MaxLinear Brings Full-Spectrum Capture™ Technology To Six- And Eight-Channel Video Gateways And Set-top Boxes

MaxLinear Inc., (NYSE: MXL) a leading provider of highly integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communication applications, today announced two new front-end receivers that utilize the company’s Full-Spectrum Capture (FSC ^TM) technology for cable video gateway applications and set-top boxes (STB).

The single-chip MxL258 and MxL256 are eight-channel and six-channel digital cable front-end receivers, respectively, with on-chip QAM demodulators. Both ICs are fabricated in a standard 40nm digital CMOS process. The devices are part of the FSC ^TM product family including the 16-channel MxL265 and 24-channel MxL267 receivers that were announced in March 2012.

By capturing the full 1 Gigahertz (GHz) cable spectrum, both the MxL258 and MxL256 FSC receivers enable cable operators to deploy next-generation home media gateways, which support richer and more compelling multi-channel video services.

“The video gateway market is rapidly evolving as cable providers launch new systems with an expanded number of channels for DVR and enhanced OTT and in-home wireless video distribution services,” said Brian Sprague, MaxLinear’s Vice President and General Manager for Broadband and Consumer Products. “Our advanced-technology MxL258 and MxL256 ICs offer these video gateway systems low power and small form factor multi-channel receiver solutions that enable better video tuning performance, thanks to our FSC technology.”

The MxL258 and MxL256 devices are capable of simultaneously receiving any combination of eight or six channels, respectively, located arbitrarily in the cable spectrum. As a result, MaxLinear's FSC cable receivers significantly reduce the power consumption in a gateway or a set-top box, minimize PCB footprint, eliminate expensive external RF components, and greatly simplify the design of customer platforms requiring multiple channel access.

Technical Highlights

Both MxL258 and MxL256 products offer a monolithic digital cable front-end in 40nm CMOS technology with integrated LNA and signal conditioning functions, delivering Full-Spectrum Capture capabilities. In full eight-channel mode of operation, the MxL258 consumes only 1.8 Watts, a 60 percent reduction in per channel power consumption compared to the previous generation of similar MaxLinear devices.

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