SiPort announces first automotive shipment for SP1010 HD radio receiver

SANTA CLARA, USA: SiPort Inc., the world's leading supplier of integrated circuits to HD Radio's consumer electronic and portable markets, announced the company’s first application in the automotive aftermarket.

Using SiPort’s high performance SP1010 transceiver, automotive electronics supplier Dual Electronics has introduced the XHD6430, a new in-dash receiver offering HD Radio capability.

“Entrance into the automotive aftermarket marks a major milestone for SiPort because a large percentage of radio users listen while they drive,” noted Aiman Kabakibo, CEO and founder of SiPort. “By leveraging the performance and features of our SP1010 receiver, Dual Electronics is bringing the highly attractive advantages of HD Radio to the customer base at an excellent form factor and price point.”

HD Radio is a free over-the-air digital broadcast from radio stations transmitted in conjunction with analog signals. This new technology enables stations to simulcast both digital and analog audio within the same channel as well as add an exciting array of data services such as searchable content by genre; pause, rewind and play functionality; the tagging of a song for future online purchase; and digital data services.

Dual’s XHD6430 is a Bluetooth-ready, in-dash receiver with a built-in HD RadioTM tuner featuring iTunes tagging from a dedicated Tag button and direct USB control for iPod® playback. The receiver offers 200 watts peak power (50 watts x 4) and is CD/MP3/WMA compatible.

“HD Radio offers some of the most exciting new features in the automotive entertainment market today,” said Robb Groner, Vice President, Product Development, Dual Electronics Corp. “By using compact SiPort’s SP1010 receiver, our XHD6430 radio receiver can deliver static-free, digital quality sound, support multicast channels and provide convenience to the customer to buy songs they like through the iTunes tagging functionality at a highly attractive price point.”

High performance receiver
SiPort’s audio/data broadcast receivers provide the high-performance, low power, small form factor, and affordable price that enable OEMs/ODMs to deliver on-the-go access to free-to-air and subscription broadcast audio and data services in Handsets, MP3 players, PND and Automotive markets.

The SiPort SP1010 CMOS receiver supports both analog and digital broadcast standards. Recently the company announced that its receiver was used by Microsoft in its popular Zune HD media player to deliver HD RadioTM capabilities. Early analysis estimates that SiPort’s SP1010 has captured up to half of the HD Radio IC market.

Growing automotive market
Dual Electronics, based in Heathrow, Florida, is a subsidiary of Namsung America, Inc. The company sells a wide variety of mobile and marine electronics subsystems and was one of the first automotive aftermarket suppliers to offer integrated HD Radio capability in its mobile entertainment systems.