New DTV Receiver System From Broadcom Meets A/74 Recommendations

By Doug Lung
published

This week Broadcom announced an ATSC receiver system for the NTIA’s digital-to-analog converter box program. The BCM3543 includes a Channel 3 or 4 NTSC RF modulator and remote control support. In the announcement, Broadcom states, “An ATSC-compatible antenna design is also available exclusively from Broadcom. The BCM3543’s antenna provides a high-performance indoor solution that only requires a single cable interface, eliminating difficult and costly outdoor installation.” No details were provided on the antenna, but Broadcom notes that BCM3543 includes EIA/CEA-909 smart antenna support.

The BCM3543 product brief says the DTV system-on-a-chip, including BCM3431 LNA and BCM3418 tuner, meets ATSC A/74 receiver performance recommendations and is NTIA compliant. Broadcom didn’t provide detailed RF specifications or equalizer range but claims “Superior ATSC signal reception and demodulation under both static and dynamic multipath conditions.” Total power consumption is less than 8 W and standby power consumption is under 0.1 W.

Pricing is available from Broadcom on request.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.