Siano extends mobile TV coverage to Japan, Brazil

Mobile TV chip vendor Siano Mobile Silicon Ltd has developed a receiver chip called the SMS1100 that extends multistandard capability to include the Japan and Brazil markets.

The 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. Field trials of the SMS1100 have been conducted in Europe, Japan and Korea.

Siano's mobile TV chip can provide coverage that includes Russia, Western Europe, Korea, Japan, South East Asia, and Brazil, with further developments expected in China and the United States.

The SMS1100 includes a different channel estimation engine to previous chips, which provides improved signal sensitivity and channel robustness, the company claimed. The field trials have shown that the mobile TV can be watched in "deep-indoor" locations, or while riding the world's fastest trains such as France's TGV or Japan's Bullet Train or in an automobile driving at high speed, the company said.

As well as improving performance, Siano said it has reduced power consumption. The SMS1100 tuner and baseband combined consume less than 165mW when receiving high-definition TV signals over DVB-T broadcast, 70 percent less than competing solutions, the company claimed.

The company did not say what process technology was used to manufacture the chips.

- Peter Clarke
EE Times Europe