology and the front-end signal processing that are required to manipulate and manage real-world phenomena are essential. By ensuring that the right components are available for customers' applications, firms such as Analog Devices hope to enable engineers to bring the full potential of their digital designs to life.