Partners aim to bring China DTV standard in handhelds

Legend Silicon Corp. has collaborated with Sharp Corp. to develop an integrated single-chip solution that will enable mobile devices such as portable media players (PMPs), handheld TVs and mobile phones in China to receive GB20600-2006 terrestrial DTV broadcasts.

This joint development expands Legend Silicon's mobile products portfolio in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China has the largest number of mobile phone subscribers with 520 million in 2007, up from 460 million in the prior year, according to China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII). Such robust growth, combined with the upcoming Olympic Games, opens opportunities for mobile devices capable of supporting free-to-air mobile TV, said the companies.

The LGS-8GS6 solution integrates Legend Silicon's demodulator, which is compliant with the China Digital Television Terrestrial Broadcasting (DTTB) System Standard (GB20600-2006), the Sharp silicon tuner and a time de-interleaver memory into a small advanced technology System-In-Package (SiP) 48-BGA. By combining its chip technology with Sharp's tuner and advanced SiP technology, Legend Silicon says it is enabling consumers to view on their mobile devices the same TV programming that they receive on DTVs in their homes.

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Legend Silicon has developed and worked closely with officials in China to establish the GB20600-2006 standard and the underlying advanced technology. The company was the first to develop a commercial DTV semiconductor product based on the standard, which is now designed into major DTV and STB brands. Deployment of the GB20600-2006 standard in China is rapidly underway and is continuing to gain momentum in preparation for the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.

"Legend Silicon's GB20600-2006 technology is an ideal foundation for building mobile devices that will enable consumers in China to access DTV programming over the air," said Ryutaro Egawa, division general manager of Sharp's RF devices division. "With its experience in developing an innovative technology and its standardization efforts, Legend Silicon is at the forefront of China's digital TV revolution and together we are bringing new, advanced mobile devices to market."