Chip-manufacturer Microtune has today unveiled the MT2266 - a dual-band, dual-format and ultra-low power solution for both Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) and DVB-H (the handheld flavour) - Europe"s standard for future-proof telly.
The company boast that the product will allow handheld-device users to watch free-to-air TV without fearing for the life of their mobile device"s battery. With a mere 350 mWatt of power consumption, there"s no telling which pocket-dwelling devices will have digital tv under their silicon belts in the next few years.
Measuring only 6cm squared, the 40-pin taste of the future is also capable of receiving digital radio and teletext. Expected to ship in Q2 of this year, the unit will cost $5.00 per chip in quantities of 1000.
James A. Fontaine, Microtune"s President and CEO enthused: "Our new tuner enables manufacturers to develop cost-optimized portable products that give consumers flexible TV viewing and multimedia options and that deliver superior reception quality and reliability."
The Japanese market has been the testing ground for this technology since the start of April, when broadcasters Nippon Television, Fuji Television and TV Asahi signed deals with mobile operators.