STMicro intros HD Radio Chipset

BANGALORE, INDIA: STMicroelectronics, semiconductor suppliers to the Automotive Infotainment segment, today announced that its HD Radio Technology chipset, embedded in the Alps Electric module, has been certified by iBiquity Digital Corporation for meeting comprehensive performance requirements.

iBiquity Digital certification parameters include sensitivity, acquisition time, audio quality verification, functional check and bit error rate testing.

It features enhanced sound quality, more programming choice, and new wireless data services on existing FM and AM radio channels, said a press release.

The technology is gaining traction in the car market and has been adopted by a total of 13 automotive brands representing more than 70 vehicle lines to date.

ST’s end-to-end solution combines the base-band receiver (STA680) with the RF front-end IC (TDA7706) and extends the functionality of HD Radio receivers with novel features that include Conditional Access Support and Dual Channel Application (HD Radio 1.5).

ST’s chipset embeds a technology that allows broadcasters to offer pay-per-listen options and private channels for specific needs. The conditional access system scrambles the signal and entitles authorized receivers to decode it with a custom key.

“STMicroelectronics’ industry-leading expertise in digital audio and car infotainment has played an instrumental role in the development of new-generation HD Radio chipsets,” said Jeff Jury, chief operating officer at iBiquity.

He added that it's an important milestone, the pre-certification of ST-based module sets to accelerate the adoption of HD Radio technology, providing equipment manufacturers with an optimized, one-stop-shop solution for next-generation car-radio reception.