Sony Creates a Digital TV Tuner Module

Posted By: Ryan Thursday, September 25, 2003 7:09:56 AM

Sony Japan has announced that it will ship samples of their mini digital television broadcast tuner will ship soon. The new module will be used by manufacturers to enable mobile phones and PDA's to receive broadcast TV.

Sony TV TunerThe "BTD-ZJ611" tuner is smaller than a postage stamp and has a digital interface for simple integration into other digital devices as a PDA, laptops and mobile phones. Sony says the module is the smallest of its kind and has the lowest power consumption.

The chip can receive a common radio signal input for VHF (1-12 channel) and UHF (13-62 channel). The modules dimensions are 20mm×16mm×2mm and it consumes 150mW of power in use.

Samples of the module will begin shipping in December. It will sell to manufacturers for 50,00 yen, or approximately $445.

Sony showed a concept TV Tuner Memory stick at the last CeBit. The product was a concept mock up and Sony has not announced any devices that will make use of the new technology. Sony also has standard analogue TV broadcast chips in the works. The chips were unveiled in October of 2002, however no new information is known at this time.

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TV on my T2

Khris @ 9/25/2003 8:16:41 AM #
MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm TeeeeeeVeeeeeeee
*incoherent gargling noises*

RE: TV on my T2
JonathanChoo @ 9/26/2003 6:31:11 AM #
this wont work (atleast with the current hardwares). Digital TV broadcast in Mpeg2 (DVD quality). I don't see how a low resolution screen plus ARM processor is able to decode it unless they fit a separate powerful video encoder. In the UK we get more than 20 free digital channels plus 20 radio channels (not DAB). It's not bad and it has a future just now now.

Psion 5 -> Palm Vx -> Palm m505 -> Sony N770C -> Sony T625C -> Sony NR70V -> Toshiba e310 -> Palm Tungsten T -> HP h2210 -> Palm Tungsten T/3

How big is that board?

LiveFaith @ 9/25/2003 8:17:32 AM #
Is that Arnold Swarzenagger(sp) or Gary Coleman's finger? :-)

Wow. Thanks Sony. I've wondered why this was not possible. Especially with the digi-TV changover coming.

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

Expensive

iebnn @ 9/25/2003 8:22:53 AM #
If it's ~$500 for manufacturers, think about how much it's going to cost for consumers.

RE: Expensive
Admin @ 9/25/2003 9:07:29 AM #
the standard broadcast chips are a little less expensive:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=4434

also keep in mind digital tv isn't required in the US until 2005 or something, so there is plenty of time for the prices to drop.

RE: Expensive
doctor__no @ 9/25/2003 3:04:14 PM #
The price is for "SAMPLE" chips;
i.e. chips that will find it's way into pre-production prototype machines. That is obviously not the price that the manufacter will be paying for final product.

When the chips hits mass-production then the price will come down for mass consumer market.

RE: Expensive
phoneboy @ 9/26/2003 11:50:29 AM #
Actually, digital TV has been broadcast in most markets for years, and is currently in all markets. The deadline you're referring to in a few years is the phase-out of analog broadcasts. (Right now they are simulcasting in analog and digital.)

Great idea

Dmitri_J @ 9/25/2003 8:52:48 AM #
But price is great too.

The Price

aoopz @ 9/25/2003 10:37:37 AM #
5000yen, should be approximately $45, not $445.
$445? The price is to high, isn't it?

whoopdedoo

arielb @ 9/25/2003 10:54:31 AM #
$445 for 12 channels I rarely watch. It's too bad i can't digital cable on the go

RE: whoopdedoo
gabc @ 9/25/2003 9:08:16 PM #
50,00 yen is about 50.00 USD not 445USD.

RE: whoopdedoo
LiveFaith @ 9/25/2003 9:22:21 PM #
Probably a typo. 50,000 instead of 50,00

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

Nah

JKingGrim @ 9/25/2003 12:16:55 PM #
Just give me a built in AM-FM tuner and I'll be happy. That would be very useful in a hurricane or such.

RE: Nah
dstrauss @ 9/25/2003 3:20:36 PM #
YEEESSSSS..... One of those rants of mine - whycan't we have AM/FM in PDA's and smartphones? All the other glitz (MP3, video, etc.) is interesting, but a basic FM stereo broadcast would be great anytime.

RE: Nah
Strider_mt2k @ 9/25/2003 7:28:43 PM #
The problem there is shrinking down alot of the coils and such to fit the space given.

Considering what is required to do this, I think it's a remarkable achievement.

And just think, they can sell those lens things from the 1950s to folks with B&W screens to simulate color!

Hmmm... Indian-head test pattern on my Clie'...
(Well, a future one anyway! ;) )

RE: Nah
jontz @ 9/26/2003 2:30:16 PM #
Coils and such? They have had single chip FM tuners with no coils for years now...coils and such indeed.
RE: Nah
Strider_mt2k @ 9/26/2003 5:46:37 PM #
I think there was an "and such" in there too.

I also think you get the point, Tommy Tech.

RE: Nah
Strider_mt2k @ 9/26/2003 5:52:13 PM #
The Tommy tech line was not mine. I apologize.
the offending party has been slapped.

Coils or no, there is still alot of miniaturization goin' on.

There is much more information in a television signal than with a voice signal, even in stereo.


Cost judgments?

Strider_mt2k @ 9/25/2003 7:20:23 PM #
I didn't know there were so many people here that have experience purchasing high end prototying samples for manufacturing development!

How much SHOULD something like this cost?



TV/AM/FM on my Palm PDA? Holy Cow!

Jacques T @ 9/25/2003 9:40:10 PM #
The fun and excitement never stops does it? :)
I would love to be able to have a TV tuner on an SD card. I would buy that.

But aren't the days of free analog TV broadcasts coming to an end? Won't we end up with TV tuners and no broadcasts?

5 days until the Tungsten T3 hits the market! I have a great feeling about this one!

White Elephant

RhinoSteve @ 9/26/2003 6:48:39 AM #
Handheld "watchmen" has been a novelity at best in the consumer market place. I don't see this getting any good acceptance.

Pair this up with a closed circuit, wireless video servellance system or better, have the PDA controm cameras (the joystick on the Z71 would be great for this) and you have a winner.

PDAs are not passive, "just watch it" tools. It needs to be interactive and that is not just switching channels.

RE: White Elephant
Strider_mt2k @ 9/26/2003 10:07:14 AM #
People like television.
Advertisers like television.

Have portable TV sales gone down or up of late?
I think up.

Based on this information, I think we'll see the TV thing happen as soon as it can. there's too much money in it!

RE: White Elephant
RhinoSteve @ 9/26/2003 4:26:45 PM #
Nope, the reality is that portable TV sales have been down steadily for the past few years. This is why I'm questioning why they are doing this. I can only think they are trying to "PDA-ize" the handheld TV market.

RE: White Elephant
Strider_mt2k @ 9/26/2003 5:48:24 PM #
I stand corrected on the trend. I guess I just see more of them around. (Probably not all new either!)

I would think that another way to get advertising to people would drive this a bit as well though.

CRAP

Wizard of OS @ 9/27/2003 7:37:21 PM #
as java coders say:

if (it has SD and supports DVB-T == true)
System.out.println("GREAT! YAHOO!");

else
System.out.println("CRAP");


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