SMS1100, a single receiver chip, supports reception of ISDB-T TV signals, the broadcast standard of Brazil and Japan, in addition to Siano's existing portfolio of DVB-H, DVB-T, DAB, DAB-IP and T-DMB.
According to the company, by incorporating a new channel estimation engine to the chip, Siano has raised the sensitivity and mobility performance to unparalleled industry levels. Field trials already conducted with the SMS1100 show that end users are able to watch mobile TV in garages and other 'deep-indoor' locations, or while riding the world's fastest trains such as France's TGV or Japan's Shinkansen (Bullet Train), or whilst driving on Germany's Autobahn highway.
"2008 will witness the expansion of mobile TV beyond Japan, Korea and Italy into most of Europe, South East Asia, China and Brazil," said Alon Ironi, chief executive officer, Siano. "The new SMS1100 will now make mobile TV accessible everywhere, in crystal-clear quality – this product is the locomotive that will pull the entire industry and unleash the huge potential of the mobile TV market."
SMS1150 addresses global mobile TV notebooks, with USB 2.0 interface and MRC diversity support, while SMS1130 targets DVB-H cell phones.
SMS1100 is available in samples now, with mass-production in Q1 2008. All members of the SMS1100 family are delivered in the same BGA package, 6.2x6.5x1 mm in size, 131 pins. |
The development of a new chip which can handle all the terrestrial broadcast standards for mobile TV has been one the industry has been waiting for. Such a device can be universally used in all smartphones and multimedia phones. With different technologies such as DVB-H, DMB-T,ISDB-T, mediaFLO being used in different implementations, the biggest challenge before the mobile TV industry has been to pin down to a technology or device which can help attain large numbers and consequently lower the prices. Efforts by either countries or EU to set a single standard for mobile TV has not been successful for obvious reasons. Each technology is unique and claims some advantages over others. While DVB-H can be used to ride on the existing DVB-T networks, it has some limitations such as lower level of error correction and longer channel switching times that those such as mediaFLO. Others such as DMB_T represent modifications to the DAB ensemble multiplex schemes to carry video as well.
The main problem before a service provider has been how to ensure that sufficient number of receiving devices will be available. So far it had been a difficult proposition. ( e.g. Some phones have DVB-H while others may have FLO.) . This was also a problem for the regulators. It is hoped that the new devices going into mobile phones will quickly lead to smartphones with universal tuners.
