MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications, today announced that Zinwell, a major satellite TV set-top box manufacturer in Taiwan, has selected the MxL544 Full Spectrum Capture ™ (FSC™) DVB-S/S2 receiver for a new family of satellite TV home media gateways.
The MxL544-powered satellite media gateways from Zinwell include a four-channel “headed” gateway and a four-channel “headless” media gateway, both of which facilitate viewing satellite TV content on multiple screens throughout the home, including TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones. The two systems are designed for both pay-tv and free-to-air market satellite customers in Asian and European markets.
Home media gateways are high-end set-top box products that enable the integration of video capabilities into an existing home network and the service provider’s infrastructure. They feature built-in storage for PVR, home networking capabilities, transcoding and IP video support. Acting as media servers, a gateway can terminate conditional access, convert satellite TV content into IP packets and stream the packets in the home over wired or wireless networks.
Headed gateways, which have video decode capabilities, sport a video rendering component that allows direct connection to a television using a traditional output method such as HDMI. In contrast, the headless gateways do not have video rendering component and hence they cannot be directly plugged into a television set. Decoding of satellite TV content is performed on the client devices in this case.
Zinwell selected the MxL544 for its industry leading performance, ultra-low power, and ability to reduce system costs significantly. The MxL544 features four FSC tuners, each of which digitizes the entire 950-2150 MHz satellite spectrum and replaces up to four discrete tuners.
It is a true single-chip solution because it integrates low-noise amplifier (LNA), tuners and demodulators, all of which reduces the bill of materials and simplifies the frontend design dramatically. It is also built using MaxLinear’s proprietary digital CMOS process for the lowest power consumption in the industry.
“Our new gateway products move Zinwell into a new market space, and it was important to us to work with a partner who’s technology was proven and would give us an advantage,” said Chester Wu, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Zinwell.  “Our design revolved around the great feature set that MxL544 offered and we’re confident that it has put us in the market sweet spot.”
“Zinwell places an emphasis on creative designs, and it was great to see just how they were able to innovate using all of the functionality in the MxL544,” said Brian Sprague, MaxLinear’s Vice President and General Manager for Broadband and Consumer Products..“Zinwell is a great example of the progress MaxLinear is making in the satellite market because of the compelling value and performance offered by our MxL500 family of receivers.”
The announcement was made at the International Broadcasting Convention, in Amsterdam (Sept. 12-17), where MaxLinear will be showing its latest products in customer booths and in a private meeting room. The gateways are expected to be in mass production in first half of 2014.
Technical Highlights
MxL544 is part of MaxLinear’s recently announced MxL540 family of 40-nm four-channel satellite tuner-demodulator products. It has four inputs that can receive the entire 4.8GHz of satellite spectrum due to MaxLinear’s Full-Spectrum Capture technology. As a result, it can simultaneously receive any combination of four DVB-S/S2 channels located arbitrarily in the satellite spectrum. The chip is designed to work with quad/quattro low-noise blockers (LNBs).
The MxL544 is available in very small form factor 10mm x 10mm QFN package ideally suited for minimizing system-manufacturing costs.  The parts are pin compatible with MaxLinear’s six and eight-channel solutions to allow manufacturers to reuse and scale the design with additional channels.
The low power and power control flexibility of the MxL544 ensures compliance with the requirements of Energy Star and the European Code of Conduct for Digital TV Services and Broadband Equipment for both standby and operating modes.
About Zinwell
Founded in Taipei in 1981, Zinwell has grown to be a leading provider of digital cable / satellite / terrestrial receiving equipment, LCD televisions, IPTV receiving equipment, VoIP / wireless equipment and CATV/SMATV products in Taiwan. From a small traditional PCB OEM, the company has grown to a leading enterprise with those capabilities. Zinwell is constantly laying the groundwork for long-term development. The company strives to always foster technical know-how, products and teamwork; and our potential and creativity always keep us moving with technological trends. More information is at www.zinwell.com.tw.
About MaxLinear, Inc.
MaxLinear, Inc. is a leading provider of radio-frequency and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for broadband communications applications. MaxLinear is located in Carlsbad, California, and its address on the Internet is www.maxlinear.com.
MxL, Full-Spectrum Capture, FSC 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 the announcement of Zinwell’s selection of the MxL544 for a new family of satellite TV home media gateways.  These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent we will realize revenues from our relationship with Zinwell.  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 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 on limited sources of supply; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; and on-going intellectual property litigation related to hybrid television tuner 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.