Alps tuners suit LCD, plasma TV receivers

Alps Electric Co. Ltd. has developed the TEQ and TMQ tuners for use in thin television receivers such as LCD and plasma TVs. The TEQ series is an analog tuner that is 50 percent smaller than the company's previous products. The TMQ series is 60 percent smaller, and integrates in a single device an analog tuner with an IF unit that is compatible with the sound multiplex broadcasting systems in Japan and the U.S.

The TEQ tuners measure 55-by-25.6-by-16.0mm, with a cubic content of 22.5ml. The TMQ tuners measure 55-by-44.5-by-12.5mm, with a cubic content of 30.5ml, and are the smallest tuner units in the industry to incorporate an ordinary antenna terminal.

Both series are lead free, and use a custom IC designed using ALPS' RF technology. The TEQ series is priced at ?3,000 ($25.67 at $1:?116.883), and the TMQ series is priced at ?6,000 ($51.33).