Product category:
Communications ICs (Wired)
News Release from: Zarlink Semiconductor | Subject: ZL10310 and ZL10311
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 02 December 2002
Digital terrestrial TV chips shrink box
designs
Zarlink reckons its ZL10310 and ZL10311 DTV processors will allow consumer electronics manufacturers to design the world's smallest digital terrestrial set-top boxes.
Zarlink reckons its ZL10310 and ZL10311 DTV processors will allow consumer electronics manufacturers to design the world's smallest digital terrestrial set-top boxes - less than half the size of today's models, or slightly smaller than a wallet Zarlink's ZL10310/311 devices are the first to merge all major DVB-T processing functions outside the RF (radio tuner) onto one chip
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The processors integrate COFDM (coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex) demodulation with a complete STB (set-top box) processing engine - MPEG-2 transport demultiplexer, audio and video decoder, a high-performance RISC CPU, and STB peripheral interfaces.
The level of system integration made possible by Zarlink's DVB-T on a chip processors is demonstrated by the company's supporting STB reference design.
This ultra-small board, measuring just 90 x 55 x 25mm, is a complete set-top box, including the RF tuner and power regulation.
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The reference design consumes only 4W - about 30% less than comparable designs - and complies with the European Code of Conduct on Energy Efficiency.
"Our DVB-T on a chip processor, set-top box reference design, and DVB-T software stack is a total package that benefits customers by using significantly less board space and power than competing products", said Paul Fellows, DTV System on a Chip Product Line Director, Zarlink Semiconductor.
"Together with our RF tuners, Zarlink now offers a complete antenna-to-display solution".
Terrestrial digital TV channels - known as "free-to-air" TV - are usually received on analogue TV sets using standard rooftop aerials and STBs.
The STB accepts RF signals from the aerial, and outputs decoded video and audio signals to the analogue TV.
DVB-T on a chip processors from Zarlink are optimised for markets in the UK, Europe and around the world that have adopted the DVB-T standard defined by ETSI.
Global acceptance of the DVB-T standard, coupled with Europe's decision to switch off analogue TV transmissions starting in 2006, and increasing numbers of free-to-air digital channels, will fuel consumer demand for DVB-T electronics products.
"Zarlink's new DVB-T compliant processors will help drive the roll out of open-market digital terrestrial products around the world, including the new FreeView service in the United Kingdom", said Peter Marshall, Technical Director, The Digital TV Group.
The DTG is the primary digital TV industry association in the United Kingdom.
Zarlink is developing a range of DVB-T on a chip processors that can easily be used to design a range of terrestrial DTV products, from lower cost, entry-level STBs to higher-end "media centre" products.
Media centres exploit hard disk-drive technology to offer such compelling features as multichannel record and playback, real-time pause and resume, digital sound, and Internet connectivity.
To support the ZL10310/311, Zarlink offers a full design database with schematics, bill of materials, layout files, and a comprehensive software development kit that reduces development costs and speeds time-to-market.
The ZL10310 and ZL10311 are now in volume production.
The ZL10311 is an enhanced device that offers Dolby digital audio decoding and Macrovision copy protection capabilities.
The devices are packaged in 388-ball PBGAs (plastic ball grid arrays) measuring 27 x 27 x 2.56mm.
(This was Electronicstalk's Top Story on 29 November 2002).
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