LINX Creates CASPER Ghost-Friendly Reception Solution For DTV

Patented New ATSC-Compliant Receiver Chipset Helps Solve Ghosting Problem In DTV

10-Apr-02

At the National Association of Broadcasters Convention, LINX Electronics, Inc. announced the development of a patented chipset that can effectively handle the ghost interference that has been a big concern for the DTV industry. The chipset, called CASPERô, delivers near-optimal DTV reception under complex multiple ghost conditions. LINX's innovative solution combines and harmonizes multiple ghosts, turning them into one nearly optimal signal for more robust and efficient reception. The CASPER chipset can be integrated easily into virtually any brand of TV set or set-top device.""CASPER took nearly two years to develop,"" said Dr. Wayne Li, President and CEO of LINX Electronics Inc. of Palatine, Illinois, ""and it is protected by over 40 patents in various stages of processing. In contrast to the other enhancement initiatives currently under development in the DTV industry, our chipset is completely compatible with the existing ATSC standard, and will enhance home reception without any change on the transmission side.""The most recent testing of CASPER was conducted from March 25 to March 28, 2002 by the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC), in Ottawa, Canada. LINX's receiver was reported to have performed impressively well. According to Dr. Yiyan Wu, Senior Research Scientist at CRC, ""The LINX receiver has a strong multipath capability. Our tests show that LINX receiver can successfully demodulate the signal under Brazil C, D and E multipath profiles, which all the other ATSC receivers had difficulty locking onto. The most impressive performance of the LINX receiver is its pre-ghost robustness."" Wu praised, ""It can withstand a -10 dB ghost within a -29.5- to +38.5-microsecond range, 0 dB ghost in a 12-microsecond range. None of the existing ATSC receivers can achieve this kind of pre-ghost performance.""Wu added, ""Pre-ghost performance is important to DTV indoor reception. It is crucial in the implementation of Single Frequency Network (SFN), or distributed transmission, which can significantly improve DTV coverage and reception (indoor/outdoor or portable/mobile)."" Wu continued, ""The LINX receiver has a very robust carrier recovery capability. In one test, using a 0 dB ghost (3 microseconds apart), and adjusting the ghost phase to totally null out the 8VSB pilot, the LINX system could easily synchronize and demodulate the signal.""For more information about LINX Electronics Inc., www.linxelectronics.com.

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