Alps – Full segment digital terrestrial TV (ISDB–T) tuner for automobiles (TSVN)

Latest from Alps Electric Europe is news of the development of the TSVN Series full segment digital terrestrial TV (ISDB–T) tuner for automobiles, the industry’s smallest and the industry’s first surface-mount type. Mass production is already underway, says the company.

In Japan, the installation of digital TV tuners in automotive equipment has been picking up pace ever since analog TV broadcasts ended in July 2011. According to JEITA, cumulative total of 13 million units are expected to be installed by 2013.

In addition to characteristics so far demanded of automotive RF equipment, namely high-sensitivity reception and resistance to noise created, for example, by electric mirrors, there is a growing requirement for automotive TV tuners which consume low levels of power to make them suited to hybrid and electric vehicles. TV tuners built into car navigation systems, too, need to be more compact and require a smaller mounting area than ever before since greater sophistication of systems, such as incorporation of Wi-Fi and other technologies, has led to a larger number of components.

Responding to these market requirements, Alps has developed and commenced mass production of the TSVN Series. As the industry’s first surface-mount, 4-diversity type full segment tuner, the TSVN Series contributes to automation in the production lines of car navigation system manufacturers. In addition, power consumption has been reduced to 1.55W, a 30% improvement on earlier models, realizing the low power consumption demanded for use in electric and other environmentally friendly vehicles.

RF circuit technology acquired by Alps over the years was applied to the TSVN Series to reduce interference between circuits, thereby enhancing immunity to intelligent transport systems (ITS) interference and resistance to various types of noise while allowing a compact size of 23mm × 25mm × 3.1mm. The mounting area is 70% smaller, and volume 85% smaller, than earlier models.

This ISDB–T tuner also has the highest receiving sensitivity in the industry. To ensure stable reception during actual use, circuitry has been optimized through feedback from repeated road tests into circuit design, says the company.