Sharp presents the DVB-C NIM tuner with housing dimensions of 70mm x 29.6mm x 13.2mm. These cable TV receivers are approx. 30% smaller than the predecessor model. Two versions are available, one for horizontal and one for vertical mounting. Thanks to the minimal form factor and flexibility in mounting, the Super Compact DVB-C NIM tuner offers development engineers more freedom in the design of modern slim-line devices – just like the DVB-T and DVB-S receiver components from the Super Compact series. The slimmer housing and model variations make it much easier to accommodate two or more tuner components in the housing chassis making the best use of the space available. The addition of the DVB-C NIM tuner to the Super Compact series means, for example, that televisions, media terminals and Personal Video Recorders (PVR) can be equipped with additional receiver parts for digital cable, terrestrial and satellite TV. Up until now, many appliances needed an external receiver for this. The new DVB-C NIM tuners are also fully pin-compatible and mechanically compatible with the DVB-T NIM tuners in the Super Compact series.

Existing platforms for digital terrestrial TV reception can easily be converted or upgraded for digital cable reception with the DVB-C NIM tuner from Sharp. This reduces the development time for the new generations of TV units, set top boxes, video/hard-disk recorders, etc. The Super Compact DVB-C NIM tuner contains proven Sharp technology. It covers the typical frequency range between 47 and 862MHz for digital cable reception and fulfils all current standards with a high level of technical and qualitative performance. This includes Forward Error Correction, designed for standard DVB-C. The receiver part also has an integrated high-performance demodulator (type STV0297E from ST Microelectronics) that supplies a digital 8-bit data stream for further signal processing. As the DVB-C RF front-end is combined with a suitable demodulator, hardware developers do not have to carry out comprehensive high-frequency technology development work such as adapting and optimising demodulator switches. The DVB-NIM tuners therefore help Sharp partners to achieve shorter time-to-market cycles and competitive advantages for the terminals under development. Like all terrestrial, satellite and cable tuners from Sharp, the new Super Compact DVB-C tuners comply with the valid RoHS standards.