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Baseband chip claims first for HD Radio technology

The industry's first digital baseband chip enabling HD Radio technology is available today from Texas Instruments.
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Date: 13 August 2002
Product information from:

Texas Instruments
D-85350 Freising, Germany
Telephone: [phone]
E-Mail Texas Instruments for more information
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Subject:
DRI200 The industry's first digital baseband chip enabling HD Radio technology is available today from Texas Instruments.
The chip handles all the baseband processing required for HD Radio.
The new product, which combines TI's expertise in digital signal processing and iBiquity Digital Corp's patented IBOC digital AM and FM technology, trademarked HD Radio, will enable radio manufacturers to incorporate the new digital reception technology into home and car receivers for US retail launch in 2003 and for automakers in 2004.
An IBOC digital module (IDM), incorporating TI's solution with all the hardware and software needed to process the HD Radio baseband signal, is also available from iBiquity for radio manufacturers to deploy in new digital receivers.
"Kenwood is pleased to see the first HD Radio DSP Solution available from TI", said Bob Law, Sr Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Kenwood USA.
"TI's DRI200 and iBiquity's IDM will save us valuable time to market and give us a competitive edge in delivering HD Radio to our retail partners for sale to consumers".
As the industry's first digital baseband chip to support iBiquity's HD Radio technology, TI's new single-chip TMS320DRI200 solution will enable manufacturers to design and deliver HD Radio receivers in 2003.
TI's DRI200 chip, which is based on TI's TMS320C6000 DSP architecture, incorporates digital channel, source and data decoding and demodulation functions.
An IDM combines the memory and appropriate interfaces on a credit card size board.
Designed by iBiquity, the IDM reduces the complexity of a HD Radio receiver and helps reduce development and deployment time for radio manufacturers.
The IDM is designed to easily plug into existing AM/FM radio architectures.
Visteon Corp, a leading automotive supplier and system integrator, plays a key role in HD Radio development and worked with TI during the development of the DRI200.
This will enable Visteon to create an efficient HD Radio solution based on its MACH DSP technology.
TI and iBiquity have greatly reduced the risks inherent in developing products for new technologies by implementing HD Radio technology in software.
The flexibility of the DRI200 allows for future refinements, which can be incorporated with software upgrades.
The DRI200 is supported by TI's Code Composer Studio integrated development environment, the industry's most comprehensive tools for DSP development.
Code Composer Studio gives developers the ability to add new software functions on the same piece of silicon, allowing for fast implementation of integrated features.
"The IDM and software radio approach that TI and iBiquity have taken allows manufacturers to enter the emerging digital radio market quickly and with little design risk", said O'Connell Benjamin, Sr Vice President and co-Chief Operating Officer, iBiquity Digital Corp.
"Without a software radio approach, we could not have enabled manufacturers to launch HD Radio products in early 2003".
HD Radio technology (formerly known as IBOC) enhances AM and FM broadcasts with digital signals that improve listening quality and can provide additional information, such as station information, song and artist identification, stock and news reports, local traffic and weather alerts and more.
Major broadcasters plan to begin transmission of HD Radio signals starting in the 4th quarter of 2002 in six strategic markets (Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Seattle).
Transmission equipment manufacturers announced production plans for digital radio station products at the National Association of Broadcasters show in April 2002.
At that show, retailers announced support for receivers with HD Radio technology.
Radio broadcasters are expected to begin converting their stations to HD Radio this fall.
"With the availability of the DRI200, all the ingredients are now in place for the launch of HD Radio receivers in 2003", said Naresh Coppisetti, Digital Radio Business Manager at TI.
"We're proud to see such leaders as Kenwood and Visteon among the first manufacturers to incorporate HD Radio technology in mobile radios.
We look forward to seeing multiple mobile and home receiver manufacturers producing HD Radio receivers in 2003".
Samples of the DRI200 are available now for $50 each.
The IDM is available now to iBiquity's licensed radio manufacturers.
TI's DRI200 is scheduled for volume production in the fourth quarter of 2002.

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