These kits are now available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

Each kit covers a broad range of Littelfuse TVS diodes and contains five pieces each of select popular voltage values.

Ranging from industry standard package sizes of SMA to SMC with wattage ratings starting at 400 watts and going as high as 3000 watts, Littelfuse TVS diodes are designed to protect sensitive electronic equipment from voltage transients in applications such as telecommunications, computers, and industrial and consumer electronics. A PTM Online… On Demand® product training module that reviews overvoltage protection concepts and Littelfuse TVS diode products is available on Digi-Key’s website.

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Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced it has stock of Cirrus Logic’s CS4354 stereo digital-to-analog converter.

This converter and its corresponding CDB4354 evaluation kit are now available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

Cirrus Logic’s CS4354 is its lowest-cost, 24-bit, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with integrated stereo line drivers. With 40 percent fewer pins and requiring six fewer external capacitors than Cirrus Logic’s third generation DAC, the CS4354 is a smaller and more cost effective DAC solution. It does not sacrifice the performance customers have come to expect from Cirrus audio products and marks significant progress in simplifying the design of analog output circuitry by reducing the need for multiple system components. Applications include consumer home audio products such as video game consoles, Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD systems, TVs, set-top boxes, and digital media players.

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This webinar will focus on how the Fortis Zd connector meets military standards now and in the future; what makes Fortis Zd connectors reliable; why versatility was critical to the design of the Fortis Zd connector; and how a 10Gb/s+ data rate is possible.

Presenters for the webinar are Greg Powers, Market Development Manager for Tyco Electronics, and Matthew McAlonis, Chief Engineer for Tyco Electronics. Dan Mignogna, a Product Manager for Tyco Electronics, will moderate the webinar.

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Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation today announced its inaugural Digi-Key Tech Zone magazine is now available for online viewing. The first issue focuses on Microcontroller Solutions, which is also one of four featured Technology Zones on Digi-Key’s website, www.digikey.com.

With editorial content provided by well-known writers in the electronic components industry, information about the latest microcontroller products from world-class suppliers, and Digi-Key educational resources, the inaugural issue of Digi-Key Tech Zone magazine is a valuable resource for design engineers interested in microcontrollers.

Additionally, Digi-Key Tech Zone magazines and Digi-Key’s online Technology Zones feature exclusive editorial content from writers affiliated with Electronic Products magazine, published by Hearst Corporation.

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TTI, Inc., the global distributor of passive, interconnect, relay & switch and discrete components, has launched new CeraDiode arrays from Epcos which are used to protect several USB ports simultaneously from static discharges, significantly reducing the PCB space and logistics costs. CeraDiodes – ceramic components developed to provide ESD protection for data, audio and video lines as well as for ICs and interfaces – are not only a cost-effective alternative to other ESD protection components such as zener and TVS diodes, but also offer technical benefits. In many cases, a semiconductor diode can be replaced by a CeraDiode on a one-to-one basis without making any changes to the pad circuit layout.

Because high data rates of up to 480Mbit/s are transmitted via the USB connection, the capacitance of the ESD protection element should be minimized in order to avoid transmission losses and signal distortions. The protection function can be realized both by single and array components, the latter being preferred for reasons of space and cost saving. The protection components must additionally satisfy the international ESD standard IEC 61000-4-2, level 4. EPCOS offers CeraDiodes as single and array components that meet these requirements precisely.

CeraDiodes are bidirectional components. As such, there is no danger of positioning them in the wrong direction. All CeraDiodes also satisfy the requirements of the international ESD standard IEC 61000-4-2 levels 1 to 4, which involves testing the components within the human body model (330Ω/150pF). The ESD protection properties of the CeraDiodes are constant up to an operating temperature of 85degC, whereas semiconductor diodes will require derating from 25degC.

Thanks to their internal electrode structure, CeraDiodes offer not only ESD protection but also have a defined capacitance, or capacitor properties. This capacitance is type-dependent and can be used for filter functions. In this way a CeraDiode can replace not only a semiconductor diode, but also a capacitor, so one component may easily replace three.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the new Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) MSP430™ Value Line family of ultra-low cost 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs).

The TI ultra-low power MSP430™ MCU Value Line offers superior 16-bit MCU performance and industry-leading ultra-low power consumption for cost sensitive applications that have traditionally depended on low-cost 8-bit microcontrollers. TI MSP430G2×01, MSP430G2×11, MSP430G2×21, and MSP430G2×31 Value Line MCUs ensure 8-bit developers no longer need to sacrifice performance, power efficiency, or scalability because of price. The TI MSP430 MCU Value Line series is an ideal fit for a broad range of cost-sensitive applications, including safety and security, low-cost touch pads, remote controls, and intelligent sensors. The TI MSP430G2×01, MSP430G2×21, and MSP430G2×31 include a built-in 16-bit timer and 10 I/O pins. The MSP430G2×11adds an on-chip comparator, while the MSP430G2×31 provides an on-chip 10-bit ADC and built-in communication capability using synchronous protocols.

The MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad experimenter board is a complete USB-based development and experimenter tool providing everything you need to launch your own MSP430 MCU Value Line applications.

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, is confident about the TI Value Line’s ability to fill the cost and performance requirements of engineers’ prototyping with MCUs and give them an advantage over low-cost 8-bit MCUs. Scott says, “The Texas Instruments’ MSP430 MCU Value Line blurs the line between low price and high performance, yet remains compatible across the MSP430 platform.”

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The Honeywell Zephyr™ Digital Airflow Sensors: HAF Series provide very precise measurements of airflow (or absence of airflow) and other non-corrosive gases in medical and industrial applications. The HAF Series (High Accuracy) Sensors feature high stability to reduce errors due to thermal effects and null shift to provide accurate readings over time. The high stability often eliminates the need for system calibration after PCB mounting and periodically again over time. The Honeywell Zephyr Digital Airflow Sensors: HAF Series (High Accuracy) offer enhanced reliability, digital accuracy, and repeatable measurements. The combination of rugged housings with a stable substrate makes these sensors extremely robust and the sensors meet ISO 9001 standards.

Keith Privett, Mouser’s Vice President of IEP and Test, comments on the new Honeywell Zephyr, “The fully calibrated and temperature compensated Zephyr HAF Series allows design engineers to remove additional components associated with signal conditioning, thereby reducing PBC size and the costs associated. Mouser’s introduction of the Honeywell Zephyr HAF Series fits perfectly into Mouser’s goal to rapidly provide new, innovative products to assist in the prototype process.”

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Aerco

The Winchester range includes cable to cable, cable to panel and cable to board applications providing small, lightweight, high voltage connectors with current rating up to 7.5A in size 20 format. High performance and extreme durability make them ideal for use in aircraft and instrumentation, telecommunication and portable equipment.

Products include the industry standard MRE with contact arrangements up to 104 way, the MRA series for size 16 contacts rated at 13A and MRAC with removable crimp contacts qualified to MIL-C-39029. Some series, notably the XAC, are available for external use in harsh environments.

Also supplied is the high density, SLE and SRE sub-miniature series with contacts as small as 0.025in diameter up to 50-way and rated at 3A per contact. Versions are available for either COTS applications or qualified to MIL-C-28748, while many connectors actually exceed the performance criteria of the Mil-spec.

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According to Avnet Embedded, the Cinterion Quad-Band MC55iT and the Dual Band MC52iT take the Cinterion MC55i platform to a new level. With an extended temperature range, the new terminals can be used in a wide range of M2M business fields such as metering, remote maintenance, traffic systems, transportation and logistics, and security. Mechanical and electrical compatibility with the existing TC35iT and MC35iT together with a compact migration guideline allow an easy and seamless migration into the next generation of M2M terminals.

MC55i Terminal packs a Quad-Band (850 / 900 / 1800/ 1900 MHz) GSM/GPRS baseband with TCP/IP connectivity based on GPRS Class 10 data transmission into a compact plug-and-play housing. It offers a range of common interfaces as well as an integrated SIM cardholder which make the new generation an all-in-one solution enabling voice, data, SMS and fax communication. The Dual-Band (900 / 1800 MHz) variant (MC52iT) offers similar functionality with GPRS Class 8 support for standard M2M applications.

Like all Cinterion products, MC52iT / MC55iT come with full type approval (FTA) and are certified according to automotive e-mark as well as by the largest carriers worldwide.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the Honeywell Sensing and Control Limitless™ WGLA Series Global Limit Switches.

The Honeywell Limitless™ WGLA Series Global Limit Switches combine the best of MICRO SWITCH™ global limit switches with the latest off-the-shelf wireless technology. The Honeywell Limitless series can be used for position sensing and presence / absence detection in remote monitoring applications where wiring or wire maintenance is not physically possible or economically feasible. The Honeywell Limitless WGLA Series Global Limit Switches are based on 802.15.4 point-to-point communications and can be configured to potentially allow up to sixteen devices to communicate with one receiver module. To learn more, visit http://www.mouser.com/honeywellwgla/.

Keith Privett, Mouser’s Vice President of IEP and Test, is impressed with the Honeywell Limitless WGLA Series Global Limit Switches, “Every bit as reliable as wired switches, the Limitless Wireless Global Limit Switches allow flexibility and cost saving advantages not seen before. Going wireless for industrial and transportation limit switching means major cost savings through the elimination of installation and commissioning costs, control-wire breakage, connector integrity problems, as well as reducing long term maintenance costs.”

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