1999-05-10, BG9902,
Backgrounder From Philips Semiconductors

Overview

The Ultimate One Chip Television is a single package which provides a combination of analog and digital technology needed for a modern television set.

The Ultimate One Chip Television (TDA935X/936X/938X) family of signal processors is intended for the low to mid range analog television market. It allows the manufacturer to design a single chassis for a world family of television receivers. The same chassis can be used for different size tubes, for single and multiple transmission standard receivers (PAL/NTSC/SECAM), and can provide a range of facilities including stereo sound and different teletext standards.

By integrating the core functions of picture and sound decoding, digital processing and teletext and on-screen display into a single package, the Ultimate One Chip Television reduces the number of peripheral devices required, saving money and assembly time.

Philips Semiconductors launched the first One Chip Television in 1992, and has become the market leader with sales of over 200 million units. The Ultimate One Chip Television continues the trend of integration, putting even more functionality into a single package.

Markets

While digital broadcasting, through satellite, cable and terrestrial transmission, is making great world-wide progress it is still received by only a minority of viewers, even in the most advanced markets. Reception is normally through a set top box, subsidised in some way by the broadcaster and attached to an analog television. The first integrated sets to receive digital broadcasts are beginning to appear in some markets. These are aimed at the 'early adopter' and are normally larger screen sizes with a full range of features and are therefore proportionately expensive. Integrated sets will see a significant growth in sales, but even by 2002 they are expected to represent only five million sets in a world market of around 135 million sets.

The analog television market is continuing to grow. The low and mid range market, targeted by the Ultimate One Chip Television, is expected to see sales of almost 100 million sets world wide in 1999, with growth continuing until at least 2003. Even conservative estimates suggest that there will still be a market for around 80 million new analog sets by 2010.

The market for low and mid range sets is fiercely competitive with very thin profit margins, particularly for the 14" to 20" sets. Manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to reduce all their costs and the Ultimate One Chip Television will help them to do this, while retaining the quality of picture and presenting a full range of options.

Process technology

The analog circuitry, built in Philips' BiMOS process technology, is primarily concerned with the colour decoding and other picture and sound processing. The digital circuitry, built with Philips' CMOS technology, looks after on screen display using a microprocessor core and specialist caption decoder and teletext circuitry. Also included as part of the digital circuitry is one time programmable (OTP) memory and up to 2K RAM. The process technologies are both regarded as amongst the most advanced in the industry, providing higher levels of integration and lower levels of power consumption than competitive processes.

The Ultimate One Chip Television requires lower power at start up, for operation and for standby, than other solutions currently available, providing the opportunity for 'green' sets.

Memory

The microprocessor core uses the  80C51 standard instruction set. Memory available includes 3-12Kx8 internal RAM shared between programs and teletext, on-screen display and closed caption page storage. The device also incorporates 32-128Kx8-bit one time programmable ROM. This uses Philips Semiconductors' proprietary Walker cell technology, which uses standard transistors for programming, providing denser circuitry which can be fabricated using a standard CMOS process. OTP memory means that loading a specific manufacturer's software is not part of the fabrication process, with extra mask steps.

The manufacturer can speed up the development cycle by programming the first test, evaluation and demonstration devices using a Philips' supplied programmer, before volume production begins in Philips' facilities.

Software

Software available for the Ultimate One Chip Television includes a wide range of different functional modules. A complete suite of software, which can be customised by the manufacturer, is under development. Software and an evaluation board are already in the hands of many manufacturers.

Operation

The TV signal processor includes a single, automatic search, PAL/NTSC or multi-standard decoder, with a multi-standard IF circuit incorporating an alignment free PLL (Phase Loop Lock) demodulator. Other features include multi-standard FM sound, with a choice of mono or stereo, an audio switch, which removes the need for separate external band-pass filters, and an automatic volume levelling circuit.

All 17 members of series have data capture for US Closed Caption format. The teletext members capture 525 and 625 line World Standard Teletext (WST) VPS and Wide Screen Signalling (WSS), automatically selecting the appropriate technology. WST data is captured and decoded in hardware in real time, optimising the micro-processor throughput. Teletext, Close Caption and On Screen Display (OSD) are supported with advanced display features, including meshing, shadowing, underlining and italics for a range of character sets, including Cyrillic, Greek and Arabic.

Co-operative design

The design was carried out initially at two of Philips Semiconductors design centres, with Southampton, UK, carrying out digital design and software development and Nijmegen, Netherlands responsible for analog design. The design team in Taiwan has since become involved in tailoring the design for specific applications.

Simplifying manufacturing

The Ultimate One Chip Television simplifies manufacturing beyond the immediate reduction of the core components. By putting the core components into a single package, the Ultimate One Chip Television also removes the need for other components previously required in the interfacing between the components. This can reduce the need for more than 120 passive and active components. The resultant reduction in printed circuit boards space gives the manufacturer the opportunity to reduce the normal two boards to just one.

Lower component counts mean lower bill of materials costs. It also means that the time taken to manufacture a television is shorter, with further cost reductions. Manufacturing time is additionally reduced by the self aligning nature of the Ultimate One Chip Television.

Summary

The Ultimate One Chip Television provides manufacturers with a single chip, global TV concept with a wide range of options using advanced proven technologies for both mixed-signal and digital processes. It reduces time to market, through rapid design using a wide range of software and lowers materials and manufacturing costs by reducing components and increasing throughput. In service it provides a high quality picture and draws lower power at start-up. This makes it an extremely attractive product for manufacturers who want to compete effectively in the market for low and mid range analog televisions.