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Siano launches integrated receiver chip targeting emerging Latin America digital TV market

Press release, November 24; Ricky Morris, DIGITIMES Asia 0

Siano Mobile Silicon has announced the launch of a new product targeting the digital TV markets of Latin America and Japan. The SMS2270 supports the ISDB-T high definition DTV standard, also known as ISDB-T "full-segment".

After enjoying success in the mobile segment of the DTV market in Latin America, the new Siano product now addresses the home TV market, car TV, and high-definition portable TV applications.

The integrated RF tuner and demodulator single chip from Siano allows clear reception even in tough conditions, such as when using a sub-optimized antenna, deep-indoor locations, and noisy electronic environment, the company said.

"Most countries in Latin America are pushing to accelerate the transition from analog to digital TV," said Alexandre Goldman, Telecom Research and Consulting Manager, Brazil for IDC. "A necessary condition for that is the availability of affordable digital TV sets and set-top boxes that can be used by the mass population in these countries. Siano's new receiver products support the increasing demand for a high quality, cost-effective front end solution."

ISDB-T DTV services already cover most of the populations in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and other countries.

"Latin America is the first region where Siano operates not only in the mobile DTV space, but also in the home DTV market," said Alon Ironi, CEO of Siano. "The new SMS2270 positions Siano as the leading supplier of 'front end' solutions for ISDB-T devices."

In addition to the ISDB-T DTV format, deployed in Latin America and Japan, the SMS2270 also supports the DVB-T format, which is deployed in Europe, Australia, and some places in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This allows manufactures of TV sets and set-top boxes to efficiently make products for multiple target markets using the same design and same component inventory, Siano highlighted.

With a built-in USB 2.0 core as well as an MPEG2 Transport Stream interface, the SMS2270 is suited for PC cards and motherboards, as well as for TV sets and set-top boxes.

The SMS2270 is available in samples to select customers, and is already in the development stage with a few customers developing electronic products using the new solution.