New DSP-based AM/FM One-Chip Tuner from NXP Drives Top Quality Car Entertainment in High-Growth Emerging Markets

##IMAGE_1_R##OEMs and car radio manufacturers worldwide, particularly in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), require highly integrated solutions that save external components and avoid complex system integration processes, without compromising on performance. To give maximum design flexibility to automotive OEMs and after-market head-unit suppliers, the new tuner TEF664x offers a fully scalable family, ranging from standard to advanced radio features, and with or without digital radio support via a co-processor such as NXP’s SAF356x.

With its scalable approach, the TEF664x is the right product for high-growth markets. According to Strategy Analytics (January 2012), the total number of infotainment systems in BRIC will represent a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% between 2012 and 2018, compared to a CAGR of 6% in mature automotive markets such as NA, EU, Japan, and South Korea. For the aftermarket, the projected CAGR in BRIC is 10%, while in the mature markets, this number is expected to remain flat.

NXP’s one-chip tuner family is renowned for best-in-class reception performance using proven DSP-based digital processing technology. Car radio systems designed with the TEF664x can benefit from improved weak-signal handling, FM noise blanking, enhanced multi-path suppression of noise from environmental interference, click-noise suppression, plus many more features.

The ongoing global market trend towards maximum integration and power efficiency has fuelled the success of NXP’s leading one-chip tuner solutions. In particular, the fully integrated TEF663x one-chip, released at the start of 2011, has proven highly popular as the industry’s first to combine a complete radio solution – from antenna input to audio output – in a single RFCMOS chip. The TEF664x comes without a digital audio signal processing subsystem to support system flexibility for alternative configurations without sacrificing reception performance. The TEF664x optionally supports HD radio and DRM(+) via NXP’s SAF356x software-defined radio co-processor.

Toshiyuki Nakazaki, Deputy Managing Director at Clarion Malaysia, commented: “As a leading global supplier of automotive infotainment, we rely on NXP and its truly innovative semiconductor solutions for car radios. We are already using products from NXP’s one-chip family as highly integrated silicon solutions that combine flexibility with excellent sound performance. With its scalable-feature concept and simplified integration, the new TEF664x chip is exactly what we need to boost our business in the high-growth BRIC markets.”

Jeff Jury, Chief Operating Officer at digital HD radio technology developer iBiquity Digital, explained: NXP is a strategic partner for us, offering HD radio solutions combining high-performance RF front ends and software-defined radio base-band processors. This class of solutions is increasingly important to HD radio technology brands that want global digital radio solutions. NXP solutions complement the expansion of HD radio broadcasting around the world, one example being our current launch in Mexico. NXP supports this strategy by providing global best-in-class broadcast reception solutions that are scalable and competitive in features, performance and also system cost. Therefore, NXP is an ideal partner for addressing a global market with regional and market segment-specific needs.”

Torsten Lehmann, General Manager for Car Entertainment Solutions at NXP, added: “We developed the TEF664x in response to customer demands for scalability and system flexibility targeting OEMs as well as aftermarket set makers globally. With this latest one-chip tuner family, we are offering the highest reception performance for single-tuner applications combined with full flexibility on features and functions, enriching our Car Radio product portfolio.”

The TEF664x supports NXP’s strategy of driving secure connected mobility.

Highlights:
All-in-one AM/FM digital receiver including tuner- and software-defined radio processing
Leading tuner technology and software algorithms for highest reception performance
Tuner integration by RFCMOS technology for improved bill-of-material and easy application
Full support of digital radio standards such as HD radio and DRM via a co-processor such as the SAF356x
Compatibility with the TEF663x family for the radio front-end hardware application and software control
Full automotive qualification in accordance with AEC-Q100, meeting the strictest requirements in radio and audio performance

Availability
Volume production will start in Q2 2012. Samples and reference designs are available upon request via NXP.com