MAX2173 RF to Bits tuner for DAB applications in automobiles

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.