Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) introduced an 11-bit D/A converter that enables cable television and broadband operators to synthesize the entire cable spectrum up to 1 GHz into a single RF port, while consuming a maximum of 1.1 W of power. The AD9737A 2.5-GSPS D/A converter’s wide bandwidth and dynamic range enable cable infrastructure designers to increase quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) channel density by 20 times over present cable modem implementations, enabling improved next-generation services such as interactive television, high-definition broadcasts and new specialty channels.
The AD9737A D/A converter's features and benefits include: Low noise and intermodulation distortion enable high-quality synthesis of wideband signals up to 1 GHz, reducing the number of transmit DACs required in the typical cable plant; operates from 1.8 and 3.3 V supplies for a total power consumption of 1.1 W maximum; dual-port interface with double-data-rate LVDS data receivers supports the maximum conversion rate of 2.5 GSPS; proprietary switching technique enhances dynamic performance; and output current is programmable from 8.7 to 31.7 mA adding flexibility in interface options. In addition, the converter is not subject to US data converter export restrictions.