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Conexant Is First To Offer Cable-Modem Manufacturers A Complete Product Reference Design From A Single Source
Replaces bulky, expensive traditional tuners, and joins Conexant's single-chip cable modem to create a complete solution for mainstream broadband access products Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNXT) announced Monday it has begun sampling the industry's first single-chip silicon tuner that is optimized to meet the cost and power requirements of digital cable modems and set-top box products. The InfoSurgeô CN2811 digital cable tuner extends Conexant's leadership in digital silicon tuner radio frequency (RF) devices, which the company first introduced in 1998. Conexant has shipped several million silicon tuners for use in direct broadcast satellite (DBS) consumer set-top boxes and PC receivers from companies including Echostar. The CN2811 digital cable tuner builds on that expertise, and joins Conexant's single-chip cable modem to create the industry's most comprehensive system solution for subscriber cable-modem products that manufacturers can software-upgrade to support all popular worldwide standards. Conexant's miniature InfoSurgeô CN2811 silicon tuner integrated circuit (IC) replaces traditional bulky, expensive metal tuner cans that are used for receiving broadband signals carried over coaxial cable for high-speed Internet access. It will be sold together with Conexant's single-chip, programmable cable modem to create a complete system solution that is up to 25 percent less costly and significantly more power-efficient than alternative digital cable-modem solutions. This solution is the first to give manufacturers the flexibility to support new feature sets and evolving industry standards via on-line software upgrades of the cable-modem chip's programmable Media Access Control (MAC) layer. ""With our CN2811 silicon tuner, we've taken another major step toward enabling much smaller and more affordable cable modems,"" said John Graham, Vice President of Marketing for Conexant's Digital Infotainment Division. ""This silicon tuner eliminates the bulky tuner can, and directly interfaces to our single-chip, programmable cable modem for a complete, highly-versatile solution that significantly reduces system costs and power requirements. A cable-modem manufacturer needs very little additional circuitry to create a complete system solution."" Conexant's CN2811 offers a number of advantages over other integrated tuner solutions. These solutions require multiple chips, address only a limited portion of the required functionality and consume more than twice the power of the CN2811. In contrast, the CN2811 consumes less than 1.5W of power, uses mainstream bipolar process technology, and provides a complete tuner system solution from the coaxial cable input to the analog-to-digital converter input of Conexant's companion CN9414 single-chip cable modem. ""Traditional tuners - and even the more recent integrated tuners - have created significant cost, size and complexity challenges for next-generation cable-modem designers,"" said Michael Harris, President of broadband research firm Kinetic Strategies, Inc. ""Silicon tuners consume far less board space and offer a cost reduction roadmap that will ultimately help manufacturers meet price points that spur mass consumer adoption of cable modem technology."" Conexant's CN2811 tuner supports all popular cable modem industry standards including the Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs) Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 1.0/1.1 and other specifications established by the EuroDOCSIS, Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) and Digital Audio Visual Council (DAVIC) organizations. The CN2811 accepts RF signals ranging from 44 to 870 MHz and converts them to intermediate frequency (IF) signals at 36 or 44 MHz. All that is required for a complete tuner solution is the addition of a pre-amplifier and automatic gain control (AGC) circuitry to condition the input signal, filters and external tank circuits. The CN2811 is designed to interface seamlessly with other components in broadband access systems, drawing on Conexant's expertise in a wide variety of physical and MAC layer devices and video decoder solutions. It provides superior performance by using a double-conversion architecture that eliminates the need for manual adjustments, and enhances signal containment and channel selectivity while minimizing environmental interference and distortion Conexant's CN2811 tuner is sampling now and is scheduled for volume production in the second quarter of 2000. It is packaged in a 48-pin thermally enhanced thin quad flat pack (ETQFP). The chipset - including the CN9414 cable modem and CN2811 silicon tuner - is priced at $40 each in OEM volumes of 10,000. About Conexant Conexant's Digital Infotainment Division is a leading provider of semiconductor systems for broadband and broadcast communications applications. Addressing the convergence of PCs with consumer entertainment products, the division's broad portfolio includes cable and wireless modems, IP telephony products, digital set-top boxes, and digital broadcast and video solutions for personal computing appliances. With revenues of approximately $1.5 billion, Conexant is the world's largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor products and systems solutions for communications electronics. With more than 30 years of experience in developing communications technology, the company draws upon its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products for a broad range of communications applications. These products facilitate communications worldwide through wireline voice and data communications networks, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging devices and equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband communications networks. The company aligns its business into five product platforms: Network Access, Wireless Communications, Digital Infotainment, Personal Imaging, and Personal Computing. Conexant is a member of the Nasdaq-100 Index, which represents the largest and most active stocks listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market across major industry groups.