With digital radio gaining momentum in key markets around the world, a growing number of car OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are offering in-car digital radio systems. The global market leader in semiconductors for car entertainment NXP Semiconductors releas of a multi-standard software-defined radio co-processor capable of decoding all three major digital terrestrial radio standards including Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), HD Radio and DAB/DAB+/T-DMB.
Offering best-in-class reception, the new SAF360x series significantly enhances digital audio quality via advanced features such as Maximum Ratio Combining for DAB and HD Radio, and scalability for single, dual and triple tuner use cases. The SAF360x platform also offers an unprecedented level of integration, replacing up to six chips with a single IC and reducing the footprint of the automotive digital radio application by over 75% for considerable cost savings.
Enhancing DRM, DAB and HD Radio Performance Through Innovation
By using software-defined radio, the SAF360x series – like its market-leading predecessor, the SAF356x – offers a cost-effective platform that allows the same hardware to be used to decode multiple standards. Currently supporting the three most popular digital terrestrial radio standards including HD Radio, DAB / DAB+ / T-DMB and DRM, this versatile platform could also be used to support new digital radio standards that emerge in the future.
Delivering best-in-class reception performance for DAB, DAB+ and T-DMB, which are gaining popularity in Europe, Korea and Australia, the SAF360x is the first automotive-quality chipset including two on-board high-performance DAB tuners and memory. With support for up to three tuner inputs, the chipset can be used for DAB, Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) and background scan or data services. Using advanced wideband technology and software algorithms available only from NXP, the SAF360x solution provides ultra-fast DAB scanning and sync time, enhanced tuner sensitivity and seamless DAB-FM-DAB blending, delivering an impeccable audio experience without having to worry about losing reception.
For HD Radio systems, which are rapidly gaining popularity in the US and Mexico, the NXP SAF360x series also offers enhanced reception performance via MRC. Highly versatile and scalable, the SAF360x can be used in a wide range of HD Radio use cases – with a single low-cost tuner or up to three high-end tuner inputs. With the availability of three tuners, the SAF360x can be used to support HD Radio diversity reception, with background scanning or data services decoded from a second station in parallel. As the third-generation automotive HD Radio solution from NXP, the SAF360x also benefits from NXP’s long-standing collaboration with iBiquity Corporation, creators of HD Radio technology.
The new high-performance digital radio co-processors work seamlessly with NXP’s industry-leading car radio and audio DSPs and AM/FM tuners. Together, they offer a complete and highly scalable global analog and digital radio solution for tuning and decoding a wide range of terrestrial radio standards with state-of-the-art performance.
