Netgem selects MaxLinear ultra-low power silicon tuner for use in STB designs

CARLSBAD, USA: MaxLinear Inc., a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal ICs for broadband communication applications, announced that Netgem, Paris, Europe’s leading provider of connected entertainment technology, has selected the MxL201RF ultra-low power silicon tuner to be used in several of its key hybrid set-top box (STB) designs.

In June, Netgem announced partnerships with operators in Europe and Australia for terrestrial, cable and IPTV services. Netgem’s STB will be used as part of these operators’ offerings that combine content traditionally provided via terrestrial and cable TV services along with premium and interactive content via broadband access. MaxLinear’s MxL201RF tuner has been integrated into the STBs that Netgem will provide these customers.

Measuring only 5mm x 5mm in a 32-pin QFN package, MaxLinear’s MxL201RF digital cable and terrestrial tuner provides a small, flexible and cost effective front end for cable and terrestrial STBs.

The tuner uses MaxLinear’s proprietary digital CMOS technology to deliver the highest performance and features integrated channel filtering and on-chip 94dB gain to deliver high quality signal reception of weak signals even under conditions of significant channel loading and transmission spectrum tilt for cable applications and in the face of extreme interfering channels typically found in terrestrial applications.

“These new STBs are noteworthy to consumers because they blend over the top content with terrestrial and cable content in a seamless manner. This is another great example of the value and flexibility of MxL201RF,” said Kishore Seendripu, CEO of MaxLinear. “Netgem is a leader in the market and we’re thrilled to work with the company on these applications and look forward to future collaborations.”

“Netgem takes pride in its ability to provide a great consumer experience through middleware that provides a single interface for entertainment, regardless of whether the source is IPTV, cable or terrestrial signals,” said Christophe Aulnette, managing director of Netgem. “We like working with MaxLinear because they are a partner that is committed to that same level of innovation and product excellence as Netgem.”

Additionally, MaxLinear’s MxL201RF consumes only 400mW of power, meaning a four-tuner system can be built with the power budget of just one competing device. The MxL201RF offers the smallest tuner footprint enabling designers to implement ultra compact front-end solutions and the low power properties of the MxL201RF tuner facilitates compliance with the European Union Code of Conduct and US Energy Star standards in both standby and operating modes.

Additionally, the tuner can be implemented on simple two-layer PCBs and does not require any heat dissipation techniques for thermal management, which saves costs associated with fans, shields and heat sinks.