Audio/video card adds eight parallel channels for SOC tester

The Audio/Video 8 card for Agilent Technologies' 93000 SOC Series semiconductor test system includes eight independent test units to support parallel, multisite analog test. An Agilent spokesperson says the card reduces cost of test up to 20% for cellular baseband and other mixed-signal SOC/SIP devices used in consumer products such as cellular handsets, automotive sound systems, set-top boxes, MP3 players, and computer audio cards.

The Audio/Video 8 does not require users to share the analog resources or to purchase additional cards for multisite test. The Audio/Video 8's architecture handles all processing locally, eliminating the need for time-consuming data transfer between the card and a workstation and enabling high multisite efficiency for analog test. To optimize production-line flexibility and asset utilization, the Audio/Video 8 can include an arbitrary waveform generator and digitizer, and it can be configured for audio or video coverage as needed through a graphical user interface.

The Audio/Video 8 comes in two versions: one with four source units and four measurement units, and one with eight measurement units, with each unit providing audio and video test coverage. Each of the measurement units offers two audio digitizer cores, so the eight-measurement configuration provides a total of 16 independent audio capture cores to handle the trend toward highly integrated devices having multiple DACs to serve multiple audio channels. The card supports up to 16 audio capture cores to handle parallel test of devices with multiple DACs; it features 24-bit audio performance to support applications such as surround sound.

Base price: $150,000 to upgrade an existing 93000 test system. Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA. www.agilent.com/see/av8 .