Auvitek Launches a Highly Integrated GB20600-2006 Compliant DTMB Receiver IC

Monday, October 13th, 2008

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Auvitek International Ltd. (Auvitek), a leading supplier of high-performance ATSC digital television receiver solutions, today announced the introduction of the AU8822, a highly integrated digital receiver IC solution for the China Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast (DTMB) market. The AU8822 is fully compliant with the GB20600-2006 National Standard, supporting all modes of operation and delivering superior performance and scale of integration over existing DTMB receiver components.

The total market opportunity for DTMB digital receivers in China is estimated to be approximately 250 million units over the next 5 years, with over 40 million new TV sets currently sold each year in China and a roughly 470 million installed TV base. In addition, over 65% of the house-holds, particularly in rural areas, rely solely on terrestrial over-the-air broadcasts. With the analog-to-digital transition set for 2015 in China, the DTMB market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 70% per year representing a US dollar value of over $1.5 billion by 2013.

The China DTMB standard employs a technically advanced and more complex broadcast modulation scheme than other regions of the world to deliver DTV signals to the public. The sophistication of DTMB broadcast scheme is such that, referring to the different components in a digital television, a recent industry report by Research and Markets stated, “The (DTMB) demodulator is the part with the highest technical content.” Simply put, that means the DTMB demodulator is the single largest and most complex IC component in a DTMB TV or STB. “Auvitek’s experience in developing increasingly advanced demodulation architectures, particularly for single-carrier markets, and in taking those products into stable high-volume production with multiple customers, gave us significant insights into how to produce the most effective DTMB receiver solution,” said Pete Birch, Auvitek’s President and CEO. “The AU8822 outperforms existing solutions, yet is cost effective enough to help the DTMB market to achieve the rapid growth that will aid China’s transition from analog to digital TV broadcast.”

Based on the latest generation of Auvitek’s acclaimed FADE™ (Fully Adaptive Demodulation and Equalization) architecture, the AU8822 supports the reception of both single-carrier and multi-carrier digital TV broadcast including all 330 modes of operation specified in the GB20600-2006 standard, without the needs for costly external components such as DRAM or ADCs. The device also includes supports for legacy analog broadcast with the inclusion of a complete PAL/NTSC demodulator, analog video decoder with 3D comb filter, and audio decoder and processor. The device supports multiple interfaces such as serial and parallel MPEG transport stream outputs, dual I2C compatible control interfaces, I2S audio input and output, CVBS and S-Video. The AU8822 incorporates fully automatic broadcast mode detection circuitry, and supports direct connection of any high or low IF output from an RF tuner. The AU8822 integrates all external components including memory and ADCs and is offered in a 10mm by 10mm 80-pin LQFP package. The AU8822 is targeted at the DTMB Digital Television sets, STBs, A/V consumer electronics, and the Desktop and Laptop PC market segments.

Auvitek has developed a range of evaluation kits for the AU8822 that support the different video decoding formats used in China such as MPEG2, H.264 and AVS. The software modules provided with the evaluation kits offer a simple and intuitive interface to control the device, and incorporate drivers for embedded applications or the Windows and Linux operating environments. The AU8822 evaluation kits are available with a number of different can and silicon tuners options, each comprising a complete DTMB front-end receiver solution.

Samples of the AU8822 silicon are available now to select partners, with volume production planned for early Q1 2009.

Auvitek will be exhibiting at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair in Hong Kong, October 13 -16, 2008, in Hyatt Suites in the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Demonstrations of the company’s products can be seen by invitation. For more information about scheduling a meeting, please send an email to HKEF@auvitek.com.