Silicon Labs launches most integrated multiband receiver solution for wheel-tuned radio designs

USA: Silicon Labs has introduced the latest generation of the company’s widely used analog-tuned, analog/digital-display (ATxD) multiband radio IC family.

The new Si4825/27/36 AM/FM/SW receivers provide superior radio band coverage and a 16-pin SOIC package option that eases the design and manufacturing of ATxD radio products.

The new Si48xx radio ICs provide an “all-in-one” single-chip receiver solution for tabletop and portable radios, stereos, mini/micro systems, boomboxes, clock radios, iPod docking stations, toy radios and many other consumer products containing wheel-tuned radios.

The wheel-tuned or “analog-tuned” multiband radio product market exceeds 115 million units per year, according to Silicon Labs estimates. More than 90 percent of all ATxD radios including products for the global export market are manufactured in China.

A pioneer in RF-in-CMOS multiband receivers for the wheel-tuned radio market, Silicon Labs has now delivered three generations of single-chip receiver solutions that reduce the cost and complexity and simplify the manufacturing of radio products used by many millions of consumers worldwide.

Silicon Labs’ new Si4825/27/36 receivers offer the same exceptional RF performance, unmatched integration in CMOS, bill of materials (BOM) and labor cost reduction, and ease of design and manufacturing as previous generations of Si48xx radio ICs.

In addition, the new receivers use a single band to cover a wider frequency range for FM and SW bands, and they also support TV audio carrier reception in the China market. Additionally, the devices provide advanced audio conditioning for all signal environments, removing pops, clicks and loud static in challenging signal conditions.

The Si4825 mono-output, consumer-grade product and the Si4836 stereo-output, commercial-grade product are designed for the ATAD radio market. The Si4827 mono-output, consumer-grade product targets the ATDD radio market.

Each receiver supports worldwide broadcast frequencies from 64-109 MHz in FM, 504-1750 kHz in AM and 2.3-28.5 MHz in shortwave (SW), enabling a single radio design based on the receivers to support all worldwide markets.

“Silicon Labs’ Si48xx multiband receiver family provides an innovative ‘radio-on-a-chip’ architecture that enables wheel-tuned radio manufacturers to simplify and shrink their board designs, eliminate costly manual labor in manufacturing and reduce component count by more than 80 percent,” said James Stansberry, vice president and general manager of Silicon Labs’ broadcast products.

“Our new wheel-tuned receivers leverage the patented low-IF digital architecture, digital core and audio conditioning technology used in our most advanced radio IC products adopted by Tier 1 audio product brands around the world.”

The Si4825/27/36 multiband receivers are available in a compact 16-pin SOIC package, enabling cost-efficient, single-sided PCB designs and easy handling in manufacturing lines. Samples and production quantities of the new receivers are available now.

The Si4825 is priced at $1.56 in 10,000-unit quantities. The Si4827 is priced at $1.76, and the Si4836 is priced at $1.66, also in 10,000-unit quantities. To ease radio system design, Silicon Labs offers demonstration boards for each receiver product priced at $50.