[SatNews] “To increase their competitiveness and satisfy customer demand, satellite operators are delivering more channels over a single cable and that is driving a real growth in the adoption of channel-stacking technology by LNB manufacturers" ...
MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications, announces that Unitron Group (Belgium) has selected its MxL801 dual-polarity Ku-band satellite down-conversion RF IC, and the MxL862 32-channel, Full-Spectrum Capture™ (FSC™) channel-stacking system on chip (SoC) for a new direct-broadcast satellite digital outdoor unit (D-ODU).
The MxL801 Ku-band RF IC is the industry’s first fully integrated monolithic Ku-band down-converter implemented in pure digital CMOS. It is designed to exceed strict RF performance requirements of satellite operators. The MxL801 replaces dozens of discrete components including the image reject filter by integrating all critical functions into a single chip.
The digital PLL based implementation delivers improved system reliability and increased channel accuracy and eliminates the need for performance tuning in production.
The MxL862 is a field-proven, market-leading, digital channel-stacking SoC optimized for single-feed satellite platforms and supports up to 4.1GHz of aggregate RF capture bandwidth. Based on MaxLinear’s ultra-low power Full-Spectrum Capture technology, the MxL862 integrates a bank of programmable digital channel select filters enabling a stacked output of more than 32 channels. Control and diagnostic features are available through standardized DiSEqC and FSK interfaces. An embedded microcontroller provides autonomous operation with a high degree of configurability.
The powerful combination of MxL801 and MxL862 enables Unitron to achieve the industry’s highest level of integration, best-in-class performance, lowest power and smallest form factor digital ODU. MaxLinear’s standard software stack includes EN50494/EN50607 and a comprehensive list of operator-specific protocols, as well as dish alignment and test features for a truly turnkey solution.
The highly integrated nature of the design, coupled with software configurability, results in a highly optimized satellite platform delivering in excess of 32 channels in a static configuration enabling Unitron to address a wide variety of satellite operator requirements.
“We set out to develop a channel-stacking LNB that would meet different needs of our satellite operator customers around the world, and the technology we have from MaxLinear allowed us to do that cost-effectively and with low power,” said Joris Goemaere, Technical Commercial Director for Unitron. “We have a long history of working with MaxLinear and its cutting edge technology has always given us the performance and features that helps us position ourselves against our competition.”
“To increase their competitiveness and satisfy customer demand, satellite operators are delivering more channels over a single cable and that is driving a real growth in the adoption of channel-stacking technology by LNB manufacturers,” said Yves Rasse, Senior Director, Consumer Product Line. “Unitron has been at the forefront of this market evolution, delivering advanced satellite equipment, and this new reconfigurable LNB is a great example of that commitment.”
MxL801 and MxL862 Technical Details
The MxL801 RF IC is part of the MxL80x product family of dual Ku-band down-conversion RF ICs. The devices feature dual Ku-band radio-frequency inputs (10.7 GHz to 12.75 GHz) and dual wideband IF outputs (200 MHz to 2350 MHz) to dramatically simplify the LNB front-end design.
The MxL862 is part of the MxL86x product family of 24-channel digital stacking SoCs. The MxL862 is optimized for single-feed LNB applications. The SoC provides a flexible and very cost-effective, digital channel-stacking system solution, including the EN50494 and EN50607 standard protocol software for single-cable distribution. The device can also be configured in universal L-band switch mode for backward compatibility with legacy STBs and with dish alignment measurement equipment typically used by installers.
