Foursprung: New Applications in Multi-Channel Audio, Video

New developments in in-car infotainment.

SMSC today introduced a full line of MOST50 products that doubles the bandwidth available for automotive infotainment applications utilizing the MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) standard from 25 Mbit/second to 50 Mbit/second. In addition to delivering this significant speed enhancement to the market, this new product line offers transmission over an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) of copper wires. This delivers greater flexibility to car makers that design in-vehicle networks from more of a plug-in, component approach.

SMSC's MOST50 technology enables higher performance in-car multimedia systems and allows multi-channel DVD players, satellite receivers, digital A/V players, digital storage devices, telematics systems and emerging rear seat entertainment applications to operate over a single plastic optical fiber (POF) or an unshielded twisted pair of copper wires.

SMSC's new MOST50 intelligent network interface controller (INIC) OS81082 features a special signal processing technology known as ePHY, which enables it to communicate over shielded or unshielded copper cables, in addition to POF. To date, only signals with merely more than one Mbit/second have been transported over unshielded cables in the radiation-sensitive environment of cars in production today. With ePHY, SMSC's new MOST50 intelligent network interface controllers (INICs) succeed in sending a signal over the cables that is 50 times faster than current implementations. SMSC's ePHY technology is attractive to auto makers because of its low cost and the seamless integration with the manufacturing processes they deploy. Auto makers can continue to use existing electrical cables and connectors with MOST50 ePHY technology. They do not need to introduce optical cables, which had previously been the only possible method for transporting high data rates cost effectively in a car without violating the car makers' EMC radiation limits.

"With MOST50, we have two major achievements: one, the doubling of the bandwidth for new video-intensive applications and two, the availability of an electrical implementation. To date, MOST has been widely adopted by European automotive makers whose manufacturing processes are 'systemic' and for whom a plastic optical fiber physical layer works well," said Christian Thiel, Vice President and Managing Director of SMSC's Automotive Infotainment Systems product line. "However, Asian and American auto makers approach manufacturing from more of a component perspective, so for them a copper electrical implementation is more appropriate. Now we can offer both solutions."

SMSC's ePHY technology conforms to the specifications approved by the MOST Cooperation, the consortium that was established in 1998 by BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Harman-Becker, and OASIS SiliconSystems (acquired by SMSC last year), to promote MOST technology as a common standard for multimedia networking. The consortium currently includes 16 vehicles manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai, Saab and Volvo, as well as over 60 automotive suppliers. The working group specifying the requirements for an electrical physical layer of MOST is headed by Toyota Motor Corporation, which is also a member of the MOST Cooperation.

Following MOST's introduction in the BMW 7 Series in 2001, it is now used in approximately 40 vehicle models serving most of the industry's leading European automakers. With MOST50, SMSC is delivering the second generation of MOST technology. SMSC's MOST50 products include the MOST50 INIC OS81082 with a MediaLB interface, which provides simple access to the MOST bus; the MOST50 INIC Evaluation Platform, a complete NetServices software stack, which allows any multimedia application to access all data transport mechanisms on a MOST network, and a complete set of development tools, such as the OptoLyzer G2 3050.

Related news: Foursprung, P4MR, multimedia

Source: Telematics Journal

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