Communications: Twin Tuners With Optimized Video Interfaces Facilitate STB Designs

Twin-tuner modules for set-top boxes (STBs) and television sets with dual program reception (picture-in-picture) help simplify personal-video-recording (PVR) system design. The twin-tuner design does away with bulky and expensive cable. The tuner interfaces, which are optimized for dual-tuner applications, simplify the cabling and board layout requirements. The TD1316AS/IVP-2 and TD1316A/SRV-2 handle digital DVB-T and analog terrestrial TV signals. Low-noise amplifiers, very low-noise MO phase-locked loops, switchable 7/8-MHz surface-acoustic-wave filters, and gain-controlled IF amplifiers are incorporated in the modules. Late 2004 should see the arrival of similar modules for DVB-C-compliant cable systems.