TI Leverages Embedded Flash in Car Audio.

Navigation: Main page

Author: Unknown

Online staff

To provide a feature-rich, cost-effective software and hardware solution for automotive entertainment applications, Texas Instruments (TI) reported today it has integrated M-Systems' DOC H-Series embedded flash drive (EFD) into its high-speed encode and playback solution for car audio applications. TI's high speed encode and playback solution is a software suite that runs on a TI Aureus DA710 audio digital signal processor (DSP), the company explained.

M-Systems' DOC H-Series EFDs are meant to be a robust embedded memory solution aimed at the growing demand for solid-state storage within automotive audio systems, combining the company's DiskOnChip EFD architecture, MLC NAND flash media and M-Systems' TrueFFS flash management technology.

With the help of DOC H-series, the companies believe automotive audio application designers can extend the life of their platform and nearly future-proof its storage by providing a seamless migration between NAND generations, while minimizing associated design risks.

DOC H-series allows a transition to NAND technology by addressing inherent shortcomings of raw NAND media, and frequent NAND architecture changes, by virtually doing away with the traditional trade-offs associated with migration to new storage technologies at the risk of platform stability by providing a complete, standardized interface solution, based on the most appropriate NAND flash media per given density, the companies said.

"The automotive audio and infotainment market is demonstrating a dramatic increase in demand for solid-state multimedia-related storage. Car dashboards are essentially being reinvented as a hub of quality multimedia entertainment," noted Dave Maples, performance audio manager at TI, in a statement.

"For developers of such car audio systems, a long product life span as well as ruggedness, endurance, high performance and reliability are essential requirements. DOC H-series presents an attractive, easy-to-integrate storage solution, making it a perfect pairing partner to our DA710-based high-speed encode and playback development platform for car audio," he added.

Noam Kedem, VP of marketing at M-Systems concluded, "By supporting M-Systems' DOC within their DA710-based car audio development platform, TI is enabling automotive audio system designers easy access to a high density, onboard flash storage solution which meets high reliability requirements at cost-effective price points."