Datasheet TDA8980 Datasheet (Philips)

Complete ATSC (VSB)/NTSC channel
decoding solution with just two ICs

This chipset combines Philips’ long experience in analog TV with our
innovative approach to DTV, creating an outstanding system solution
showcasing Philips’ mixed signal technology expertise and offering very
high levels of integration, performance and flexibility. Designed for
analog and digital TV systems in North America and other ATSC
countries, the chipset enables manufacturers to design systems offering
end-users significantly improved reception at an attractive price.

The two key chips featured are the TDA8980 TV input processor and
the TDA8961 8-VSB demodulator/decoder for the ATSC DTV
standard. Designed specifically to reduce the chip count of first
generation front-ends, the TDA8980 eliminates many components by
integrating NTSC decoding, an IF circuit, picture and sound
demodulation and VSB downconversion, all into a single device.

This chipset gives true design flexibility, with the TDA8980 offering
both analog and digital capability, with comprehensive analog source
selection and also providing format conversion. This ensures glueless
support for the many legacy inputs a digital hybrid receiver is likely to
require.

Benefiting from real-world experience of VSB reception, Philips’ second
generation VSB demodulator handles the many problems caused by
man-made and naturally occurring echoes. Intelligent techniques in the
decoder allow it to cope with the delays and reflections caused by indoor
environments full of objects and moving people. Its maximum equalizer
length of 80 µs in conjunction with external software allows the receiver
to cope with very long static echoes. Patented NTSC co-channel
interference technology prevents strong NTSC signals from interfering
with their less powerful DTV counterparts on the same channel, without
the noise penalty associated with regular comb filter schemes.

As the roll out of digital TV accelerates, DTV receiver
manufacturers are looking for improved performance, flexibility
and cost reductions to meet the demands of the consumer
market. Philips’ latest reference design meets these stringent
requirements, using two new ICs, the second generation
TDA8961 VSB demodulator and the TDA8980 integrated
ATSC/NTSC TV input processor

Applications

• Digital ATSC/NTSC-compliant TV receivers and

Set T op Converters

• DTV-equipped PC/multimedia applications

Tightly integrated, flexible DTV front-end

• Second generation ATSC/NTSC channel decoding

chipset

• Greatly reduced chip count due to single-chip

ATSC/NTSC TV input processor providing
NTSC TV decoding and VSB IF downconversion

• Analog source selection and format conversion

High performance reception

• Urban reception improvement

• Unique co-channel filter to reduce interference

from strong NTSC signals

• Ability to handle very long static echoes (up to 80 µs) in

conjunction with external software

ATSC/NTSC digital TV
front-end chipset

Second generation chipset

TDA8980HL ATSC/NTSC TV
INPUT PROCESSOR

Key features

• NTSC-M colour decoder tuned with a
12 MHz reference crystal
(or external clock signal)

• VSB IF circuit for pre-processing
DTV signals

• Alignment-free PLL demodulator Vision
IF circuit without external components

• Sound IF amplifier with separate input
for single reference QSS mode and
separate AGC circuit

• Alignment-free FM sound demodulator
generates the input signal for a BTSC
stereo decoder

• Video source selection with 2 external
CVBS or Y/C inputs and an
independently switchable output

• Two 10-bit video ADCs for converting
selected YUV signals (video mode)
or downconverted I&Q signals
(VSB mode)

• Two 16-bit audio A/D converters and
I

2

S formatter

• Up to four stereo analog inputs and
one I2S input

• ITU656 or VSB formatter

• Direct input to video ADCs

Integrating many components into a single
chip, the TDA8980HL is designed for both
TV and multimedia applications. Containing
an NTSC-M colour decoder, an IF circuit
and ADCs for audio and video, it can also
generate a ‘mixed down’ I signal for
demodulation of a digital broadcast VSB
input. An I

2

C-bus controlled internal switch
enables the device to switch between analog
NTSC and digital 8-VSB IF signals.

When decoding NTSC, the chip digitizes the audio signals into an
I

2

S stream using on-chip audio stereo 16-bit ADCs, and the video
information into an ITU656 stream via the on-chip video ADCs.
An incoming 6 MHz wide 8-VSB IF signal is downconverted to a low
IF, centred at 4 MHz, which is digitized using an on-chip 10-bit ADC
and gluelessly interfaced to the VSB demodulator for further
processing. In a typical application, the TDA8980 handles AGC,
eliminating the need for external components such as an op-amp loop
integrator.

It has an internal 2-D adaptive comb filter for NTSC, and a YUV
interface allows simple connection of additional picture enhancement
ICs such as a 3-D comb filter. For sound decoding, external
devices - a BTSC sounder decoder, for example - can be connected.

TDA8961 DTV DEMODULATOR/DECODER

General features

• One-chip ATSC-compliant demodulator and concatenated
Trellis (Viterbi)/Reed-Solomon decoder with de-interleaver
and de-randomizer

• Parallel (8-bit) or serial MPEG2 transport stream output

• On-board I2C-bus interface

• MPEG2 serial transport stream input

COMPLETE REFERENCE DESIGN FOR
HYBRID ATSC/NTSC RECEIVER FRONT-ENDS

This reference design demonstrates a complete solution for building hybrid ATSC/NTSC receiver front-ends for
HDTV sets, STBs and PC/multimedia applications, using just two highly integrated, second generation ICs.

