Microtune Introduces World's First Low-Power Universal Tuner Chip; Enables Digital TV on PCs, Portables, and Set-Tops across Worldwide Markets

Microtune’s Optimized, 1-Watt Silicon TV Tuner Delivers Quality TV Reception across Analog, Digital, Cable and off-Air Broadcasts

PLANO, Texas — Microtune®, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUNE), expanding its family of tuners engineered for the worldwide television market, today introduced an optimized tuner unique in meeting multiple TV reception standards (analog/digital and off-air/cable) across worldwide markets. The new universal tuner, the MicroTuner™ MT2063, brings low-power consumption and superior multi-standard TV receiver performance to standard consumer products and power-sensitive or space-constrained devices, including small, display TVs, DTT set-top boxes, portable devices and PC-TV products.

The MicroTuner MT2063 is the only low power 1-GHz tuner chip sampling today that is engineered to exceed the expected performance defined by analog and digital TV standards across the U.S., Europe, Japan and China. Additionally, it supports both terrestrial and cable broadcast transmission, meeting all relevant radio frequency (RF) performance requirements. It supports ATSC, DVB-C, DVB-T, DMB-T, ISDB-T, NTSC, PAL, SECAM, as well as U.S. cable networks, including 256 QAM modes.

As a strategic advantage, the MT2063 silicon tuner enables manufacturers to combine high-performance digital and analog TV capability with a small form factor and low-power consumption at competitive cost. It permits them to build multi-standard products today that cost-effectively transition consumers from analog to digital TV transmission, a worldwide TV conversion that is expected to occur at various times in various countries during the next decade.

Additionally, manufacturers can deploy the MT2063 tuner in multiple product lines or platforms across worldwide markets, reducing the expense of designing market- or standard-specific devices, while realizing significant cost, volume and production efficiencies.

“The new MT2063 delivers the superior level of RF performance, integration and reliability recognized as key differentiators of our MicroTuner technology-brand products,” said James A. Fontaine, President and CEO of Microtune. “It combines excellent digital TV reception with lower power to yield significant price/performance benefits, enabling manufacturers to drive digital TV capability into new classes of products. The MT2063 adds to our family of tuners–ranging from those that offer standard-setting high performance to low-power consumption options–and enables us to offer customers a targeted RF solution for every class of platform and every kind of digital or hybrid TV application.”

Debut at CCBN

The MicroTuner MT2063, along with the company’s portfolio of other products, evaluation boards and reference designs, will be featured in Microtune’s booth (Hall B, B180) at the 16th annual China Content Broadcasting Network (CCBN) trade show held March 22-24, 2008 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.

The MicroTuner MT2063: Technical Features

Based on Microtune’s patented dual-conversion integrated circuit architecture, the MT2063 is a 1-GHz broadband TV tuner engineered to deliver robust performance with low-power consumption in a miniature chip. It is characterized by a high level of integration, including first intermediate frequency (IF) filter, low-noise amplifier and fully integrated automatic gain control, reducing components, cost and space.

The MT2063 features low phase noise, high linearity and excellent image rejection — technical parameters that are required to deliver stable, clear picture quality for analog TV reception and for those digital TV signals transmitted under difficult receiving conditions. The 1-watt tuner offers adjustable power modes to help reduce power consumption and conserve battery power.

Measuring only 7 x 7 millimeters, the MT2063 is offered in a 48 micron-pin QFN package, supporting small form-factor designs such as extra slim flat-panel TV sets, portable TV sets, USB tuner sticks, PC-TV PCIe MiniCards, SCART set-top boxes and other small, popular devices. As with other Microtune tuners, Microtune can supply the MT2063 in high-volume and its experienced systems engineering team can support application development for qualified customers.

The MT2063 is designed to interface with leading demodulators, providing manufacturers the design flexibility to choose the optimum tuner-demodulator combination for their needs and target markets.

Price and Availability

The MT2063 tuner is sampling now and is priced at $3.50 in high volume. Initial production is planned for second quarter of 2008. To simplify evaluation and design, Microtune also offers MT2063 Evaluation Boards and Reference Designs.