Alps Electric Co. has developed a series of tuner units for digital terrestrial broadcasting that are in a class with the world's smallest, featuring internal demodulators compatible with Japanese, US, and European broadcasting systems.

The newly developed TDH series, all of which have identical external dimensions, represent a 30 per cent reduction in size over previous Alps digital broadcasting tuners, and anticipate the advent of digital terrestrial broadcasting (DTB) in Japan in the near future. Alps will commence shipping samples next month. Established in 1948 Alps manufactures electronic components.

An official release informs that digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting is at present proliferating rapidly worldwide. In Europe, the United Kingdom took the initiative, commencing in 1998, and a total of eight countries are now engaged in DTT broadcasting. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (which has regulatory authority in the areas of communications and broadcasting) has mandated that all televisions 36 inches and larger and 50 per cent of televisions 25 inches and larger must be equipped with digital terrestrial television tuners by 2005. All televisions in the US market must be so equipped by 2006, so the acceptance and spread of this technology is virtually guaranteed. In Japan, the so-called "ana-ana conversion" is widely discussed, and in December the three major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are scheduled to commence digital broadcasting.

In response to the expansion of DTB the TDH series includes a variety of models with identical external dimensions and demodulators compatible with the broadcasting systems of Japan, the US, and Europe. The 30 per cent reduction in size was achieved by integrating previously separate PLL circuit, mixer, and oscillator circuit boards into a single custom IC through the use of a variety of miniature components, and high-density mounting using the company's established technology.

The release states that as the company has advocated with all its tuners and tuner units, this series will contribute to the reduction of set design time and workload through compatibility with all standard mechanisms and circuits. The external dimensions of all its digital broadcast tuner and tuner units are identical, whether for digital terrestrial broadcasts, digital satellite broadcasts, or digital cable TV, and this relieves set manufacturers of the necessity for changing the design of peripheral structures.

Alps carries out operations with 54 sales bases in 13 countries. Consolidated net sales in the year ended 31 March, 2002 amounted to 540,268 million yen.