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For Immediate Release
Editorial Contact:
Eric Sells
Microchip Technology Inc.
(480) 786-7478
Reader/Literature Inquiries:
(480) 786-7668
Web: www.microchip.com
MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES
MXDEV ANALOG EVALUATION SYSTEM
CHANDLER, Ariz., April 3, 2000 [NASDAQ: MCHP] — Microchip Technology Inc. today
introduced the MXDEV Analog Evaluation System to make it easier for embedded systems
designers to evaluate and develop with the company’s line of standalone analog products. This
tool extends Microchip’s long-standing commitment to provide sophisticated easy-to-use
development systems for design engineers.
The MXDEV Analog Evaluation System consists of a driver board, which performs data
acquisition and connects to a PC for subsequent analysis and display, and an evaluation daughter
board, which plugs into the driver board and contains the device to be evaluated. This modular
approach is unique to analog development systems, allowing designers to easily upgrade the driver
board to support other Microchip analog products simply by purchasing the appropriate daughter
boards. The driver board contains three different PICmicro microcontroller sockets, an LCD
display, an LED display socket, SRAM for data storage and an RS-232 interface. Device-specific
software, complete documentation, user’s guides and a Technical Library CD-ROM are also
included.
The hardware and software within the MXDEV system are configured for specific analog
products. The first system to debut, the MXDEV 1 Analog Evaluation System, supports
Microchip’s 10- and 12-bit analog-to-digital converters with a number of development features.
The tool allows single or continuous conversions for the analog-to-digital converter under
evaluation.
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Data can be acquired in real-time mode (maximum sample rate about 200 samples per
second) or acquisition mode (maximum sample rate to 50K samples per second). Data is
displayed in a variety of formats, including real-time numeric, real-time stripchart, Fast Fourier
Transform (FFT), histogram, oscilloscope plot and data list. The FFT display allows a variety of
windowing options: Blackman, Blackman-Harris, Hamming, Hanning, and Rectangular.
Several jumper-selectable options allow for maximum flexibility, including selection of the
signal source between the onboard potentiometer and an external source; selection of the reference
voltage between the onboard VREF and an external source; and selection between single-ended
and pseudo-differential inputs (depending upon the device being evaluated). A prototype area on
the daughter board allows for additional circuitry if needed.
Microchip offers standalone analog products to support the embedded systems designer,
including 12-bit analog-to-digital converters, op amps and system supervisors. In addition to the
MXDEV 1 Analog Evaluation System, Microchip offers a second analog development tool, the
FilterLab Active Filter Design Tool, which simplifies active filter design for embedded systems
designers. Available at no cost from Microchip’s website (www.microchip.com), the FilterLab
tool automates the design of the anti-aliasing filter for an analog-to-digital converter-based data
acquisition system. In addition, the FilterLab software provides full schematic diagrams of the
filter circuit with component values, a SPICE model, and displays the frequency and phase
response.
Available today, pricing for the MXDEV 1 Analog Evaluation System is $169 each for the
driver board and $89 each for the daughter board. Users can cost-effectively configure their driver
board to support other Microchip analog products by purchasing the appropriate daughter boards.
For more information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide
distributor.
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ADD TWO – NEW MXDEV ANALOG EVALUATION SYSTEM
Microchip Technology Inc. manufactures the PICmicro family of RISC
microcontrollers—with OTP, Flash, and ROM memory technologies; serial EEPROMs;
KEELOQ code hopping devices; related microperipheral products including RFID, analog and
system supervisor ICs; and other specialized semiconductor products. These products target
thousands of embedded control applications in the consumer, automotive, office automation,
communications and industrial markets. Microchip’s quality systems are ISO 9001 (1994 version)
and QS-9000 (1998 version) certified. Headquartered near Phoenix in Chandler, Ariz., Microchip
employs approximately 2,500 people worldwide and has sales offices throughout Asia, Europe,
Japan and the Americas.
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Note: The Microchip name and logo, PIC, PICmicro, MPLAB and KEELOQ are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA
and other countries. MXDEV and FilterLab are trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks are
the property of their respective owners.