MaxLinear 32-Channel Receiver and PGA Chosen by Hitron for DOCSIS® 3.0 Gateway

• MxL268 Receiver Enables Hitron Consumer Premises Equipment to Deliver Bandwidth of Up to 1.6Gbps
• MxL231 PGA Delivers the Lowest Power, Size and Cost for Upstream Extended Power Output

CARLSBAD, Calif. & LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications, today announced that Hitron Technologies Inc. (TAIEX: 2419), a leading global telecommunications networking company, has selected the MxL268 Full-Spectrum Capture (FSC™) 32-channel digital cable front-end receiver and the MxL231 programmable gain amplifier (PGA) for a new family of DOCSIS 3.0 consumer premises equipment (CPE) delivering data rates up to 1.6Gbps.

Hitron will demonstrate its next-generation 32-channel DOCSIS 3.0 products at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 in Las Vegas, which runs from Jan 6-9.

The MxL268 captures the entire 1 Gigahertz (GHz) cable spectrum, enabling cable operators to configure their systems flexibly to receive up to 32 channels, each channel being 6 MHz or 8 MHz in bandwidth, located anywhere in the cable spectrum, in order to meet the diverse consumer requirements of different combinations of data speeds and number of video channels. By being able to flexibly combine up to 32 multiple channels, cable operators can support data speeds of up to 1.6Gbps using a DOCSIS 3.0 data modem and the existing DOCSIS 3.0 cable infrastructure.

With its FSC technology, the MxL268 receiver replaces several discrete, single-channel cable tuners with just one broadband multi-channel receiver. This significantly reduces the power consumption in Hitron’s next-generation gateways, minimizes board footprint, eliminates expensive external RF components and simplifies the design of Hitron’s platforms.

Delivering up to 1.6Gbps throughput, the MxL268 is an ideal fit for cable operators looking to exceed speeds offered by fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) competitors without requiring further investment in their existing infrastructure.

PGA brings low power to gateway front-end design

Complementing MaxLinear’s popular FSC receivers for 16-, 24- and 32-channel DOCSIS 3.0 gateways, the MxL231 PGA reduces front-end power dissipation by up to 1.6W compared to existing PGA offerings. As cable operators migrate from four-channel to eight-channel QAM upstream services requiring extended power output, reducing power dissipation in the front-end simplifies thermal design efforts and reduces heat mitigation costs.

Meeting the ever-increasing consumer demand for media and data content, Hitron’s gateways provide cable operators the additional channel tuning capacity and downstream bandwidth required to enable rich multimedia and high data content services at home.

“We are pleased to be working with Hitron as joint leaders in the 32-channel cable market to deliver the highest data rate DOCSIS 3.0 gateways,” said Kishore Seendripu, MaxLinear’s Chief Executive Officer. “Video gateway and set-top box markets are evolving rapidly as cable providers strive to meet burgeoning consumer demand for bandwidth and content that leverage their existing infrastructure investments. We are looking forward to supporting Hitron with our MxL268 receiver and MxL231 PGA to facilitate more efficient distribution of video and IP services, faster download speeds, lower power and lower cost designs.”

“Our upcoming 32-channel DOCSIS CPE offers the high levels of quality and performance that our customers always expect from us,” said Jeff Hsu, President of Hitron Technologies. “The MxL268 helps to meet those high standards and the MxL231 further enhances our leading low-power position. The level of integration achieved in the chips plays a big part in making our next-generation products competitive in the market.”

MxL268 Technical Highlights

Based on MaxLinear’s industry-leading, low-power 40 nm CMOS process technology, the MxL268 offers a monolithic digital cable front-end with integrated LNA and signal conditioning functions combined with a Full-Spectrum Capture receiver.

In full 32-channel receive mode of operation, the MxL268 provides up to 1.6Gbps downstream speeds and consumes less than 75mW per channel, eliminating the need for expensive heat removal components such as fans, heat shields and heat sinks inside customer equipment.

The MxL268 is pin compatible with MaxLinear’s MxL265 16-channel and MxL267 24-channel receivers, simplifying the effort of upgrading designs to 32 channels. Manufacturers can easily migrate to 32 channels and reuse their investment in existing 16- or 24-channel gateway designs by simply replacing the receiver with the MxL268.

The MxL268 supports remote spectrum analyzer functions that report network health and performance parameters, which can be used by cable operators in managing and troubleshooting their networks. This innovative feature allows cable operators to avoid costly technician visits to customer homes by remotely monitoring and diagnosing potential problems with customer premises equipment.

The MxL268 is compliant with Energy Star and the European Code of Conduct for Digital TV Services and Broadband Equipment requirements for both standby and operating modes.

The device exceeds requirements for DOCSIS 3.0 and video applications, including the stringent test scenarios under SCTE40 plant loading and impairment conditions. The device supports a serial interface to a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, and has an integrated single-channel tuner for low-power operation.

MxL231 Technical Highlights

The MxL231 supports upstream frequencies up to 85MHz with up to eight 64-QAM upstream channels and a combined output power of up to 66dBmV. In this configuration, the device dissipates less than 1W while exceeding the adjacent channel power ratio requirements in the DOCSIS 3.0 specification. The MxL231 is compatible with all 16-, 24- and 32-channel MaxLinear DOCSIS 3.0 Full-Spectrum Capture receivers.

The MxL231 has a smaller footprint than existing PGA devices and requires fewer external components, thereby reducing the PCB area required for upstream amplification. Using only a single 3.3V supply, the MxL231 now allows manufacturers to eliminate the 5V supply from their gateway design entirely, further simplifying layout and reducing system cost.

Availability

The MxL268 32-channel DOCSIS 3.0 digital cable receiver is available now in a standard 7mm x 7mm QFN package. The MxL231 DOCSIS 3.0 PGA is available now in a standard 4mm x 4mm QFN package. Please contact MaxLinear for ordering information.

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, Full-Spectrum Capture, FSC and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

About Hitron Technologies, Inc.

Hitron Technologies, Inc. delivers more than 3 million DOCSIS products annually to MSOs worldwide, which support both residential and business class applications. With a world-class manufacturing campus in China and regional offices in the Netherlands and the USA, Hitron’s global operation spans more than 15 countries with over 1,000 employees. Information about Hitron products and services can be found at www.hitrontech.com.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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 Hitron’s selection of MaxLinear’s MxL268 FSC 32-channel digital cable front-end receiver and MxL231 PGA for a new family of DOCSIS 3.0 consumer premises equipment. 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 Hitron’s selection of our MxL268 and MxL231 devices. 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 Hitron, 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; currently pending intellectual property litigation; and the potential for additional intellectual property litigation, which is prevalent in our industry. 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 September 30, 2014. 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.

MaxLinear Inc. Press Contact:
The David James Agency LLC
David Rodewald, 805-494-9508
david@davidjamesagency.com
or
MaxLinear Inc. Corporate Contact:
Patrick Tierney, 760-692-0711
Senior Director, Cable Product Line
ptierney@maxlinear.com
or
Hitron Technologies Press Contact:
Todd Babic, 604-765-3762
Todd.Babic@us.hitrontech.com

Source: MaxLinear, Inc.

Released January 5, 2015