Date: 20/03/2009

Single chip set top box ICs for satellite and cable with common architecture

ST Microelectronics' new single chip Set Top Box (STB) ICs are aimed at mass market set top boxes with less number of external components. The STi5197 for cable STBs and STi5189 for satellite STBs with common architecture and the mutually compatible software is suitable for basic zappers, interactive and DVR-capable STBs, and hybrid STBs.

The STi5197 includes a QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) demodulator and the STi5189 includes a QPSK (quadrature phase-shift keying) demodulator, and both products have a common architecture for MPEG-2 audio/video-decoding and application processing functions to help designer to reuse the design. The STi5197 supports DVB-C including ITU-T J83 Annexes A/B/C, and TSMF (Transport Stream Multiplex Frame). The STi5189 supports DVB-S for satellite. All industry-standard middleware and browsers are also supported.

Both ICs support all major conditional-access security schemes, with integrated DVB, DES (Data Encryption Standard), Multi2 and ICAM (Integrated Conditional Access Module) descramblers and built-in smart-card interface to serve the needs of pay-TV services.

"The STi5197 sets a new industry standard for secure, mass-market set-top boxes, reinforcing the outstanding success of the ST's OMEGA family of MPEG2 decoders," said Philippe Lambinet Executive VP of Home Entertainment and Display group. "It will bring further cost reductions for manufacturers while giving viewers the advanced connectivity features they now expect as standard, while respecting low power requirements."

Additional features common to both are, interface to external Flash memory, USB interface and Ethernet interface. There is also an integrated audio subsystem providing digital and analog outputs and supporting MP3 and Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding.

Software compatibility between the STi5197 and STi5189 save the programming effort by code reusing.
Higher processing performance and power saving featuring are the other improvements over previous STB ICs from ST Micro.


Package: 23 x 23mm plastic BGA (PBGA) or cost-optimized 15 x 15mm low-profile fine-pitch BGA (LFBGA) package