Once again the International Consumer Electronics Show (January 7-10, 2010, Las Vegas, Nev, www.cesweb.org) rang in the new year with the latest and greatest in consumer gadgets and technology. iBiquity Digital Corporation, developers of HD Radio in-band/on-channel (IBOC) digital radio, and their receiver manufacturing partners took this opportunity to make some exciting announcements and show some of the latest HD Radio developments, highlighted below.

Combination HD Radio/ATSC Mobile DTV receivers two manufacturers, Cydle Corporation and Kiryung, showed prototype receivers supporting both HD Radio and ATSC Mobile DTV reception. The ATSC Mobile DTV Standard was adopted by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC, Washington, DC, www.atsc.org) in October 2009 and promises to offer TV broadcasters and consumers in the U.S. some exciting new mobile television services (visit the ATSC Web site at http://www.atsc.org/standards/a153.php for information on the ATSC Mobile DTV Standard; see also this weeks TV TechCheck for more on ATSC Mobile DTV developments at the 2010 CES). Shown in the photograph at right is the Cydle receiver (designated P29A) note that the second and third icons in the top row are HD Radio and ATSC, respectively. The P29A is reported to be available in the second quarter of 2010 for a suggested retail price of $199.

Advanced Services a variety of advanced devices and features supported by HD Radio technology were on display, some for the first time:

• Portable navigation device (PND) with HD Radio Receiver VPA (Vehicle Power Adapter) w/real-time traffic from NAVTEQ Dynamic Content (an ad-supported service delivering traffic, weather and fuel price information to the receiver);
• Clear Channel Real Time Traffic with Journaline Information Services displayed via the JVC KD-NT3HDT in-dash receiver;
• Portable and in-dash HD Radio image support development platform featuring visuals of album art, client advertising/branding, station logo and imaging, and sports/news updates. An example of album art transmission, synchronized to the audio programming on an HD Radio broadcast, was demonstrated in the iBiquity booth (and shown in the photo at right). iBiquity is developing a Software Development Kit (SDK) for receiver partners to aid feature integration, which is planned for release later in 2010;
• PND with built-in HD Radio Electronic Program Guide (EPG) by Cydle Corp. The EPG technology demonstrated here was developed in part under the NAB FASTROAD technology advocacy program (see www.nabfastroad.org) for additional information;
• Protected content delivered to targeted HD Radio receivers, including premium sports content and radio reading services for the visually impaired. Also known as conditional access, this technology (called RadioGuard) was developed by NDS (Middlesex, U.K., www.nds.com/solutions/radioguard.php) working with iBiquity;
• Development platforms from IC manufacturing partners STMicroelectronics (HD Radio receiver development board w/NAVTEQ Traffic) and SiPort (data development platform for advanced traffic & navigation and album art).

Portable AM/FM band HD Radio receiver on display in the iBiquity booth was the Sangean DT-800 HD portable receiver (shown in photo at right), the first portable to support both AM and FM-band HD Radio operation. Features include a built-in speaker, a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, 20 radio station presets (10 each for FM and AM) and a sleep timer. This device is still under development but is expected to be available later in 2010.

HD Radio-enabled autos - three new vehicles were on display at the HD Radio booth, each featuring factory-installed HD Radio technology a 2011 Ford Taurus SHO, a 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI, and a 2010 Scion xB. A number of HD Radio automotive receiver announcements were made at CES including:

• Ford announced that HD Radio technology will be available on most 2011 model year Ford vehicles including the worlds first factory implementation of iTunes tagging;
• Volkswagen announced that select 2010 models equipped with the DVD navigation system will include HD Radio technology as a feature. The company also plans to bring digital radio to its latest touch-screen radio systems on future VW models;
• Kia announced that it will be launching HD Radio technology on select models in 2010;
• Hyundai announced that the 2011 Sonata will be the first popular midsize sedan to offer HD Radio technology as standard equipment on the Sonata limited models;
• HD Radio technology and DTS Neural Surround will be featured with the critically-acclaimed THX II certified system in 2011 Lincoln vehicles.

Nominate the Best - NAB Seeks Nominations for 2010 Engineering Achievement Awards

NAB is looking for nominees to consider for the prestigious NAB Engineering Achievement awards. Separate awards will be given for achievements in radio and television at the Technology Luncheon at the NAB Show on April 14, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The qualifications for nominating someone and the nomination form are downloadable on NABs technical resources Web page. You may also request a nomination form by calling NAB Science & Technology at (202) 429-5346. The deadline for nominations is January 18, 2010. Radio TechCheck will not be published on January 18 but will return January 25, 2010.

The January 11, 2010 Radio TechCheck is also available in an Adobe Acrobat file.


Please click here to read the Adobe Acrobat version of Radio TechCheck

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