Micronas buys US HDTV specialist
The transaction is expected to be completed in June 2004. The purchase price of $26mn will be paid in cash and Micronas’ shares. LINX employs a team of about 20 engineers and brings technology complementary to that of Micronas. The purchase includes all development activities and patents held.
LINX has developed a receiver technology for use in US HDTVs, set-top boxes, personal video recorders (PVRs), DVD recorders as well as PC tuner cards. The LINX technology covers the US Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard.
A phase-in plan mandated by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires TV manufacturers to integrate digital tuners into nearly all their products by 2007.
Alternative digital standards are the European Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) and the Japanese Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting (ISDB) technologies.
