Philips Television Tuners Volume 2 1980 – 2000

This is the second volume in the Philips Technology History series. The television channel selector, or tuner, once again takes center stage. While the first part covered modules based on vacuum tubes and transistors, this second volume addresses one of the greatest innovations in electronics: the development of integrated circuits (ICs). Because television was still Philips’ most important product, both the channel selector and the television itself were the main drivers of these developments. The channel selector had an additional requirement: the ICs had to be suitable for the tuner’s high-frequency range. This was a considerable struggle, which is discussed in detail, for example, the mysterious Weinerth tuner project at the NatLab. But ultimately, all efforts were not in vain, and Philips Elcoma, and later Philips Semiconductors, also became global leader in the field of television ICs. The joint developments in television, tuner, and IC technology are discussed in detail, generation by generation.

The period 1980-2000 also saw the beginning of an entirely new development: the introduction of new electronic functions for the consumer market. The first was the video recorder, with the dramatic developments in VCR, V2000, and VHS, which also featured entirely new radio frequency modules. The same applied to satellite TV receivers, both outdoor installations (with satellite dishes and microwave receivers) and set-top boxes for domestic use. In the 1990s, the PC (with TV function!) and the mobile phone emerged. All these devices contained innovative RF modules, in which Philips played a leading role. All this against the backdrop of an entirely new phenomenon: foreign, particularly Japanese, competition that was challenging Philips. Developments that Philips management struggled with, to say the least. This period was therefore technically very interesting, competitively challenging, and increasingly chaotic in terms of internal politics.

Pieter Hooijmans (MSc PhD) is an electronic engineer in high-frequency technology who worked for 29 years at Philips and NXP as a researcher, development manager, and ultimately as vice president of strategy and technology. For most of his career, which spanned the Eindhoven Physics Laboratory, Germany, Singapore, and NXP headquarters, he has been closely involved in technology and product development in consumer electronics and semiconductors. With history as one of his many passions, it was only logical that he devoted himself to documenting the many technologies and products to which he often contributed or was closely involved.