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Zinwell Selects MaxLinear’s Digital Channel-Stacking SoC for Next-Gen Satellite Digital Outdoor Unit

By Caleb Henry | January 9, 2014
Zinwell MaxLinear MxL865

Zinwell’s ZIM-1800 Server/Switch, part of the company’s current satellite product offering. Photo: Zinwell

[Via Satellite 01-09-2014] Zinwell Corp. is developing a new satellite digital outdoor unit (D-ODU) using MaxLinear’s MxL865 channel stacking system on chip (SoC).

Zinwell is expanding its satellite product line with the new D-ODU, which is designed for multi-satellite, channel-stacking low-noise block (LNB) downconverters.

The MxL865 is based on MaxLinear’s Full-Spectrum Capture (FSC) technology, and can support up to 24 channels over a single cable to connect indoor set-top boxes with rooftop LNBs/multi-dwelling unit switches. Traditional analog channel-stacking integrated circuits (IC) typically support up to three channels per device. The device has five FSC wideband inputs for a total capture bandwidth of 10 GHz and features a single L-band intermediate frequency (IF) output.

Zinwell cited the low-power draw and high level of integration of the MxL865 as the reason behind its purchase.