Microtune Unveils Ultra-Small, Super-Integrated MicroCeiver IC Platform

New Breed of Low-Cost Receiver Chip Technology Will Enable Manufacturers to Drive Highest Audio and Video Quality in Next Generation of Cable and Consumer TV Electronics

• Press Release
• Source: Microtune, Inc.
• On 7:00 am EDT, Monday October 19, 2009

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microtune^®, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUNE - News) today announced details of a new ultra-small, low-cost technology platform, named MicroCeiver™, that is the foundation for the Company’s new breed of highly integrated receiver products for the digital TV and cable TV markets.

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The MicroCeiver platform is a breakthrough radio frequency (RF) analog and digital signal processing system in a single chip. A complete radio frequency (RF)-to-baseband solution, MicroCeiver technology offers the building-block architecture for a new family of fully integrated front-end receivers that will bring low cost, miniature footprints and excellent signal reception quality to manufacturers creating next-generation digital televisions, set-top boxes, cable entertainment hubs and IP video electronics. Deploying ground-breaking new features and techniques, the MicroCeiver architecture will reduce customers’ development time and production costs, while enabling them to create consumer products for global markets that span multiple applications, product lines and international television reception standards.

The MicroCeiver architecture will provide a modular path for Microtune to develop and quickly bring to market new families of cable and digital TV front-end receivers optimized for multi-standard off-air and cable TV reception, analog and/or digital modes, next-generation digital standards and very high performance.

Microtune will introduce in the coming weeks the first in the family of cable and digital TV chips based on its MicroCeiver system, and it has already demonstrated its initial product to customers.

“As digital content, devices and applications converge, manufacturers continue to seek cutting-edge technologies that will allow them to deliver the ‘what’s next’ in consumer electronics, and quality of reception is among the keys to their success. Competition, economics and environmental concerns are also forcing OEMs to find reliable, lower-cost, multi-functional components optimized for global markets and design flexibility,” said James A. Fontaine, President and CEO of Microtune. “These trends will be realized by state-of-the-art receivers, and we believe our MicroCeiver technology is one of the price/performance/size breakthroughs that will help drive the future of the worldwide digital and cable TV electronics evolution.”

MICROCEIVER OVERVIEW: NEW BREED OF TECHNOLOGY

The MicroCeiver system is based on a proprietary new architecture that breaks the separate tuner and demodulator paradigm. It fuses RF analog (tuner) and digital signal processing (demodulator or channel decoding) capabilities together in a symbiotic relationship in a dense single chip, erasing the distinctions across these functional boundaries. As a unique feature, it deploys internal algorithms that continually optimize key functions across the receive chain to achieve the highest-quality demodulated output.

As a complete receiver-in-a-chip, the MicroCeiver system is characterized by:

• The best sensitivity of any receiver on the market today

The MicroCeiver system is engineered to achieve a superior noise figure and sensitivity. Using a low noise signal path in combination with a high linearity path, it dynamically optimizes its configuration by sensing the characteristics of the incoming signal. As a result, the platform is engineered to receive TV signals in congested RF signal areas or in fringe areas, even where competitive solutions fail. The MicroCeiver architecture achieves the superb performance that has distinguished for many years Microtune’s best-in-class technology. It enables manufacturers to create end products that offer a quality, compelling viewing experience to TV and cable consumers across the most diverse of signal reception conditions.

• Superior level of integration

The MicroCeiver system packs support for analog and digital TV and cable standards into a single highly integrated chip. The technology enables manufacturers to develop global products with minimal additional bill of materials.

• Optimized receive chain

By combining RF analog and digital signal processing capabilities and integrating power reporting functions, the MicroCeiver architecture enables superior signal status reporting, better than any previous class of classic receiver configuration. This unique capability feeds signal information for every condition across the entire receiver path to optimize performance.

• Enhanced reliability and manufacturability

The entire MicroCeiver system results in a more compact, more reliable receiver, ensuring manufacturers peak performance and reduced manufacturing costs in a single, drop-in solution.

Together, these enhancements will enable new families of Microtune products that yield unmatched performance, smaller size and lower cost than the alternative solutions on the market today. The MicroCeiver-based products help solve OEM needs for highly efficient receiver technology delivered with the industry’s best price/performance and optimum design flexibility.

Mr. Fontaine added, “With Microtune’s history of innovation in tuners and deep experience with demodulators, we will be able to drive impressive performance into a highly integrated design to offer a complete receiver solution targeted for where TV technology is headed across the global marketplace.”

The new products built on this MicroCeiver system will extend Microtune’s family of products, including its suite of market-leading silicon tuners and high-performance demodulators, which are targeted to the cable television, digital television and automotive entertainment markets.

NEW TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCEMENTS

This announcement should not be viewed as an indicator of Microtune revenues for any current or future reporting period. There can be no assurance that products based on Microtune’s MicroCeiver technology will be selected by manufacturers or that if selected, such manufacturers will continue to select Microtune’s products in the future to support their cable and digital television products. All statements regarding the performance of the MicroCeiver technology and its performance relative to other products reflect management’s belief as of the date of this release only.

ABOUT MICROTUNE

Microtune, Inc. is a receiver solutions company that designs and markets advanced radio frequency (RF) and demodulator electronics for worldwide customers. Its products, targeted to the cable, digital television and automotive entertainment markets, are engineered to deliver high-performance and reliable video, voice and data signals across a diverse range of end products, from HDTVs, set-top boxes and cable modems to car radios. Inventor of the MicroTuner™ single-chip broadband tuner, Microtune offers a portfolio of advanced tuner, amplifier, upconverter and demodulator products. The Company currently holds 83 U.S. patents for its advanced technology. Founded in 1996, Microtune is headquartered in Plano, Texas, with key design and sales centers located around the world. The website is www.microtune.com.

MICROTUNE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements in this release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause such statements to differ materially from actual future events or results. Such forward-looking statements are generally, but not necessarily, accompanied by words such as "plan," "if," "estimate," "expect," "believe," "could," "would," "anticipate," "may," or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected benefits of Microtune’s MicroCeiver technology platform. These forward-looking statements and other statements made elsewhere in this release are made in reliance, in part, on the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Factors which could cause actual results to differ from anticipated results include the Company's ability to introduce new products, achieve design wins, maintain customer and strategic partner relationships, forecast customer demand and manage inventory levels (including forecasting customer demand of Auvitek’s products), control and budget expenses, protect proprietary technology and intellectual property, successfully integrate and manage Auvitek, and successfully prosecute and defend any pending or future litigation. Any one of these factors may cause the Company's actual financial results to differ materially from its projected financial results. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason. Readers are referred to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings which discuss the foregoing factors as well as other important risk factors that could affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

TRANSLATIONS

Microtune has only reviewed the English-language version of this press release for accuracy and is not responsible for the accuracy of statements in subsequently translated versions of this document. Readers are strongly advised to review the English-language version of this press release.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Microtune is a registered trademark and MicroTuner and MicroCeiver are trademarks of Microtune, Inc. Copyright © 2009 Microtune, Inc. All rights reserved.

Microtune, Inc.
Media
Kathleen Padula, 972-673-1811
kathleen.padula@microtune.com
or
Investor Relations
Jeff Kupp, 972-673-1610
ir@microtune.com