GPS Chipsets: SiRFatLas IV is Coming to a PND Near You

SiRFatLas IV is the latest chipset to be released by SiRF, and there's a good chance that if you've bought a GPS Unit recently, you've got this chipset in it. But what is SiRFatLas? And what has changed in SiRFatLas IV? Find out here

SiRFatLas IV Introduction

With Spring in full swing, and Summer on its way, more and more companies have begun releasing newer versions or new series' of their tried-and-tested technologies. In this regard another company to join the fray is GPS chip maker SiRF.

Recently, SiRF released the SiRFatLas IV, a chip that is being described as a multifunction location system processor and that is meant for entry-level Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs). The SiRFatLas IV is a cheaper version of the very popular, but rather expensive SiRFPrima platform. This system was released last year and provides GPS and high-level multimedia capabilities.

Features of IV

The SiRFatLas IV stays away from offering all the multimedia whistles and bells, and instead packs as many peripheral products as it possibly could into the chipset, reducing the Bill of Material. This chipset comes with GPS/Galileo baseband, which also comes with the more expensive SiRFPrima, an LCD touch-screen controller, video input, 10-bit ADC and a high-speed USB 2.0. So, while you may be limited in multimedia functions, this chipset makes it up with everything else that you may need.

The chipset also comes with an integrated NAND and SD controller. The SD controller allows for both single and multi-layer cells and flash memory. These features give system designers the freedom to create either low-cost or more expensive designs for their GPS units.

PNDs and ODM Units

If you’ve recently bought a GPS unit, there’s a good chance that you may have already bought a GPS unit with a SiRFatLas IV. The system is being rolled out this month within a multitude of Personal Navigation Devices and ODM units.

The following companies are already using this new chipset solution in their units:

• ASUS International/Unihan Technology Corporation
• Binatone Electronics
• Cirex France
• Foxconn Technology Group
• Globalsat Technology Corporation
• Maylong (GPS for Dummies)
• Navigon
• NDrive
• Nextar
• Takara
• Wistron Corporation
• YF International

Note: While this list of companies using the new SiRFatLas IV chipset is rather impressive, it will be for the consumer to decide whether or not the cheaper SiRFatLas IV is a wiser investment over the more expensive, yet proven SiRFPrima version.

For more information on the SiRFatLas IV, read the source reference for this article.