stereo decoder

Since its appearance in 1972, the 1310 stereo decoder IC has been something of a standard device for FM receivers, and indeed has featured more than once in Elektor designs (see e.g. Vario-meter Tuner, Elektor 24). This reliable and well-proven IC is, however, no longer representative of the current state of technology, and more recently a number of new stereo decoder ICs have appeared on the market. One such device is the TCA 4500A, which in addition to outperforming the 1310 on virtually every count, offers one or two novel features such as continuously adjustable channel separation. This article describes a practical circuit for a stereo decoder incorporating the TCA 4500A, for which (as ever!) a printed circuit board is also available to facilitate construction. The circuit is also compatible with the IF strip published in this issue, so that, with the addition of a suitable quality front-end, one has all the ingredients for a high performance FM tuner.