December 13, 2012 – Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: SLAB, Country Manager Jong-Chan Lee), a global leader in high-performance analog-intensive mixed-signal ICs, announced today the launch of a cost-effective USB-based evaluation kit (Product Name: Class D ToolStick).

This evaluation kit allows developers to add digital Class D audio capabilities to 32-bit embedded designs based on Silicon Labs' multi-functional SiM3U1xx Precision32™ microcontrollers (MCUs). This Class D ToolStick demonstrates how easy and cost-effective it is to upgrade basic buzzer/beeper alerts used in personal medical devices, health equipment, high-performance toys, small machines, and other consumer electronics to more sophisticated voice prompts, music, sound clips, or even streaming audio.

Silicon Labs' highly integrated SiM3U1xx MCU is ideal for implementing digital Class D power amplification applications, allowing for the simple addition of discrete Class D amplifiers without additional cost. The SiM3U1xx MCU includes 300 mA high-drive I/O capable of directly driving small speakers, a crystalless USB transceiver compatible with USB audio interfaces, two 250kbps 12-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and an I2S receiver that supports audio streaming from PCs, portable music players, and various I2S-enabled audio devices. The only external components required to drive Class D audio on the SiM3U1xx MCU are inexpensive inductors, some capacitors, and ferrite beads.

In addition to Class D audio support, the new toolstick allows developers to add capacitive touch buttons and sliders to their 32-bit embedded systems or directly drive other components, such as small motors, using the high drive I/O of the SiM3U1xx MCU with pulse width modulation (PWM). This eliminates the need for separate power field-effect transistors (FETs).

The Class D toolstick board is powered by USB using the internal 5V regulator of the SiM3U1xx MCU and plays music or recorded messages from a computer via a stereo jack using a simple speaker. The Class D toolstick provides four operating modes: sampling data from a portable music player using the MCU's on-chip ADC, USB audio streaming via a PC, playback of pre-recorded sound clips stored in on-chip flash memory using universal audio compression, and a voice recorder that saves data to flash using universal audio compression. Developers can easily switch modes using capacitive touch buttons and adjust the volume using a capacitive touch slider.

The Class D Toolstick evaluation kit simplifies the process of adding Class D audio to embedded applications by providing both hardware Gerber files and software. Furthermore, the Toolstick can be used as a cost-effective general-purpose development platform for Precision32 MCUs. It features a built-in USB-based debugger/programming interface and provides externally connectable pins for convenient prototyping. The Class D Toolstick debug interface works perfectly with the Keil tool chain, as well as all of Silicon Labs' Precision32 IDEs, compilers, and App Builder crossbar configuration software.

"Audio feedback provides developers with a useful, cost-effective, and attractive way to differentiate their embedded products in today's highly competitive market," said Keith Odland, Director of Microcontroller Product Marketing at Silicon Labs. "With Silicon Labs' Class D Toolstick, developers can quickly and easily add Class D audio capabilities and capacitive touch buttons and sliders to any 32-bit embedded product using Silicon Labs' SiM3U1xx MCUs."

Price and supply
The Class D toolstick evaluation kit is currently available for $35 (USD MSRP). This kit includes the full source code and implements a demonstration of a Class D amplifier using a SiM3U1xx MCU in a small footprint 40-pin 6 mm x 6 mm package.

More information and ordering for Silicon Labs' Class D toolstick evaluation kits can be found at http://www.silabs.com/pr/toolstickclassd . For additional information, samples, and other development tools regarding Precision32 MCU products, please visit www.silabs.com/pr/32bit-mcu .