Swiss chip manufacturer Micronas has agreed to acquire Linx Electronics for US$26 million in cash and Micronas shares. While most readers are probably familiar with Linx Electronics' ATSC receiver technology, which has demonstrated to better immunity to multipath than previous generation VSB tuners, many may not be familiar with Micronas, a developer of integrated circuits and sensors, mostly for consumer electronics and automotive applications. Its headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland and it has locations in Germany and the Netherlands. The Micronas DRX8872C Digital Terrestrial TV COFDM Demodulator/FEC chip supports the DVB-T standard, but the company's Web site does not show any chips for the ATSC standard.
Micronas consumer products unit VP Hans-Juergen Désor said, "With this acquisition we have taken another decisive step forward in our digital TV business, strengthening our position in the TV market and providing increased value and services for our customers. Our existing strength in Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) technology, combined with the expertise gained with this acquisition, puts us in the excellent position to shape the era of global migration from analog to digital TV."
Wayne Li, co-founder of Linx Electronics, commented on the acquisition. "HDTV is a reality now! Our technology enables an exciting new TV experience. As part of the Micronas Group, we will be able to better serve these markets by offering manufacturers innovative and comprehensive system solutions for their future applications."
