The MT2121 is optimized to receive and tune radio frequencies in the 50 MHz to 1 GHz range of the cable spectrum. It is designed for video-on-demand (VOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and HDTV services, as well as in-home media distribution. In these applications, superior linearity, image rejection and frequency response are required for excellent video and multimedia performance. The MT2121 provides future-proof RF core technology for cable equipment manufacturers, permitting them to deliver these services to consumers in lower-cost, smaller, full-featured set-top boxes.

The MT2121 can be deployed in single or multituner cable set-top box configurations, residential gateways or media entertainment servers. It can also be implemented in digital cable-ready TV sets that are compliant with the new plug-and-play ruling of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

"Cable operators are under increasing pressure to deliver compelling services that yield additional revenues, reduce churn and provide a competitive bulwark against encroaching DBS rivals," said Jason Blackwell, Director, Operations and End Markets, Semico Research Corporation. "With 1 GHz systems, operators can gain up to 140 MHz of additional spectrum to deliver complex, bandwidth-substantial services for differentiation in the market. Microtune's new 1 GHz tuner is a key electronics component bridging the gap between 860 MHz to 1 GHz infrastructures. It enables a cost-effective, evolutionary migration to a broad variety of intermingled multimedia, from telephony and video-on-demand to home networking of video, music and photos."

"As cable networks migrate to increasingly higher bandwidth capacity, the MT2121 tuner allows the set-top box to scale with the systems' service and performance requirements," said James Fontaine, CEO and president of Microtune. "The MT2121 is the industry's first and only silicon tuner designed to specifically address the needs of multiple-tuner set-top box platforms in 1 GHz environments. It reinforces our RF pedigree in bringing new and advanced tuner technology to our customers and demonstrates our renewed commitment to next-generation digital TV markets."

The MicroTuner MT2121 is a fully integrated single-chip tuner specifically designed to streamline implementation of set-top boxes that comply with CableLabs OpenCable requirements. It features integrated filter components and input controls that allow for simplified and cost-efficient system design, compact architectures and reduced RF circuit footprint.

The MT2121 tuner also integrates a portion of a pre-selection filter that improves performance in networks with severe differences in signal strength across the input frequency band. Additionally, it includes an on-chip amplifier, optimized for the out-of-band Forward Data Channel (FDC), that reduces the overall implementation cost and improves the system performance vs. more traditional discrete designs.

The overall RF footprint used by the MT2121 is 50% less than comparable module-level solutions. With the robust reliability and performance of silicon-based (silicon germanium) processes and a solid-state architecture, it integrates higher levels of functionality into a tiny chip, while delivering lower RF system costs.