TI lowers barrier to entry for power line communications with new development kit and software library plcSUITE

DALLAS, USA: Demonstrating its commitment to provide the most comprehensive products and tools for power line communications (PLC) development, Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) announced the new PLC Development Kit (TMDSPLCKIT-V2) based on the industry's only PLC modem solution capable of supporting multiple modulation and protocol standards on a single hardware platform.

The new kit provides everything developers need to network systems and implement monitoring capabilities and other new services that reduce device maintenance cost while increasing system reliability to create greener, more efficient products.

Developers will now be able to quickly evaluate the suitability of using PLC-based communications and then jumpstart development for Smart Grid applications ranging from smart electrical meters to intelligently controlled industrial applications, including lighting, solar, home automation, building control, plug-in electrical vehicle and energy-managed appliances.

TI's PLC modem is a modular, fully programmable solution comprised of separate microcontroller (MCU) and analog front end (AFE) modules and a complete software framework designed for flexibility and adaptation to various application and regional requirements.

The MCU module is based on TI's proven real-time control C2000 architecture and offers excellent performance while interfacing seamlessly with the AFE and application processors to which the PLC modem communicates.

The AFE module is self-contained and fully isolated, reducing design cycle time, lowering power consumption and reducing system cost. TI also offers its comprehensive plcSUITE, a modular software framework separating modulation, protocol and application development to extend the maximum flexibility to developers in testing and designing with PLC modems.

With its flexible PLC modem solution capable of supporting multiple standards and modulation schemes, TI is the only company able to deliver all of the key components required for today's advanced Smart Grid applications.