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World’s first WiFi/DAB/FM platform accesses over 16,000 audio services

Includes DAB+ capability

London, 19 March, 2007 - Frontier Silicon has released a new low-cost WiFi radio reference platform for its Venice 6 (FS2026) “four-in-one” module, enabling radio manufacturers to quickly develop portable and clock radio products incorporating Internet radio, DAB, FM and music streaming capabilities.  The Jupiter 4 (FS4024) platform is production-ready with a very low bill of materials (BOM).  OEM manufacturers need only add industrial design tooling to produce complete high-quality audio systems that meet a range of competitive retail price points from only $79.

Jupiter 4

The platform design includes the Frontier Silicon Venice 6 WiFi/DAB/FM module, display with optional icons, keys, antenna, printed circuit boards (PCB), connectivity sockets (USB/headphone/Aux out), and all other passive components.  As the platform uses a highly-integrated module containing all the complex elements of the system, assembly and integration of the final product is much simpler for manufacturers, ensuring lower manufacturing cost and quicker time-to-market.

In addition to the ability to play audio via WiFi, DAB and FM, another unique feature of the platform is its capability to support the new DAB+ standard.  The Venice 6 module is able to run both the MP2 layer 2 audio decoder used in current DAB implementations, and the high-efficiency AAC codec required by the new DAB+ standard.  The emergence of DAB+, which enables more efficient utilisation of DAB bandwidth, has sparked new interest in DAB from several countries looking to adopt DAB+ as their broadcast standard for digital radio.

“Jupiter 4 extends our proven capability to offer customers rapid market entry with new and innovative audio products,” says Steve Evans, Frontier Silicon’s VP for digital audio products.  “Our Jupiter range of complete digital audio platforms has been instrumental in Frontier Silicon capturing over 70 percent of the DAB receiver market, and Jupiter 4 will further enhance our position as the global number one supplier of digital radio technology by offering manufacturers a complete low-cost solution for WiFi radio and DAB+.”

Jupiter 4 is available now, and comes complete with a detailed user interface specification, schematics, gerbers, BOM, and customisable software.  Its highly-flexible architecture also enables it to be modified or used as a starting point for the development of custom OEM products. Venice 6, which was demonstrated at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics show earlier this year, is a digital audio module containing receivers for WiFi, DAB and FM.  Included in its firmware are several audio decoders, including Real Audio, WMA and MP3, as well as a portal linking the module to over 16,000 internet-based audio services.  Using the Venice 6 module, a manufacturer can add sophisticated features such as internet radio and audio streaming as well as DAB/FM to their products.

Jupiter 4 features list

Modes Internet radio
Music streaming
DAB Band III reception (optional L-band)
FM with RDS
Additional Functions Alarms (multiples)
Clock (auto update)
Sleep / Snooze
Customisable number of presets
Software upgrade
User Interface Up to 20 push-button switches 
Rotary encoder
Infrared remote control
Display 2 lines dot matrix 16 char display (optional icons)
Dimmable backlight (manual or auto)
Audio Output Stereo audio sound
2 x 1W Amplifier
Digital volume control with optional mute
S/PDIF output (optional)
Connectivity Wireless 802.11 b/g
Ethernet
USB2.0 (software upgrade)
Headphone jack
Aux Out
Network 802.11b/g
WEP, WPA, WPA2
Audio Decoders MP3
WMA
RealAudio
Customer deliverables detailed specification, 
schematics / gerbers
bill-of-materials
customized software
EMC/ESD compliance report

Ends

About Frontier Silicon Limited

Frontier Silicon is the leading supplier of digital and RF integrated circuits and modules for mobile digital TV and digital audio products.  Established in 2001 as a privately funded fabless semiconductor company, it has over 200 employees and is headquartered in Watford, England, with design centres in Cambridge and Dublin, and branch offices and technical support representatives in Hong Kong, China, Korea and Japan.  Products include audio processors for digital radio and network streaming, and receiver solutions for mobile TV, supporting multiple broadcast standards including DVB-H, DVB-T, T-DMB and DAB-IP.

Customers include Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Bang & Olufsen, Bush, Denon, Goodmans, Grundig, Hitachi, JVC, Onkyo, Philips, PURE Digital, Roberts Radio, Sanyo, TEAC and Yamaha.

For more information see www.frontier-silicon.com/company.

Contact details

Jonathan Colbourne, Marketing and PR manager

Tel:      +44 (0)1923 474220
Fax:     +44 (0)1923 202 251

E-mail:

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