Micronas reveals the MAP-M, a fully integrated single-chip audio solution for the emerging soundbar market. Micronas manages the complete connectivity issue by including, on-chip, all required interfaces: digital via S/PDIF and I2S, or analog, via stereo line I/O, 6-channel input, or microphone. Micronas-equipped soundbars connect to DVD and BluRay players, set top boxes, and gaming consoles as well as standard and high-definition TVs. Soundbars are wide-but-thin powered speakers, located below a flat-panel TV. Thin TVs simply don't have room for good-quality conventional speakers. Soundbars deliver top-quality sound and solve the audio shortcomings of flat-panel TVs, bridging the gap to high-end home theater systems.

    Soundbars enclosing 16 to 32 loudspeakers can generate "sound beams" to fill the room with cinema-like surround sound. These new speakers offer consumers the best combination of price, complexity, size - and audio performance. With the MAP-M audio processor, Micronas provides a fully integrated single-chip solution for OEMs. MAP-M reduces the BOM and time-to-market for designs by replacing five ICs with one and providing a complete software solution. MAP-M is built on years of experience and millions of consumer audio devices. It supports all applicable audio standards and interfaces, and offers OEMs a range of audio post-processing technologies.

    "We enable soundbar applications at a price point suitable for cost-sensitive manufacturers. We make the DSP expertise - gained across millions of audio ICs - and our system integration know-how available to this new rapidly growing market segment on a powerful silicon platform," stated Stefan Hepp, Director of Marketing, Consumer Audio at Micronas.

    The MAP-M is optimized for TVs which receive only digital broadcast and has the same functions, I/Os, and building blocks as MSP-M, except demodulator/stereo decoder. Soundbars offer a convincing value proposition and the market is expected to grow considerably. Henry Choy, senior analyst at Jon Peddie Research, explains: "They are one way that the TV companies can differentiate their products and be able to charge a premium - not all TVs will be connected to an AV receiver for surround sound."

    MAP-M-powered designs decode Dolby Digital, DTS, and AAC format audio to deliver theater-like surround-sound. They create surround-sound without the need for rear speakers and cables with third-party audio post-processing technologies such as 1Ltd Digital Sound Projector, BBE ViVA, Dolby Virtual Speaker, and SRS TruSurround HD4. OEMs can also choose from a wide range of royalty-free meloD audio processing technologies by Micronas. Micronas lets manufacturers differentiate their products with an optional DSP-code download capability. This feature allows for manufacturer's own audio processing algorithms to be embedded in MAP-M single-chip designs.

    Modern flat-panel TVs require interfaces for numerous audio signals. MSP-M/MAP-M provide a leading set of analog and digital interfaces to seamlessly connect all of the TV’s audio. The S/PDIF and the I2S interfaces also accept audio from HDMI receivers. High-quality sampling rate converters at all digital inputs and outputs enable digital connectivity without worrying about clock systems and synchronization. The on-chip high-end D/A converters or “Hi-Resolution PWM” modulators can directly be connected to analog (linear) or digital (class-D) amplifiers. D/A converters with low output impedance allow high noise immunity. -Micronas “Hi-Resolution PWM” technology enables natural and detail-rich sound, combined with low power dissipation.