Texas Instruments pushes speed threshold with 16-bit digital-to-analog converter at 1.5 GSPS

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today introduced a 16-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The quad DAC34SH84 is 50-percent faster and uses 50-percent less power than the closest 16-bit DAC alternative, clocking in at 1.5 GSPS and consuming just 362 mW per channel. The DAC34SH84 provides a pin-compatible upgrade from the 1.25-GSPS DAC34H84 for maximizing speed in 3G, LTE, GSM and WiMAX wireless base stations and repeaters, microwave point-to-point radio, software defined radio and waveform generation systems. 750-MSPS-per-DAC input rate supports up to 600-MHz complex bandwidth for fifth order linearization of 120 MHz. On-chip calibration of complete RF transmit path suppresses sideband and local oscillator feed-through while driving IQ modulators, such as the new TRF3705.