LONDON — NXP will start sampling to selected customers during the third quarter a power transistor capable of delivering 300W over the full UHF band and which is targeted at the TV transmitter/broadcast market. Volume production is scheduled to start in the in the fourth quarter.

The BLF878 is being made in high voltage Generation 6 LDMOS and NXP (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) says the transistor will be the first to deliver 300W over the full UHF band with high linearity and ruggedness.

With the industry trending towards increased output power to accommodate high-definition TV and mobile TV, NXP adds its device will deliver significant efficiency so that broadcasters can increase output power and lower capital expenditure at the same time.

The device maximizes power output from available input and increases efficiency to 55 per cent Constant Wave (CW) and 32 percent for digital broadcasting.

“Manufacturers of broadcast equipment are under increasing pressure to deliver richer content to our screens, putting greater strain on transmitters with costs often spiraling out of control. Although our input is perhaps the smallest in actual size, the difference made to the bottom line is significant when you consider the expenditure involved” said Guido Bekkers, worldwide Marketing Manager, RF Power Broadcast & Microwave, NXP Semiconductors. NXP also said Wednesday (May 30) it also plans to introduce a range of 50V High Voltage LDMOS transistors in the fourth quarter of 2007 aimed at the ISM (industrial, scientific and medical) market.