MaxLinear receivers power Sky Deutschland Ultra HD Sky+ Pro STB

MaxLinear Multi-Channel Satellite and Cable Receivers Power Sky Deutschland’s Next Generation Ultra HD Sky+ Pro Set-Top Boxes

AMSTERDAM — RAI Amsterdam, IBC Exhibition — MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for cable and satellite broadband communications, the connected home, data center, metro, long-haul fiber networks, and wireless infrastructure, today announced its latest-generation Full-Spectrum Capture™ satellite and cable front-end receivers have been selected by Sky Deutschland for a new personal video recorder (PVR) that is shipping to subscribers in Germany and Austria this fall.

Sky Deutschland’s advanced PVR platform, called Sky+ Pro, will enable users to view breathtaking ultra-high definition (UHD) video content broadcasted with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Initially, the new Sky+ Pro will support two tuners and allow customers to watch or record two shows simultaneously. An embedded Wi-Fi receiver will also allow customers to connect the set-top box (STB) to their existing Wi-Fi network, enabling video-on-demand (VoD) with Sky On Demand. Support for eight tuners over a single coax cable will be enabled in a future software update.

The Sky+ Pro is designed with a modular architecture that can support either cable or satellite reception. The new set-top box is powered by MaxLinear’s MxL582C single-chip Full-Spectrum Capture (FSCTM) satellite receiver, which digitizes the complete broadcast satellite band and performs the digital tuning and demodulation of up to eight satellite channels in a very low power, tiny form-factor. The MxL582C IC also provides built-in immunity to Wi-Fi, LTE and terrestrial interference signals, ensuring that the STBs have excellent HD and UHD reception performance, even in adverse environments.

MaxLinear’s innovative FSC technology enhances the user experience with advanced fast channel-change functionality, while also enabling the service provider to remotely monitor and optimize performance in the network.

The new set-top box is designed to support a variety of low-noise block (LNB) configurations used by installers, including Unicable (EN50494), Unicable II (EN50607), and digital channel stacking switch (dCSS) LNBs and multiswitches. The new Sky+ Pro is designed to work seamlessly with LNBs based on MaxLinear’s MxL862 digital channel stacking IC, which supports the latest single cable router technology and stacks up to 24 channels on a single coax cable. This technology simplifies and reduces installation time for both single family homes and multi-dwelling units (MDUs).

“MaxLinear is extremely pleased to be a design partner and strategic supplier to Sky Deutschland for the next-generation set-top box platform,” said Will Torgerson, Vice President & General Manager, MaxLinear Broadband Group. “MaxLinear’s relentless focus on best-in-class performance and world-class customer support enables Sky Deutschland to bring complex, cutting-edge products to market quickly and cost effectively.”

“Sky Deutschland is delighted with the performance and features of the new Sky+ Pro,” commented Gerard Duffy, Senior Vice President Technology at Sky Deutschland. “MaxLinear’s highly integrated, multichannel satellite and cable receiver ICs will enable us to offer new, exciting services to our customers.”