AltoBeam and UMC Successfully Demonstrate DVB-T2/T/C/S2/S Demodulator

AltoBeam’s ATBM7812 demodulator utilizes UMC’s URAM embedded memory technology

Beijing, China and Hsinchu, Taiwan, July 29, 2013 – AltoBeam, a Digital Television (DTV) demodulator IC maker, and United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC;TWSE: 2303) (“UMC”), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced the release of AltoBeam’s  DVB-T2/T/C/S2/S demodulator to target DTV markets that have adopted these standards. The ATBM7812 utilizes UMC’s proprietary URAM embedded memory technology on 300mm wafers to enable higher performance and smaller chip size.

The ATBM7812 is in full compliance with the following latest DVB specifications:

• ETSI EN 302 755 V1.3.1 (DVB-T2)
• ETSI EN 300 744 V1.6.1 (DVB-T)
• ETSI EN 300 429 V1.2.1 (DVB-C)
• ETSI EN 302 307 V1.2.1 (DVB-S2)
• ETSI EN 300 421 V1.1.2 (DVB-S)

In addition, the ATBM7812 fully satisfies the following latest agency specifications (RF components):

• NorDig Unified Spec V2.4 and NorDig Unified Test Spec V2.2.2
• D-Book 7 V2

A team of AltoBeam engineers successfully demonstrated an ATBM7812-powered STB in the Broadcast Asia Conference held in Singapore between June 18 and 21, 2013.  The ATBM7812 showed excellent receiving robustness in demodulating various DVB-T2 broadcasting signals, including multip-PLP with L1 post-scrambling and T2-Lite.

“AltoBeam is a leader in the Chinese DTMB market with majority market share,” said Dr. Steve Chaohuang Zeng, CEO of AltoBeam.  “The release of the ATBM7812 helps us expand beyond the Chinese market and further strengthens our position in the DTV space. Currently, over a dozen manufacturers have started designs using the ATBM7812.”  “The ATBM7812 reconfirms AltoBeam’s commitment to the digital TV broadcasting,” added Qi Deng, VP of International Sales for AltoBeam.  “We look forward to serving the DVB market with the level of product performance and customer support that has been our trademark in the DTMB market.”

Steve Wang, vice president of Asia sales division at UMC, said, “We are happy to bring the benefits of UMC’s leading-edge technologies to leading China customers such as AltoBeam. With highly comprehensive technology solutions that include our proven 300mm URAM process, we look forward to further partnering with China’s IC design companies to increase their market competitiveness.”

UMC’s URAM process is the company's patented embedded DRAM (eDRAM) technology. URAM enables higher performance, lower power consumption, and reduced chip size compared to traditional embedded SRAM or external DRAM. UMC offers the technology for a broad range of processes down to 65nm, with years of successful manufacturing experience and proven yields. URAM is ideal for multiple applications including demodulator, timing control, touch display driver, ASIC networking, etc.  

The ATBM7812 is now available for design-in.  

For more information about the ATBM7812, please visit the product page at http://www.altobeam.com/en/products_sch.html.

About UMC

UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced technology and manufacturing for applications spanning every major sector of the IC industry. UMC’s robust foundry solutions allow chip designers to leverage the company’s leading-edge processes, which include 28nm poly-SiON and gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, mixed signal/RFCMOS, and a wide range of specialty technologies. Production is supported through 10 wafer manufacturing facilities that include two advanced 300mm fabs; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based Fab 12i. Fab 12A consists of Phases 1-4 which are in production for customer products down to 28nm. Construction is underway for Phases 5&6, with future plans for Phases 7&8. The company employs over 15,000 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.