Transceivers Slashes Power Consumption For Multi-Drop Apps

The SP3490 family of 3.3V, full- and half-duplex RS-485 serial transceivers are claimed to dramatically reduce overall power consumption for multi-drop applications or long-distance interfaces, such as industrial controls, security systems, point-of-sale, and office automation applications. The devices are equipped with standard pin outs, which is said to minimize board re-layout between 5V to 3.3V parts. Integrated on chip is a fail-safe feature that guarantees the receiver output will be in a high state if the inputs are left floating. The family consists of two 3.3V, 10-Mb/s full-duplex transceivers and slew-rate limited transceivers that meet the electrical specifications of the RS-485 and RS-422 serial protocols. They operate from a single 3.3V supply and are interoperable with 5V logic. Prices start at $1.63 each/10,000.