Dedicated distributor, Sunrise Electronics has just announced the immediate availability of NEC’s second generation USB 2.0 Host Controller, which is the first device available to be fully compliant with the Enhanced Host Controller Interface specification (EHCI) version 1.0.

NEC´s new host controller, the µPD720101, enables high-speed signalling and delivers up to 20 percent more bandwidth than the company’s previous EHCI version 0.95-compliant host controller. The µPD720101 also features low power consumption, making it ideal for use in portable personal computers (PCs) and other low power PC applications.

Support for the EHCI specification ensures that the NEC product can deliver a highly efficient solution. Revision 1.0 of the interface allows the implementation of both discrete- and integrated-compliant EHCI host controllers, improving data transmission with up to 20 percent higher bandwidth than EHCI 0.95-compliant devices.

Optimised to deliver best-in-class performance for the portable PC market, NEC´s µPD720101 chip offers up to 90 percent lower power consumption at 11milliamps (mA) in PC standby mode and 220mA in an unconfigured state. High-speed peripherals can connect to NEC´s new host controller using up to three-fifths less power than with the previous chip.

The new host controller is the third new USB 2.0 device to be released by NEC. It follows the recently announced second generation ATA/ATAPI Bridge (µPD720130). With these products NEC has demonstrated its commitment to USB as the future standard connection technology for PCs. The growing demand for high-performance multimedia peripherals such as DVD-ROM drives, video cameras and broadband Internet connections for portable applications provides the continuous penetration of the PC market with products based on the USB 2.0 standard.

The µPD720101 is in mass production now, and is available from Sunrise. The small 144-pin QFP/FPBGA package enables space efficient board designs to be realised at low cost.

Sunrise Electronics is the only dedicated franchised distributor in the UK electronics market and provides a high level of technical design support to customers for the whole range of NEC semiconductor products including microprocessors, microcontrollers and ASICs as well as memory and colour LCD panels. The field sales team is technically qualified to ensure total support from design concept through to purchasing.

Sunrise is a direct ship distributor. The majority of shipments are delivered directly to customers from NEC’s own ISO9000 warehouse. This ensures reduced handling, correct packaging; especially for fine pitch surface mount devices requiring vacuum sealing, factory fresh product and timely deliveries.

For further details contact Will Gilbert, Sunrise Electronics Limited Tel: 01908 263999, Fax: 01908 263003 or click: