Communications: Set-Top-Box Front End Demodulates And Forward-Error Corrects

Sept. 20, 2004

Based on the next-generation digital video broadcast standard (DVB-S2), the CX24116 digital set-top-box demodulator and forward-error-correction (FEC) front end lets operators offer additional content and services using existing bandwidth and infrastructure. The CX24116 employs advanced modulation along with a new low-density parity check (LDPC) and Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) FEC. An on-chip microcontroller hastens signal acquisition and Yes/No estimation and improves system monitoring. In addition, the DiSEqC 2.x-compliant demodulator integrates signal-to-noise ratio and bit-error-rate monitors for channel-performance measurements. Housed in a 100-lead thin QFP, the CX24116 is priced at $25 apiece in quantities of 10,000.

Conexant Systems Inc.www.conexant.com

About the Author

Dave Bursky

Technologist

Dave Bursky, the founder of New Ideas in Communications, a publication website featuring the blog column Chipnastics – the Art and Science of Chip Design. He is also president of PRN Engineering, a technical writing and market consulting company. Prior to these organizations, he spent about a dozen years as a contributing editor to Chip Design magazine. Concurrent with Chip Design, he was also the technical editorial manager at Maxim Integrated Products, and prior to Maxim, Dave spent over 35 years working as an engineer for the U.S. Army Electronics Command and an editor with Electronic Design Magazine.