iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
M4S did not become an independent, currently marketed chip company. The imec spinoff later became part of Option NV and was acquired by Huawei; imec lists it as integrated into Huawei in 2011. Its Scaldio radio and Bear baseband were ambitious product plans, not evidence of a product line still available today.
How M4S started
M4S NV was a fabless semiconductor spinoff from imec, Belgium’s microelectronics research center. The company was formally founded in May 2007, after its business plan was presented to venture capitalists in Leuven in October 2006. Its purpose was to commercialize two technologies developed through imec’s M4 research program: a programmable radio transceiver and a software-defined-radio (SDR) baseband architecture.
What Scaldio and Bear were designed to do
M4S pitched Scaldio and Bear as complementary parts of a flexible wireless system: Scaldio would handle radio-frequency transmission and reception, while Bear would provide a programmable baseband. The plans described in a 2007 EE Times report were proposals and targets, not confirmation that the chips reached commercial release.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Technology | Role and design | Stated scope or plan |
|---|---|---|
| Scaldio | Programmable, reconfigurable RF transceiver | M4S described an operating range of 170 MHz to 6 GHz, intended to cover multiple carrier frequencies and standards. |
| Bear | Programmable SDR baseband architecture combining an ARM processor, special-purpose hardware blocks and two imec-designed ADRES processor cores | M4S discussed a 65 nm baseband built around an ARM core, packaged with a 130 nm Scaldio chip in a system-in-package; its stated market-introduction target was the first quarter of 2009. |
Scaldio’s intended market
M4S said the broad frequency range could support wireless LAN, Bluetooth, WiMAX and mobile television with one RF chip. Although it said Scaldio could handle GSM and 3G frequencies, the company’s preferred positioning was not to replace a cellular solution: it envisioned a multi-standard wireless module operating alongside one.
#1 Best Overall
- Turn your computer, phone or tablet into a radio scanner/ham radio receiver that can receive nearly all RF signals! Compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android
- NESDR SMArt RTL-SDR v5 can be used for the reception of broadcast AM radio, broadcast FM radio, shortwave radio, CB radio, public security radio, trunked radio, air traffic control, ACARS (plane-ground communications), ADS-B (plane tracking), AIS (ship tracking), POCSAG (pagers), NOAA and GOES weather satellites (weather images), weather balloons, radiosondes, DAB radio, DVB-T video, Inmarsat, Iridium, and so much more!
- The best-performing low-cost RTL-SDR available anywhere! Compared with RTL-SDR v3, HF SNR is improved by up to 15dB, VHF & UHF SNR is improved by up to 6dB, tuning accuracy is improved by an average of 4x, and the frequency range is expanded all the way down to 100kHz
- v5 has a frequency capability of 100kHz to 1.75GHz and up to 3.2MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. HF reception below 25MHz is accomplished with direct sampling and requires a suitable antenna. We recommend using a Balun One Nine to make a DIY long wire or dipole antenna (sold separately, product ID B08HGSYB7R or B00R09WHT6)
- Though the direct sampling implementation of NESDR SMArt v5 is much better than any other RTL-SDR, we still recommend using an upconverter like the Ham It Up for a more fulfilling HF experience (sold separately, product ID B076CYK8XZ)
Bear’s role in the system
Bear was meant to make the baseband programmable rather than tied to a single wireless standard. Its mix of an ARM processor, specialized hardware and ADRES cores was the planned processing foundation; Scaldio would supply the configurable RF side. The proposed 2009 launch date was a forward-looking target in the original report, not proof that the system shipped on schedule.
How much funding M4S sought
M4S was seeking €8.5 million in Series A financing in 2007, reported at the time as about $12 million. That was a fundraising target, not a report that the company raised the money.
Rank #2
- Turn your computer, phone or tablet into a radio scanner/ham radio receiver that can receive nearly all RF signals! Compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android
- NESDR SMArt RTL-SDR v5 can be used for the reception of broadcast AM radio, broadcast FM radio, shortwave radio, CB radio, public security radio, trunked radio, air traffic control, ACARS (plane-ground communications), ADS-B (plane tracking), AIS (ship tracking), POCSAG (pagers), NOAA and GOES weather satellites (weather images), weather balloons, radiosondes, DAB radio, DVB-T video, Inmarsat, Iridium, and so much more!
- The best-performing low-cost RTL-SDR available anywhere! Compared with RTL-SDR v3, HF SNR is improved by up to 15dB, VHF & UHF SNR is improved by up to 6dB, tuning accuracy is improved by an average of 4x, and the frequency range is expanded all the way down to 100kHz
- v5 has a frequency capability of 100kHz to 1.75GHz and up to 3.2MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. HF reception below 25MHz is accomplished with direct sampling and requires a suitable antenna. We recommend using a Balun One Nine to make a DIY long wire or dipole antenna (sold separately, product ID B08HGSYB7R or B00R09WHT6)
- Though the direct sampling implementation of NESDR SMArt v5 is much better than any other RTL-SDR, we still recommend using an upconverter like the Ham It Up for a more fulfilling HF experience (sold separately, product ID B076CYK8XZ)
What happened to the company
A 2010 EE Times report said M4S had become a subsidiary of Option NV and that Huawei agreed to acquire all of M4S from Option for €8 million (reported at the time as about $10.5 million). imec’s current spinoff directory records M4S as a 2007 fabless semiconductor company and says it was “Since 2011 integrated in Huawei.”
The available company history establishes the acquisition and integration, but not a present retail channel for Scaldio or Bear silicon. M4S is therefore best understood as a 2007 commercialization effort whose corporate path ended in acquisition and integration, rather than as a current standalone supplier of SDR hardware.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Included: Nooelec USB dongle & antenna
- RTL2832U interface IC & R820T tuner IC on USB dongle
- These are custom USB devices tuned for SDR and include much better components than generics
- Full 1-year warranty & installation support available!
Rank #4
- A full, wide-band RF solution for those interested in getting started with software defined radio and with a keen interest in HF bands
- The NESDR SMArt HF Bundle utilizes a well-designed upconverter--the Ham It Up--to receive HF, NOT direct sampling hacks. This results in a vastly different HF experience--much better performance, and no loss of gain controls
- Included is a Ham It Up v1.3 upconverter, installed in a custom black aluminum enclosure; an NESDR SMArt RTL-SDR, 3 antennas, an impedance matching balun for longwire and dipole antennas, and interconnect adapters
- Proudly manufactured by NooElec in the USA and Canada, with a full 2 year product warranty on all bundle components and 24/7 technical support availability. Please contact our support team any time if you have questions!
- Amazon-exclusive bundle! Only available for a limited time
Rank #3
- Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog brand R860 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO HF Bias Tee SMA Dongle (V3) (Dongle Only)
- Several improvements over other brands including use of the R860 tuner, improved component tolerances, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminum shielded case with thermal pad for passive cooling, and an activatable bias tee circuit.
- Can tune from 500 kHz to 1.7 GHz and has up to 3.2 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth (2.4 MHz stable). (HF reception below 24 MHz in direct sampling mode with reduced performance). Please note RTL-SDR dongles are RX only.
- Please follow the quickstart guide linked in the included the manual for installation of the drivers and free software. Please feel free to contact us via Amazon messaging for technical support - we're happy to help
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
