Frontier has been a provider of SmartRadio solutions for ten years – enabling consumer audio brands to build hundreds of radios combining DAB / DAB+, FM and internet.
By combining internet, DAB / DAB+ and FM in a single device, SmartRadios provide end-users with a complete range of listening options - including a rapidly growing number of DAB / DAB+ services, thousands of Internet radio stations, online music services, such as Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music, and podcasts from around the world. Additional features include Bluetooth and full colour user displays.
For more information, please see www.smartradio.info
SmartRadios are the fastest growing category in the digital radio market, with sales volumes growing at 30% per year.
In April 2019, the company launched Chorus 4 - the world’s first integrated SmartRadio chip. Chorus 4 will power a new generation of solutions for radios offering internet connectivity, DAB / DAB+ and FM.
The first of these new solutions is Venice X, a cost-optimised, customisable turnkey system which enables brands and manufacturers to build high quality SmartRadios quickly and cost-effectively.
Chips
Chorus 3
Chorus 3 is an advanced programmable baseband receiver capable of receiving DAB/DAB+ and DMB-A broadcasts as well as being able to receive and decode internet radio streaming audio. It incorporates a number of mixed signal system components as well as advanced peripherals previously only available as discrete additional components, providing significant space, cost and power savings.
The CPU provides the processing power to receive digital radio, decode Internet media and operate the user interface in the system. It is powerful enough to be the master processor in any digital radio system.
Coupled to the CPU are a host of interfaces that allow interfacing to displays, external memory storage and PCs, allowing Chorus 3-based receivers to connect to other devices with minimal additional components.
Chorus 4
Chorus 4 - the world’s first integrated Smart Radio chip integrates a DAB/DAB+ baseband receiver and can receive and decode audio streams from the Internet. A powerful CPU and onboard memory make this the most integrated SmartRadio chip on the market.
Modules
Venice 6.5 Internet radio/DLNA
Venice 6.5 – low-cost streaming module with internet radio, DLNA
The Venice 6.5 FS2026-5 module is a complete hardware and software solution for Internet radio, DLNA, network streaming, UPnP, DAB/DAB+ and FM-RDS products. It provides the simplest and lowest-cost solution for high-quality audio streaming from live Internet radio stations or network-based music collections.
Venice 6.5 has been designed as part of a complete system including IR 2.X software and the Jupiter 6.5 reference platform. The Venice 6.5 module can also operate in slave mode allowing full control to an external processor over Frontier’s FSAPI communications interface.
Venice X
Venice X is a cost-optimised and customisable turnkey system which enables brands and manufacturers to build high quality SmartRadios quickly and cost-effectively
Platforms
Jupiter 6.5 (Venice 6.5 platform)
Jupiter 6.5 is a cost and performance optimised reference design for audio streaming applications using WiFi and/or Ethernet. Optional functionality includes DAB/DAB+, FM-RDS reception and iPod/iPhone docking. This allows Jupiter 6.5 to act as a reference design for several applications.
Based on the Venice 6.5 module running IR 2.X software, the Jupiter 6.5 reference platform supports streaming radio and music files in a variety of formats including AAC, AAC+, ALAC, MP3, WAV, WMA and FLAC, enabling a new generation of stand-alone network-based audio products. Jupiter 6.5 operates as an internet radio, wireless speaker or docking platform with full graphic display.
Jupiter 6.5S (Headless)
Jupiter 6.5S is a cost and performance optimised headless reference design for audio streaming applications using WiFi
and/or Ethernet. Optional functionality includes iPod/iPhone docking facilities. This allows Jupiter 6.5S to act as a reference design for Multi-Room and wireless speaker applications without displays.
Venice X platform
Venice X is a cost and performance optimised reference design for SmartRadio applications using DAB+, FM and Wi-Fi and/or Ethernet.
Software
IR2.x
Frontier Silicon’s IR 2.12 connected audio software, part of the UNDOK platform, enables Multi-room speaker synchronization with a range of music sources unique to Frontier Silicon technology, including Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, UPnP, USB, Internet radio, DAB/DAB+ and FM radio.
Apps
UNDOK
Frontier Silicon’s Control app provides the most complete, versatile and easy-to-use media controller available for next generation connected and docking audio systems.
The app offers comprehensive remote control functionality for FS based audio modules capable of wired and/or wireless connection with an iPod, iOS or Android smart device.