Speaker
Mr
Graham Leach
(Riverbeck)
Description
In this paper we highlight the design work performed by Riverbeck Ltd on the Romeo and Juliet chipset paid for by Global Invacom and the European Space Agency.
Romeo and Juliet are application specific integrated circuits developed as the receiver element of a satellite TV, terrestrial TV and FM radio fibre distribution system. Fibre distribution of media signals is particularly attractive to multi-dwelling units where any TV or radio channel can be demanded by any dwelling. This demands the entire signal bandwidth be provided to all dwellings. A fibre system reduces the infrastructure cabling, is immune to electrical interference, suffers from less signal loss and can be passive split without detriment to reception.
The fibre distribution transmitter (not within scope of this paper) frequency shift and modulates terrestrial radio, TV, and satellite signal using a 1310 nm semiconductor laser.
Romeo and Juliet amplify the received photodiode signal, filter and frequency shift the 5GHz bandwidth to provide a set top box with the same data were it directly connected to a LNB. Romeo is a dual gain, low noise amplifier with differential outputs. Juliet provides broadband programmable RF gain, wideband continuous time filters to clean up the output spectrum, RF power detectors, 75Ω and 50Ω line driver outputs, phase locked loops to frequency shift the received spectrum, monitoring circuits and digital interfaces.
Primary author
Mr
Graham Leach
(Riverbeck)
Co-author
Ian Watson
(Riverbeck)
