Zero-IF TV Tuner Module Reduces Costs In Digital Terrestrial TV

Using a zero-intermediate-frequency (ZIF) architecture, the MAX3580 fully integrated direct-conversion TV tuner from Maxim Integrated Products is suitable for digital-video-broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) applications. The ZIF architecture and onboard RF-tracking filter eliminate the need for external, discrete filtering components and the expensive surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) filter required by older, IF-based tuners. The result is the lowest bill-of-materials cost in the industry, according to Maxim. The tuner runs on a single 3.3-V supply and consumes 650 mW, making it a good choice for USB stick, automotive, and infotainment applications. The tuner covers the 170- to 230-MHz band for VHF-III use and the 470- to 878-MHz band for UHF applications.

The MAX3580 communicates using a 2-wire serial bus. The device’s dynamic gain control is more than 76 dB, and typical noise figure is 4.7 dB referred to the LNA input. The VCO architecture optimizes both in-band and wideband phase noise for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) applications, where sensitivity to both 1-kHz phase noise and wideband phase noise related to strong adjacents can be a problem. The MAX3580 comes in a 5- by 5-mm, 32-pin TQFN package with an exposed paddle. Operating temperature range is −40°C to 85°C. Prices start at $5.50 for 1000-piece quantities. An evaluation kit and reference designs that combine the MAX3580 with OFDM demodulators are available to speed designs. Visit www.maxim-ic.com/MAX3580.