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MAX2173 RF to Bits tuner for DAB applications in automobiles

Date: 10/04/2013
Maxim Integrated Products has announced the MAX2173 RF to Bits tuner for digital audio broadcast (DAB) applications in automobiles and other mobile DAB/FM products. Maxim claims this device is the industry’s first RF to Bits DAB/FM tuner which integrates a radio tuner, analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and digital filtering, and uses a digital I2S output to interface directly to digital signal processors (DSPs). The advantage of RF to Bits radios is baseband signal can be processed using off-the-shelf DSP chips.

MAX2173 has on-chip ADCs and digital filters and is suitable for DAB, FM, and Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcast (T-DMB) applications in the FM, VHF band-III, and L-band frequency bands.

Key advantages of MAX2173 as per Maxim:
Wide applications range: DAB and T-DMB for VHF band-III (168MHz to 240MHz), L-band (1452MHz to 1492MHz), and FM band (76MHz to 108MHz)
Enables SDR implementations for higher system level flexibility and software reuse:
Digital I2S interface enables flexible support for a wide range of digital basebands including DSPs, application processors, or dedicated baseband modems
Embedded digital filtering reduces digital baseband processing requirements
Highly integrated:
Integrated RF tuner, ADCs and digital filtering lower back-end DSP MIPs, reduce hardware costs, and free space
Integrated digitally controlled crystal oscillator (DCXO) eliminates the need for a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO), which reduces costs and improves accuracy
Integrated low-dropout regulators (LDOs) eliminate the need for an external regulator

“Maxim Integrated’s latest DAB/FM tuner is a revolutionary step towards transforming the architecture of auto infotainment into flexible, software defined solutions,” said Vickram Vathulya, Managing Director at Maxim Integrated. “This DAB/FM RF to Bits tuner delivers automotive grade RF performance while supporting the widest array of ecosystem baseband products for an unmatched level of design flexibility to optimize cost, performance, and size.”

“Software-based functionality is becoming a key differentiator for the automotive infotainment semiconductor market, which is expected to exceed $4.0 billion by 2018,” said Richard Robinson, Director of Automotive Analysis at Strategy Analytics."

Package: 40-pin TQFN package (6mm x 6mm).
Temp range of operation: Specified over the -40°C to +85°C temperature range.