[opendtv] Re: New PrimeDTV PHD-100 OTA STB
- From: Richard Hollandsworth <holl_ands@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 13:56:10 -0800 (PST)
I don't see how adding an NTSC/BTSC decoder chip affects the Noise Figure.
The output of the IF Amplfier strip would presumably be split to feed both the
ATSC/QAM Decoder chip and the NTSC/BTSC decoder chip. Since the IF Splitter
loss would be at the end of the IF Amplifier chain, the reduction in overall
Noise Figure would be much, much less than a dB.
Of course if the NTSC/BTSC decoder function were built into the ATSC/QAM
Decoder chip, using a common A/D Converter, there would be no need for an IF
Splitter,
for example the Broadcom BCM3520 ATSC/QAM/NTSC/BTSC Decoder chip and BCM3560
DTV SYSTEM-ON-CHIP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another data point:
Sylvania/Funai 6900DTE OTA STB -- rear panel says 20W operating.
It uses the ATI XILLEON 226 MPEG2 and Display Processor, which does not require
a heat sink....
And an Alps TUHU2 tuner with older ATI NXT2004 ATSC Decoder chip.
ATI website seems to imply that all of the XILLEON 220 series are 300 MHz
processors.
I posted photos as part of my Smart Antenna evaluation in the avsforum "5th Gen
Receiver Chip" thread.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A clarification: my comment re best performing STBs applied to those actually
tested for the FCC report.
Since they bought off-the-shelf products in AUG/SEP 2005, I don't think they
had any of the MPEG4 capable DirecTV H20 HD-STBs which came later.
(Various DirecTV H20 manufacturers reportedly include LG, Samsung, Thomson and
maybe Humax).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS: Model number is PHD-101. Thanks for catching the typo...
<holl_ands>
************************************************************************************
"Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Richard
Hollandsworth wrote:
> Fol post has info on the $160 PrimeDTV PHD-100 OTA STB.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=3D7022533&#post7022533
> It does ATSC and QAM and probably also NTSC (the manual
> is somewhat unclear). Copyright date for manual is 2005
> and the pdf create date is only a month ago: 20Dec2005.
On the question of NTSC support, looks like Digital
Stream used to provide it, but no longer. Their original
1150 supported NTSC, the Accurian and 3150 Plus don't.
Which is probably a good thing. Seems to me that having to
support NTSC can only degrade ATSC performance, mostly
because, all else equal, it probably increases the noise
figure of the receiver.
I was looking for the power requirements of the PHD-101,
to see if the downward trend continues. Couldn't find any
for the PHD-101, but they did mention the unit gets warm.
which makes me wonder. For your info, here are some power
specs in units I've read about, in chronological order:
Digital Stream 1150: 40 W operating, 2 W standby
Accurian: 22 W operating
Digital Stream 3150 Plus: 20 W operating
Humax HFA-100: 18 W operating
(Not sure about the respective ages of the last two.)
I'm all in favor of A/74 becoming the de-facto
performance standard, as it appears to be doing. And
finally this PHD-101 seems to be in line with what I
was expecting as state of the art STBs available by now.
This is great news. Notice also how this unit is easily
configured for any global DTT or digital cable standard.
FINALLY.
Thanks for the pointer, Richard.
> I believe that the best performing STBs were probably
> from LG and at least some of the other units were from
> ATI, based on correlation with LG and ATI test results
I would be surprised if the new Samsung Gemini chip units
don't beat out the LG, after they've sorted out the front
end. Measurements don't lie. (Of course, I'm sure LG
isn't standing still, even if they don't make their good
stuff available as STBs or PVRs.)
I especially liked ATI's testimonial to the FCC.
Bert
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