Product category:
Wireless Communications
News Release from: RadioScape | Subject: RS350A
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 14 July 2004
Automotive DAB module to hit the streets
Using the experience from designing its highly successful range of DAB modules for the kitchen radio market, RadioScape is now launching a module designed specifically for the DAB automotive market.
The next big area of explosive growth for DAB digital radio is undoubtedly in the automotive sector Interestingly, this is the one that it was originally designed for with a specification that can handle the challenging environment of having to receive in a fast-moving vehicle and cope with complex echoes and signal fading conditions
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 10 Mar 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The kitchen radio market for DAB has expanded exponentially over the past year and this has opened the DAB market for automotive both in terms of awareness and reduced costs.
As a result, many car manufacturers are now in the process of defining their digital radio strategy.
Using the experience from designing its highly successful range of DAB modules for the kitchen radio market, RadioScape is now launching a module designed specifically for the DAB automotive market - the RadioScape RS350A.
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Nigel Oakley, Vice President of Marketing at RadioScape, said: "The car is a challenging environment both physically and electronically".
"We have used our many man-years of experience with RF to design a module for automotive use that provides the optimum reception whilst rejecting electrical interference".
"Our initial discussions with car radio manufacturers have enabled us to fine tune the RS350A to precisely meet their requirements for a DAB module that is tailored to meet the needs of automotive and can be quickly customised via software for their individual applications".
The new module has several new features for automotive use.
It can process three DAB channels on a multiplex simultaneously to provide any combination of audio channels and data channels of news or travel information.
Service linking enables the radio to automatically move to associated stations when the first goes out of range using linking information provided by the broadcaster.
This linking can be either from one local DAB station to the another similar service or from one DAB station to the FM equivalent if the DAB coverage is no longer available due to the car moving out of range.
Lastly, the module provides "phantom" power up the antenna cable to power an amplifier at the base of the antenna.
This is the preferred design for many cars as it removes the necessity of having expensive coaxial cable to screen the signal cable, instead it boosts the signal from the antenna immediately for its journey to the receiver so that it stands out from any background interference.
As with the other module designs from RadioScape, it is based on software running on a Texas Instruments DSP - in this case, the new, powerful TMS320DRE310.
This software-based solution enables RadioScape to easily customise solutions to suit each manufacturer's individual requirements, which cannot be done easily with the hard-wired ASIC solutions from rival companies.
This is particularly important in the automotive market as each car manufacturer has different requirements regarding interfaces etc.
The RS350A is powered from an externally regulated DC supply of 5 and 3.3V.
Control is provided via a serial interface - for example I2C.
It measures 62 x 37 x 10mm to allow vertical fitment in a standard automotive receiver DIN enclosure and is fully screened to meet all electromagnetic requirements for automotive type approval.
It can receive DAB Band III and L-band enabling it to be used worldwide wherever there are Eureka 147 DAB transmissions.
This fully integrated module requires only the minimum of external components.
Prices start from around $40 depending on the volume ordered and optional features included such as pause and rewind.
Availability of samples will be in Q3 2004 with volume shipments in early Q4 2004.
The design of the module can be licensed if manufacturers wish to build it themselves.
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