11

MSD051

9

11

9

4

3

3

2

5

12

30

6

8

8

reset

reset

serial TS

output

diag

serial TS

input

9

TS in

I2C

EEPROM &

CONTROL

SAA7146

PCI connector

FPGA

Errror

+5 V +12 V

V

CC

TDA8961

(w/socket)

TDA8980

(w/socket)

TS

TS + diag +

control +

status

6

status

FIFO

12 MHz

AUDIO

MUX

stereo

audio in

4.5 MHz
TRAP

TUNER

tuner
AGC

12 MHz

FIFO

power

MPOC output

S/PDIF in

JTAG

IF AGC

CD in

CD out

I

2

C

I

2

C

I2S out

5 V
I

2

C

3 V
I

2

C

TS connector

diag

RGBS/YUVS

in

InRange_1
Tuner_Lock
FE_Lock
EQ_Lock
FSHNDSHK
FPGA_1
FPGA_2
FPGA_3

comp.
video

in

S-video

in

reset

AUDIO

MIX

PCF9851

I

2

C ADC

TDA9851

BTSC

DECODER

TDA1315

V

CC

I

2

S

out

I

2

S out

I

2

S in

L3

bus

parallel
output

8-VSB demodulator

• On-chip digital tuner AGC control

• Integrated digital Square-Root Raised-Cosine (half Nyquist)
filter with 11.5 % roll-off

• Fully internal carrier recovery loop with programmable
loop filter

• No need for external VCXO and DAC due to internal sample
rate converter

• Fully internal symbol timing recovery with programmable
loop filters

Adaptive equalizer

• Feed forward including a decision feedback equalizer (DFE)

• Standard range: -2.3 µs to +22.5 µs (up to 80 µs in conjunction
with external software)

• Adaptation based on ATSC field sync (trained) and/or

8-VSB data (blind)

• Additional complex equaliser to cope with highly dense
urban multipath

• Patented adaptive NTSC co-channel filter technology,
with low/zero insertion loss

On-chip FEC

• Trellis (Viterbi) decoder

• Rate 2/3 (Rate 1/2 Ungerboeck-code-based)

• (207, 187, T=10) Reed-Solomon decoder

• Internal convolutional de-interleaving

• ATSC standard-based de-randomizer

The TDA8961 is an ATSC-compliant device with forward error
correction, accepting 8-VSB modulated signals with the additional
ability to apply the VSB IC AGC control output directly to the
tuner. The combination of the TDA8980 and TDA8961 requires
only one 12 MHz crystal and when the TDA8980 is performing
NTSC decoding, the TDA8961 can be set in a feed-through mode,
enabling ITU656 data to appear at the MPEG2 transport stream
output for feeding to the graphics display IC. The demodulator can
also act as an MPEG2 Transport Stream switcher for an additional
serial stream.

After the TDA8961 has performed internal carrier recovery, Nyquist
filtering and symbol timing recovery, it carries out adaptive
equalization using the ATSC field sync (trained equalization)
and/or the 8-VSB data itself (blind equalization). This uses a decision

feedback equalizer (DFE) structure.
Once trellis decoding is complete, the stream
is de-interleaved with a convolutional
de-interleaver with on-chip memory.
The Reed-Solomon decoder is ATSC­compliant, with a length of 207, and it can
correct up to 10 bytes. After the decoded
stream is de-randomized using a pseudo­random bit sequence (PRBS), it outputs an
8-bit parallel or a serial MPEG2 transport
stream for subsequent de-multiplexing.

TD1536 tuner

Able to handle ATSC terrestrial signals as well
as NTSC and QAM, the TD1536 offers flat
frequency response, low oscillator phase noise
and excellent large signal handling
characteristics. Optimized for handling high
adjacent channel levels, through on-board
selectivity adjustment (SAW filter), the
TD1536 also provides internal automatic gain
control (AGC), minimizing design-in effort.
The TD1536’s low output impedance makes
it capable of driving several SAW filters
(for example, second VSB and NTSC SAWs).
It is powered from a single 5V supply.

SAA7146A PCI bridge

For PC/multimedia applications, the reference
design includes the option to include the
SAA7146A PCI bridge. This device features
high performance 2D scaling, resulting in very
few artefacts even when pictures are reduced to
icon size, making it ideal for windowing and
high-end applications. It also has a hardware
vanity picture function and by performing
most of the video processing on-board, the
SAA7146A helps reduce load on the CPU,
maintaining high overall system performance.
In addition to the PCI-bus, it supports a
variety of interfaces including two ITU-R 656
ports, an Intel/Motorola 8/16-bit DEBI
(Digital Expansion Bus Interface), I

2

C and I2S
bus connectors, and a 4-bit general purpose
interface.

