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Konka Selects MaxLinear’s MxL661 Global Hybrid Tuner ICs for New Chinese TV Models

October 28, 2013

MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications, announced today that Konka Group Co. Ltd., one of China’s leading TV manufacturers, has started mass production shipments to Chinese consumers of its latest-generation of LED/LCD televisions incorporating the MxL661, MaxLinear’s latest global hybrid TV tuner IC.
MaxLinear’s MxL661 delivers industry-leading performance for all global analog and digital cable, and terrestrial television reception standards.  The MxL661 is built in 65-nm pure digital CMOS process and is based on MaxLinear’s proprietary advanced broadband radio architecture that has been successfully incorporated in the tens of millions of hybrid TV tuner ICs shipped since launch of volume production in 2011.
Konka is one of China’s top 100 electronics manufacturers and produces color televisions, mobile phones, display technology, LED lighting, auto electronics and home appliances.
Konka selected the MxL661 because television broadcast signal quality can vary significantly across many of China’s vast regions, causing reception issues and picture impairments for normal tuners. The MxL661 is ideally suited for this market because of its software configurability, industry best sensitivity and linearity performance and its high level of RF integration that eliminates the need for expensive RF components such as external balun and inductors,
Importantly, the MxL661 is the only CMOS hybrid TV tuner solution that implements on-chip programmable RF-to-IF delay, a function that is necessary for TV content access protection in legacy analog Chinese cable TV systems. This feature, in particular, enables Konka to configure its television sets for non-standard cable TV signal conditions prevalent in China.
“The selection of the MxL661 for the Chinese TV market is a stamp of approval by a prestigious Chinese TV maker and a continuation of the partnership between our companies,” said Brian Sprague, Vice President and General Manager for Broadband and Consumer Products.  “We are pleased that our MxL661 ‘Super Radio’ technology is continuing to enable Konka’s design innovation and market growth.”
Technical Highlights
The MxL661 hybrid TV tuner is based on MaxLinear’s “Super Radio” technology that offers exceptional reception performance, silicon integration and power consumption. The MxL661 features software programmable radio frequency (RF) to intermediate frequency (IF) delay, which is required in some Chinese cable TV systems, and enables balun-less implementations for cost-sensitive designs.
The MxL661 delivers exceptional performance with market-leading low power consumption of 350mW in typical applications. The very low power consumption and compact 4 x 4 mm footprint in a standard 24pin QFN package make it possible for customers to achieve ultra-small form factors and to support multi-tuner applications.
The MxL661 device allows manufacturers to design a common front-end for all global broadcast standards. Supported standards include: PAL, SECAM, NTSC, DVB-T/T2, ISDB-T, ISDB-Tmm, ATSC, ATSC M/H, DTMB, ITU-T J.83 Annex A (DVB-C) / B (US Cable) / C (Japan).
About MaxLinear, Inc.
MaxLinear, Inc. is a leading provider of radio-frequency and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for broadband communications applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.  For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com.
MxL and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.
Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance or trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to Konka Group’s selection of MaxLinear’s MxL661 television tuner for LED/LCD televisions in the Chinese market. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent the design win with Konka Group will result in future revenues. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including (among others) intense competition in our industry; the ability of our customers, including Konka Group, to cancel or reduce orders; uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop; our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence in limited sources of supply; and potential decreases in average selling prices for its products.  In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including risks and uncertainties identified in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013.  All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.  MaxLinear is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.