MaxLinear, a fabless semiconductor IC developer of CMOS-based broadband RF ICs for consumer markets, took the wraps off its MxL5007, a TV tuner IC that meets all global digital and analog cable and terrestrial TV standards. The MxL5007 incorporates key CMOS circuit design and radio architecture technology breakthroughs which enable "can" tuner equivalent performance in digital/analog televisions, terrestrial and cable set top box (STB) applications, and portable TV applications.

The device is the latest in MaxLinear's MxL5000 family of tuner ICs. It is based on the company's proprietary digital CMOS implementation, which not only exceeds the performance of exotic SiGe BiCMOS process-based tuner solutions, but also has the low cost, low power consumption and heat dissipation that is only achievable using CMOS technology. MxL5007 comes in a 5mm x 5mm 32-pin QFN package and consumes 300mW of power, which is three-to-six times lower than competing products.

The MxL5007 even exceeds the exacting requirements of ATSC A/74 Receiver Performance Guidelines. Until now, the stringent ATSC A/74 requirements could only be met by traditional can tuners or higher power SiGe-BiCMOS tuners using expensive external tracking and/or SAW filters. Exceeding the A/74 requirements without the use of external tracking and SAW filters is a key accomplishment of the MxL5007.

Module manufacturers can reduce size, power and cost of their modules for even high-end products like digital televisions. The MxL5007 also provides the performance and features necessary for on-board implementations in digital/analog television, set top box and personal video recorder (PVR) applications, along with the small size necessary for delivering live television in cars and in portable devices such as PCs, DVD players, PDAs and digital media players. The MxL5007's support of global TV standards allows manufacturers to easily ship products to different world markets by mating MaxLinear's global TV tuner with the appropriate standard specific demodulator, or by using a multi-standard demodulator.

MaxLinear's CMOS radio IC technology has been proven in PC TV, mobile TV, and DVB-T STB markets using its older generation 5003/5005 tuner ICs. The MxL5007 utilizes an enhancement to this proven CMOS radio technology to address multiple TV standards and applications. The choice of digital CMOS process and novel radio architecture for tuners makes ASPs near $1 a realistic prospect in the future.

CMOS process technology, low  BOM, and lower manufacturing costs make the MxL5007 a good fit for television applications, including tuner modules. Modified versions of MxL5007 will target specific standards to offer even lower cost solutions for customers.

The MxL5007 can receive an input signal spanning a continuous frequency band from 44MHz to 1002MHz from a 75-ohm antenna or cable. It supports every major cable and terrestrial digital and analog TV standard, including ATSC, DVB-T, DVB-H, ISDB-T 13-segment, DVB-C, DMB-T(H), 64/256 QAM for US cable applications, analog cable, DOCSIS 3.0, NTSC, PAL and SECAM. The MxL5007 has an integrated low noise amplifier (LNA), on chip tracking & PLL loop filters, automatic gain control, LO generation, and channel selectivity functions for simplified and low cost board-level design. By eliminating the need for external SAW filters, external tracking filters, PLL loop filters, and external loop through circuitry, and by requiring no factory calibration or adjustments the MxL5007 greatly reduces BOM and manufacturing costs for end customers. Additionally, MxL5007 has a flexible output intermediate frequency (IF) ranging from 4 to 44 MHz to support many demodulators and has an integrated on-chip loop through function that vastly simplifies STBs requiring RF out and multi-tuner applications such as PVRs and televisions supporting picture-in-picture or similar functionality.

Engineering samples and evaluation kits available of the chip will be available in Q4 2007, and production quantities expected in Q2 2008.

Contact:
Kishore Seendripu, CEO, MaxLinear, www.maxlinear.com