LSI Logic Announces Availability of Single-Chip RF Tuner Supporting FCC Digital TV Requirements

Under the phase-in plan introduced by FCC chairman Michael Powell in August 2002, TV makers are required to include DTV tuners in half of all sets they sell 36-inches and above after July 1, 2004. For TVs with screen sizes of 25 inches to 35 inches, half must include DTV tuners after July 1, 2005. All other receivers between 13 inches and 24 inches and all TV interface devices must include tuners after July 1, 2007.

LSI Logic's DPS7040 meets the FCC's stringent digital TV tuner standards and provides manufacturers with a single-chip RF tuner solution for the next-generation of television appliances, said Mike Paxton, a multimedia analyst at research firm In-Stat/MDR. Demand for silicon tuners that support both digital cable and terrestrial TV reception is projected to grow rapidly, as products like HDTV sets, PVRs, and other advanced set-top boxes become more common in the home.

Leveraging its unmatched industry leadership in system-on-chip integration with its expertise in the design of high-performance RF, analog and mixed-signal devices, LSI Logic created the tuner to address the industrys demanding market requirements. By eliminating bulky components that require alignment, the highly integrated DPS7040 eliminates factory calibration, enhances reliability, and reduces bill of material and overall costs. The dramatically reduced RF tuner footprint made possible by the DSP7040, enables consumer electronic manufacturers to add multi-channel capabilities to their designs, without increasing size.

The DPS7040 RF tuner permits manufacturers to cut space, minimize component cost and hit the market windows required by the FCC mandate, said Ravi Shenoy, Director, Analog and RF Technologies, LSI Logic. The unique design of our RF tuner chip means that there is no need for specific radio frequency (RF) alignments, giving digital flat panel, PCTV Card and STB manufacturers much easier and quicker development of applications.

The DPS7040 RF tuner is capable of receiving input signals in the TV band of 48 to 870 MHz and translating them down to an intermediate frequency in the 30 to 60 MHz range. The on-chip components of this highly integrated device contain all the essential components of an RF receiver including a low-noise amplifier (LNA), an IF variable gain amplifier, RF automatic gain control, filters, mixers and oscillators. The synthesizer and oscillator sections have been designed to exhibit exceptional close-in phase noise, making this IC an ideal choice, for applications that require support for DTV standards.

LSI Logics Broadband Entertainment Division provides innovative digital media processing and silicon solutions to industry-leading, worldwide consumer electronics manufacturers. With a complete line of cutting-edge products for DVD, DVR, EVD, video peripheral, digital and HDTV, set-top box, and professional video production/broadcasting devices, LSI Logic delivers entertainment into and throughout the Digital Home.