Date: 13/12/2008

SoC tuner IC to watch digital terrestrial broadcast on analog televisions

NEC Electronics has introduced the EMMATM2TS system-on-chip (SoC) for tuners that enable digital terrestrial broadcasts to be viewed on current analog televisions. The new product is compliant with the "simplified DTT tuner" specifications and guidelines published by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting (Dpa) in preparation for the full migration to digital terrestrial broadcasts in Japan.

The EMMA2TS incorporates a Full SegNote orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) channel decoder compliant with the Japanese Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) digital-terrestrial standard; MPEG2 signal decoder; and image-display functionality. This combination of features in a single-chip solution is the first of its kind, and enables consumer electronics manufacturers to easily build tuners that convert digital broadcasts to analog. Furthermore, the EMMA2TS suppresses power consumption to approximately 1 watt.

In July 2011, Japan will cease analog television broadcasts and migrate completely to digital broadcasts. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) forecasts that when analog broadcasts end, 35 million of the country's approximately 100 million televisions in use will not be able to receive digital broadcasts. There are concerns that large numbers of analog televisions may be disposed of, or that there will be confusion among owners of televisions without digital reception capabilities, which will hinder a full migration to digital terrestrial broadcasts.
In order to resolve these issues, on December 25, 2007, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Dpa published the simplified DTT tuner specifications and guidelines aimed at increasing the viewership of digital terrestrial broadcasts. A simplified tuner is a type of set-top box that is installed between the television and antenna that converts digital terrestrial broadcasts for viewing on existing analog televisions.
NEC Electronics has quickly addressed this market requirement with this SoC EMMA2TS.