Rockwell Introduces Complete Chipset For MCNS
Subscriber-Side Cable Modems; Next Generation ICs Enable
High Speed Internet Connections Over Cable Television
Network
08:01 a.m. Feb 02, 1998 Eastern
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 1998--Rockwell
Semiconductor Systems' Digital Infotainment Division Monday announced a
complete three-chip subscriber-side cable modem solution.
The chipset provides circuitry to both send and receive high speed data over cable,
and replaces earlier receive-only ICs introduced by Rockwell last fall.
The new chipset is fully compliant with specifications developed by the Multimedia
Cable Network System (MCNS) consortium. The consortium's Data Over Cable
Service (DOCSIS) specifications are expected to be ratified during the first quarter
of 1998, and will serve as the basis for worldwide cable modem standards for
Internet connections and other data services up to 700 times the speed of today's
fastest conventional analog modems.
Rockwell's new MCNS solution includes the company's first single-chip
MCNS-compliant Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) receiver (based on
third generation QAM technology), designated the HM2214, which integrates A/D,
QAM demodulation and Forward Error Correction (FEC) functions. The new
solution also includes two other devices, the HM2314 Quadrature Phase Shift Key
(QPSK)/QAM Burst Modulator and the HM8416 Media Access Controller
(MAC).
"This highly integrated chipset provides our OEM customers with a complete, easy
to integrate silicon solution for a fully-compliant MCNS cable modem," said Jay
Kshatri, director of broadband modems for Rockwell. "We also offer evaluation
boards and a complete turn-key MCNS two-way modem reference design to help
our customers achieve rapid time to market."
The company's previous generation of cable modem ICs have been selected by
New Media Communications (now a subsidiary of Harmonic Lightwaves Corp.),
3COM Corp., NEC, Panasonic, and Daewoo. Single Chip Demodulator
The HM2214 is a single-chip cable modem receiver that integrates a fully digital
baseband/passband sampled 16 to 256 QAM demodulator, FEC decoder and
de-interleaver that supports fully variable signal rates up to 7 megasamples per
second (Msps). This highly-integrated MCNS-compliant IC is designed for use in
CATV set-top receivers and cable modems. It represents the company's
fourth-generation solution for the cable television marketplace.
Designed to maximize flexibility and ease of integration while minimizing cost, the
demodulator provides fully-digital carrier timing, automatic gain control (AGC)
tracking, filtering, equalization and demodulation of QAM signals. It is compliant
with the MCNS, DAVIC and DVB specifications for CATV transmission.
The demodulator contains an adaptive equalizer to mitigate the effects of echoes
that arise due to reflections on the cable or microwave path. It automatically
corrects for external quadrature gain, phase imbalance and DC offsets. Using
either three-wire or two-wire phase lock loop control, it also provides a means to
tune both single- and double-conversion tuners.
The HM2214 also integrates the Forward Error Correction functionality of
Rockwell's earlier HM2115 to provide the decoding and error correction and
indication required for MCNS Annex B. It is also compliant with the future IEEE
802.14 cable modem downstream demodulation specifications which incorporate
both Annex A and Annex B. The Reed-Solomon decoder includes de-interleaving,
decoding, descrambling and error detection/indication. It receives 8-bit soft decision
input from the 64 or 256QAM, then performs trellis decoding, differential decoding,
RS frame synchronization, de-randomization, de-interleaving, RS decoding, MPEG
packet error detection and synchronization. The device also inserts error indication
into the MPEG transport stream, and supports input bit rates of 30.342 Mbps for
64QAM and 42.88 Mbps for 256QAM.
The HM2214 is packaged in a 128-pin PQFP, and operates from a 3.3V power
supply. It is also 5V tolerant on all inputs. QPSK/QAM Upstream Modulator
The HM2314 QPSK/QAM upstream modulator provides upstream modulation from
the subscribers home to the head-end at the cable operator. This device contains
the functions for data processing and direct modulation of BPSK, QPSK and
16QAM data streams. It is fully compliant with MCNS or DAVIC (A,B,C)
specifications, and can support either mode. It is intended for use in two-way cable
modems and interactive set-top receivers. The output is a modulated
carrier-programmable data stream from 0 to 65 MHz.
The modulator provides precise burst timing and generation of the sample clock and
symbol clock from a single reference input. It performs Reed-Solomon encoding,
scrambling, differential encoding and spectral shaping according to the MCNS and
DAVIC specifications. A programmable pre-equalizer is incorporated, along with
interpolation filtering up to the sample rate.
The HM2314 is controlled through a parallel microcontroller compatible interface,
and is designed to interface directly to the Rockwell MCNS compliant MAC, the
HM8416. It is packaged in a 100 pin QFP and operates from a 3.3V power supply.
It is also 5V tolerant on all inputs. Media Access Controller
To complete the chipset, Rockwell's HM8416 MAC will be available as an FPGA
based development and evaluation board in February. An integrated circuit will be
available in 2Q 1998. The device contains functions to receive, process and transfer
downstream MCNS MAC frames for both RF or Telco return applications. The
MAC also contains all functions required for upstream data transmission to
accommodate use in two-way MCNS RF return systems.
The MAC provides hardware processing of SYNC messages and automatically
locks to the head-end reference clock. An on-chip DES-compliant data encryption
engine provides fully-compliant MCNS data privacy specification, with a variable bit
rate input up to 56 Mbps. The 3.3V device includes a generic host bus interface
that can support DMA for fast transfer of data, and a reference design is available
for PCI interfaces. The MAC connects to Hi-Media's PHY chips through its host
interface, enabling control of burst modulation without synchronization to the burst
timing.
The HM8416 is packaged in a 160 pin QFP, and operates from a 3.3V power
supply. It is also 5V tolerant on all inputs. Pricing & Availability
The three-device chipset is priced at $55 in quantities of 10,000. Samples of the
HM2214 and HM2314 Integrated Circuits will be available in February with
production release scheduled for May 1998. The HM8416 MAC Evaluation and
Development board will be available in February and first customer samples of the
MAC IC will be available in the second quarter of 1998.
Hi-Media Products, part of the Digital Infotainment Division of Rockwell
Semiconductor Systems, develops and markets broadband wireless and cable
demodulation products and tuners. Based in San Diego, Hi-Media Products is a
leading systems-driven broadband IC developer and the dominant supplier of
transmission components for the digital video initiatives of the telecommunications
industry.
For more information on Rockwell products, contact the Rockwell Literature Line
at 800/854-8099 inside the United States, at 714/221-6996 outside the United States,
or email rockwell@salessupport.com.
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems and Electronic Commerce is based in Newport
Beach. Rockwell Semiconductor Systems is a leading worldwide provider of
semiconductor system solutions for personal communications electronics products
used in personal computing, network access, personal imaging, wireless
communications and digital infotainment. The Electronic Commerce Division, based
in Wood Dale, Ill., is a leading supplier of call center systems and personalized
electronic commerce applications software. For more information, visit the
Rockwell Web site at rss.rockwell.com.
Rockwell (NYSE: ROK) is a global electronic controls and communications
company with leadership positions in industrial automation, avionics and
communications, and semiconductor systems with fiscal 1997 sales of
approximately $8 billion and 45,000 employees. Rockwell's world headquarters is
located in Costa Mesa in Orange County, Calif. (See also:
businesswire.com)
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