Tech Shout!

The WTV100-M has been released by ATI Technologies Inc. The WTV100-M is a single chip, DVB-H compliant, Mobile TV Receiver solution for mobile phones and other handheld devices.

ATI said its Imageon TV solutions are intended to provide handset manufacturers with system-level flexibility, high integration, low power and optimal BOM cost.

The WTV100-M is a single chip front-end that incorporates a dual-band RF tuner (UHF for Europe and L-Band for U.S.) with an integrated DVB-T/DVB-H OFDM demodulator and all necessary parts in a SiP (System-in-Package). The WTV100-M component interfaces seamlessly to ATI’s Imageon media processors, as the audio and video decoders, for a complete and end-to-end DVB-H solution.

Director of Strategic Initiatives, Handheld Products Group, ATI Azzedine Boubguira said, “ATI is uniquely positioned for the mobile TV market with its in-house DTV expertise supplying end-to-end solutions to the majority of HDTV manufacturers and many generations of media processors and mobile 3D gaming solutions to the handset market. Now ATI brings yet another differentiating innovation to mobile phones.”

“Our solution brings real value to the Mobile DTV eco-system with reliable multi-band reception for international operation, low power for longer viewing experience and cost effectiveness for fast mass market deployment,” added Boubguira.

The WTV100 demodulator supports most worldwide operation modes, can handle simultaneous processing of multiple services, multiple DRM solutions and integrates in hardware a decoder for Multi-Protocol-Encapsulator Forward-Error-Correction (MPE-FEC) and its memory. It also provides flexible and versatile interfaces and allows ATI to work with silicon RF tuners to provide a compact and reliable front-end component (WTV100-M).

ATI’s Imageon TV is a monolithic system-on-chip (SoC) solution that is host, OS and DRM agnostic. It off-loads the host CPU for better operation and seamless integration in any environment. The result is a quick time-to-market development of Mobile TV enabled handsets. Imageon TV solutions come complete with a DVB-CBMS Phase 1 compliant software stack, which includes the User Interface, Electronic Service Guide, middleware, APIs to most applicable DRM solutions and a full software development kit.

ATI said its WTV solutions have been tested and validated in both UHF and L-band field trials held with partner broadcasters in Europe and the U.S. throughout 2005. This has guaranteed interoperability and superior mobility performance in multiple network configurations.

Michael Schueppert, President of Modeo LLC said, “At CES in January, ATI’s WTV100 was operational on our live broadcast and receiving multiple channels. By addressing all of the vast requirements and issues that come into play with Mobile TV up front, ATI is poised to help us bring this initiative to market quickly.”

The WTV100-M is expected to be hit the markets by around in mid 2006. Samples and design kits are currently available.