MaxLinear Extends China Cable Market Presence With Skyworth Set Top Box Design Win

MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of integrated radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communication applications, today announced a major Chinese cable video set-top box design win with market leader Shenzhen Skyworth Digital Technology Co. Ltd.

Skyworth will use the MxL203RF in a new digital-to-analog (DTA) converter for the Chinese cable market. The new STB will come to market in time to help Chinese cable operators manage the switch to digital cable as the country continues to shut off all of its analog cable services by the year 2015. Analysts estimate that more than 70 million cable customers in the country still need to change to digital cable television.

Until this year, Chinese set-top box manufacturers have relied on bulky, high power and costly can tuners for their designs. However, as the country now switches to digital TV service even outside of major cities, Skyworth and other leading manufacturers are beginning to choose silicon tuners for their systems based upon the smaller size, lower power and resulting lower bill of materials. Manufacturers had been hesitant to use silicon tuners in the past due to perceived lower performance than can tuners, but MaxLinear has conducted extensive in-country field trials with its Chinese partners to prove the performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness of the MxL203RF.

The MxL203RF is DVB-C silicon tuner based on MaxLinear’s low power digital CMOS technology. The highly integrated device draws only 400mW, yet includes all broadband input filtering, channel filtering and loop through. It’s a single-die tuner that comes in a 5mm x 5mm QFN32 package. It offers global ITU DVB-C cable standard support.

"Expanding our China cable market presence with Skyworth is a major milestone for MaxLinear. DTAs are low-cost, high-volume systems that, for many customers, are their first experience with digital TV, which means performance is crucial. These factors make this design win an ideal application for the benefits of the MxL203RF,” said Kishore Seendripu, president and CEO of MaxLinear. "Skyworth is a pioneer in bringing this technology to market in China and we’re grateful for the company’s confidence in the performance and reliability of the MxL203RF.”

"The analog shut off in China outside the major cities will provide an exciting market opportunity as millions of customers are switched to digital cable television. As the Chinese market leaders, Skyworth is moving aggressively to have the right products on the market for this occasion,” said Mr. Zhang Enli, Vice Director of Skyworth Digital’s R&D Center. "We have collaborated with MaxLinear because it is the true leader in digital CMOS tuners which have all of the performance, cost, power and size advantages we wanted for our products.”

About Shenzhen Skyworth

Shenzhen Skyworth Digital Technology Co. Ltd is a subsidiary of Skyworth Group. Established in 2002, Shenzhen Skyworth focuses on digital STB, HDTV, IP STB, PVR and iDTV products. Shenzhen Skyworth is the largest supplier for the China cable market,

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. is a leading provider of radio frequency and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for broadband communication applications. MaxLinear is located in Carlsbad, California, and its address on the Internet is www.maxlinear.com.

MxL and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking” statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance or trends and opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to Skyworth’s selection of MaxLinear’s MxL203RF silicon tuner for its new DTA converters. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. MaxLinear cannot predict its future rates of revenue growth, if any, including the extent to which Skyworth’s selection of MaxLinear’s MxL203RF silicon tuner may affect future revenues, if any, and whether or to what extent the design win may result in actual orders and related revenues. MaxLinear’s business, revenues, and operating results are and will be subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including (among others) uncertainties concerning how end user markets for its products will develop; its dependence on a limited number of customers for a substantial portion of revenues; its ability to continue to develop and introduce new and enhanced products on a timely basis; and potential decreases in average selling prices for its products. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including risks and uncertainties identified in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC in April 2011.