ST's HD radio chipset certification heralds next-gen car audio and infotainment

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: STMicroelectronics announced that its HD Radio Technology chipset, embedded in the Alps Electric module, has been certified by iBiquity Digital Corp. for meeting comprehensive performance requirements.

iBiquity Digital certification parameters include sensitivity, acquisition time, audio quality verification, functional check and bit error rate testing. The cutting-edge device has already scored multiple design wins for both built-in and after-market HD Radio receiver installations and other car equipment manufacturers working with ST's chipset are expecting to get their certification shortly.

Developed by iBiquity, HD Radio Technology offers enhanced sound quality, more programming choice, and new wireless data services on existing FM and AM radio channels. 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.

Supporting HD Radio 1.5, the receiver is also able to simultaneously demodulate audio and data from two independent radio channels. Therefore, it is possible to receive audio content from one channel, while pulling traffic and weather information from another one at the same time.

"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, COO at iBiquity.

"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."

"Now that HD Radio Technology is picking up popularity in the automotive industry, car equipment manufacturers seek access to state-of-the-art and reliable silicon solutions," said Makoto Kawasaki, Group Leader of RF Products, Alps Electric, a leading car equipment manufacturer.

"ST's end-to-end offering, which integrates both the tuner and decoder parts, supports all the latest features of HD Radio and meets the strict automotive design and quality requirements."

With almost 15 years at the forefront of digital radio technology, ST is currently the world's largest supplier of components for digital radio receivers, having shipped more than 50 million chips to date.