New low cost DRM receiver chips coming

STMicroelectronics has joined with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS to develop a new low-cost chip for DRM Digital Radio Mondiale receivers.

The IC will target fixed and portable radios, car radios, software receivers and PDAs, integrating audio with data and text.

Digital Radio Mondiale is a universal, open standard digital radio system with FM-like sound quality for long, medium, shortwave and VHF bands worldwide.

The DRM signal fits into the AM broadcast-band plan and can be carried by many existing AM transmitters, resulting in an inexpensive upgrade process for broadcasters.

Michael Schlicht, Group Manager Integrated Circuits for Communication Systems and Program Manager Digital Broadcast Systems, Fraunhofer IIS says:

“Radio makers, broadcasters, and listeners can benefit from
Fraunhofer’s collaboration with an industry-leading company like
STMicroelectronics. Using our DRM receiver technology and the Audio Coding
Library provided by Coding Technologies, ST can deliver all of the components to produce a complete solution for DRM.”

Riccardo Ferrari, General Manager Digital Broadcasting Radio Division of
ST’s Automotive Product Group says
“By combining Fraunhofer IIS’s technologies and intellectual-property
rights on DRM base-band processing into a final dedicated platform of
integrated circuits, STMicroelectronics, supported in system’s validation
by Tele Diffusion de France (TDF), will provide leading-edge infotainment
solutions able to excite the radio market in the upcoming years.”

The chip is expected in commercial quantities in the second half of this year.