TOSHIBA
ANNOUNCES COMPLETE RF SOLUTION FOR DIGITAL TV TUNERS
Extensive Line of Consumer Electronics
Components Facilitates Rapid Compliance with New FCC
Ruling Requiring Digital TV Tuners in New TVs
IRVINE, Calif., October 14, 2002 -- In response
to the FCC's recent mandate requiring digital TV tuners
in new television sets within two to five years, Toshiba
America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced
that the company offers a complete set of radio frequency
(RF) integrated discrete devices required for a digital
television (DTV) tuner to help enable TV manufacturers
to comply with this new ruling. Developed by Toshiba
Corp. (Toshiba), these devices include varactors, FETs,
dual gate MOSFETS, pin diodes and Schottky Barrier
diodes.
Under the new FCC regulation, all but the smallest
new televisions sold in the United States must be able
to receive digital broadcast signals by 2007. By 2004,
digital tuners must be included in half of the sets
with 35-inch screens or larger, with other sizes phasing
in throughout the five-year transition period. In addition,
all TV receiving equipment, such as VCRs and DVD player/recorders
must be capable of receiving DTV after July 1, 2007.
"To help TV manufacturers meet this requirement, Toshiba
provides a one-stop solution for RF devices," said
Tom Chand, business development engineer for TAEC's
RF devices. "As a leading supplier of RF discrete devices
for consumer electronics (CE) devices, with approximately
40 percent of the market for analog CE devices and
15 percent of the market for digital CE devices, we're
prepared to support the industry's transition to digital
TV."
"Despite relatively flat TV unit sales, HD integrated
sets and monitors are continuing to experience strong
growth this year, as shipments are expected to increase
about 80 percent over last year," says Danielle Levitas,
director of Consumer Devices and Interactive Services
research at IDC. "Large screen televisions dominate
HDTV sales and the FCC order requiring digital tuner
integration into these larger TVs, beginning in mid-2004,
will help push the DTV transition forward."
Toshiba's RF solution for DTV tuners includes the
discrete devices required for the Low Noise Amplifier
(LNA) Gain Control and Mixer functions in the tuner,
(See Figure 1. Digital TV Tuner Block Diagram available
at tv.tuner.toshiba.com).
These devices are optimized for high gain and frequency
response with low noise figures for best performance
in a DTV application. An Advanced Television System
Committee (ATSC) digital tuner must be capable of tuning
the entire VHF (30MHz to 300MHz) and UHF (300MHz to
3GHz) broadcast bands as well as all standard cable
bands, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and HRC bands.
The low noise amplifier is a wideband RF amplifier,
that together with the gain control block must increase
the signal level into the first mixer while minimizing
the receiver noise figure (NF). In most cases the signal
strength is very low compared to the carrier noise
as the signal is received from the antenna. The LNA
is responsible for amplifying the signal, while keeping
the carrier noise level low. During the next stage,
the signal is sent to the Gain Control block. In a
typical design, the Gain Control block is comprised
of a two stage mixer with a phase lock loop circuit
and a +44MHz amplifier, which locks onto the desired
channel and outputs a 44MHz signal from the tuner.
The PLL circuit ensures the desired station stays locked.
Without it, the station would drift in and out of reception
because of the shift in frequency. After the Gain Control
block, the desired signal is sent to the final stage
Mixer, which incorporates the desired signal and an
IF signal, generated from an Oscillator. This "mixed" signal
is then out of the Tuner block. For product details,
please refer to the technical specifications table
below.
About Digital Television
The FCC's mandate is intended to spur the transition
to DTV, which is expected to be complete in 2007.
Today, television stations in many areas broadcast
both conventional analog television signals and digital
signals, using additional spectrum for the digital
signals on loan from the FCC. More than 200 stations
are already broadcasting digital television signals,
reaching an estimated 70 percent of U.S. homes. Under
the FCC guidelines, once 85 percent of a broadcaster's
viewing area is capable of receiving a digital signal,
the broadcaster must give back its analog spectrum,
which the government plans to auction for other uses,
such as wireless applications. Consumers with older
TVs will be able to buy set-top boxes if they want
to receive broadcasts from digital stations over
analog TVs.
Digital TV based on the ATSC digital standard adopted
by the FCC will provide improved picture quality with
vivid pictures and crisp sound, free from interference,
snow and ghosts that can occur with broadcast analog
TV signals. In addition to improved pictures, DTV offers
a range of new possibilities to broadcasters, such
as sending multiple programs over one channel or offering
video games, the Internet or interactive services.
The digital television signal is enhanced with CD-quality
theater-like audio in the 5.1 channel digital Dolby
format with separate left and right front channels,
left and right rear channels and subwoofer channels.
Technical Specifications: Toshiba RF ICs for Digital
TV Tuners
| Functional Block of Tuner |
Application |
Band |
Description |
Part Number |
Package |
PriceQ: 3000K |
| Low Noise Amp |
Boost incoming signal |
UHF and VHF |
Signal Amplifier |
2SC3607 |
PW-MINI |
$0.49 |
| Gain Control Block |
Tuning varicap diode |
Wide-band VHF |
Automatic Gain Control - Single Pin
Diode |
1SV271 |
USC |
$0.19 |
| RF Amp |
UHF |
9V Dual Gate MOSFET |
3SK232 |
SMQ |
$0.55 |
| RF Amp |
UHF |
9V Dual Gate MOSFET |
3SK291 |
SMQ |
$0.27 |
| RF Amp |
UHF |
9V Dual Gate MOSFET |
3SK293 |
USQ |
$0.29 |
| Mixer |
Mixer |
N/A |
Schottky Diode |
3SK260 |
USQ |
$0.13 |
| Mixer |
N/A |
Schottky Diode |
1SS315 |
USC |
$0.23 |
Pricing and Availability
Samples of the devices are available now, with
production quantities available in the 4th quarter
of 2002.
*About TAEC
Combining quality and flexibility with design engineering
expertise, TAEC brings a breadth of advanced, next-generation
technologies to its customers. This broad offering
includes semiconductors, flash memory-based storage
solutions, optical communication devices, displays
and rechargeable batteries for the computing, wireless,
networking, automotive and digital consumer markets.
TAEC is an independent operating company owned by
Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba, the
second largest semiconductor company worldwide in terms
of global sales for the year 2001 according to Gartner/Dataquest's
Worldwide Semiconductor Market Share Ranking. Toshiba
is a world leader in high-technology products with
more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide.
For additional company and product information, please
visit TAEC's web site at chips.toshiba.com.
For technical inquiries, please e-mail Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com.
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