Internet: http://www.semiconductors.philips.com

Philips Semiconductors – a world wide compan y

© Philips Electronics N.V. 1999

SCB62

All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
The information presented in this document does not form part of any quotation or contract, is believed to be accurate and reliable and may be changed

without notice. No liability will be accepted by the publisher for any consequence of its use. Publication thereof does not convey nor imply any license
under patent- or other industrial or intellectual property rights.

For all other countries apply to: Philips Semiconductors,
International Marketing & Sales Communications, Building BE-p, P.O. Box 218,
5600 MD EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, Fax. [phone]

Argentina: see South America
Australia: 34 Waterloo Road, NORTH RYDE, NSW 2113,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Austria: Computerstr. 6, A-1101 WIEN, P.O. Box 213,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Belarus: Hotel Minsk Business Center, Bld. 3, r. 1211, Volodarski Str. 6,

220050 MINSK, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Belgium: see The Netherlands
Brazil: see South America
Bulgaria: Philips Bulgaria Ltd., Energoproject, 15th floor,

51 James Bourchier Blvd., 1407 SOFIA,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Canada: PHILIPS SEMICONDUCTORS/COMPONENTS,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

China/Hong Kong: 501 Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre,
72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, HONG KONG,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Colombia: see South America
Czech Republic: see Austria
Denmark: Sydhavnsgade 23, 1780 COPENHAGEN V,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Finland: Sinikalliontie 3, FIN-02630 ESPOO,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
France: 51 Rue Carnot, BP317, 92156 SURESNES Cedex,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Germany: Hammerbrookstraße 69, D-20097 HAMBURG,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Greece: No. 15, 25th March Street, GR 17778 TAVROS/ATHENS,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Hungary: see Austria
India: Philips INDIA Ltd, Band Box Building, 2nd floor,

254-D, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, MUMBAI 400 025,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Indonesia: PT Philips Development Corporation, Semiconductors Division,
Gedung Philips, Jl. Buncit Raya Kav.99-100, JAKARTA 12510,
Tel. [phone] ext. 2501, Fax. [phone]

Ireland: Newstead, Clonskeagh, DUBLIN 14,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Israel: RAPAC Electronics, 7 Kehilat Saloniki St, PO Box 18053,
TEL AVIV 61180, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Italy: PHILIPS SEMICONDUCTORS, Piazza IV Novembre 3,
20124 MILANO, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Japan: Philips Bldg 13-37, Kohnan 2-chome, Minato-ku,
TOKYO 108-8507, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Korea: Philips House, 260-199 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-ku, SEOUL,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Malaysia: No. 76 Jalan Universiti, 46200 PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Mexico: 5900 Gateway East, Suite 200, EL PASO, TEXAS 79905,
Tel. [phone], Fax [phone]

Middle East: see Italy
Netherlands: Postbus 90050, 5600 PB EINDHOVEN, Bldg. VB,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
New Zealand: 2 Wagener Place, C.P.O. Box 1041, AUCKLAND,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Norway: Box 1, Manglerud 0612, OSLO,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Pakistan: see Singapore
Philippines: Philips Semiconductors Philippines Inc.,

106 Valero St. Salcedo Village, P.O. Box 2108 MCC, MAKATI,
Metro MANILA, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Poland: Ul. Lukiska 10, PL 04-123 WARSZAWA,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Portugal: see Spain
Romania: see Italy
Russia: Philips Russia, Ul. Usatcheva 35A, 119048 MOSCOW,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]
Singapore: Lorong 1, Toa Payoh, SINGAPORE 319762,

Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Slovakia: see Austria
Slovenia: see Italy
South Africa: S.A. PHILIPS Pty Ltd., 195-215 Main Road Martindale,

2092 JOHANNESBURG, P.O. Box 7430 Johannesburg 2000,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

South America: Al. Vicente Pinzon, 173, 6th floor,
04547-130 SÃO PAULO, SP, Brazil,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Spain: Balmes 22, 08007 BARCELONA,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Sweden: Kottbygatan 7, Akalla, S-16485 STOCKHOLM,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Switzerland: Allmendstrasse 140, CH-8027 ZÜRICH,
Tel. [phone] Fax. [phone]

Taiwan: Philips Semiconductors, 6F, No. 96, Chien Kuo N. Rd., Sec. 1,
TAIPEI, Taiwan Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Thailand: PHILIPS ELECTRONICS (THAILAND) Ltd.,
209/2 Sanpavuth-Bangna Road Prakanong, BANGKOK 10260,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Turkey: Talatpasa Cad. No. 5, 80640 GÜLTEPE/ISTANBUL,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Ukraine: PHILIPS UKRAINE, 4 Patrice Lumumba str., Building B, Floor 7,
252042 KIEV, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

United Kingdom: Philips Semiconductors Ltd., 276 Bath Road, Hayes,
MIDDLESEX UB3 5BX, Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

United States: 811 East Arques Avenue, SUNNYVALE, CA 94088-3409,
Tel. [phone], Fax. [phone]

Uruguay: see South America
Vietnam: see Singapore
Yugoslavia: PHILIPS, Trg N. Pasica 5/v, 11000 BEOGRAD,

Tel. [phone], Fax.[phone]

Printed in The Netherlands

Date of release:

March 1999

Document order number: 9397 750 05383

ATSC/NTSC digital TV front-end chipset