Introduction
For over a decade, Frontier Silicon has been the world leader in DAB digital radio technologies. As the only manufacturer to provide complete consumer digital radio solutions, from chips to application reference designs, Frontier is the only digital radio system supplier you will ever need.
From our engineering base in Cambridge, we develop solutions based on our own silicon - ensuring a level of quality, performance and conformance to standards that others find hard to match. As a result of this approach, our Verona family of modules are the world's best selling digital radio solutions - they are found in the majority of DAB/DAB+ radios available today.
Frontier’s product line-up consists of integrated circuits, pre-qualified modules and configurable software. These are designed to support a wide range of end products from simple kitchen radios to advanced audio systems. These solutions are backed up by world class support from our Field Applications Engineering team in Hong Kong.
In 2015 Frontier introduced its fourth generation digital radio chip, Kino 4, the world's most integrated digital radio solution. Kino 4 is the chip that powers the company's Verona 2 and Siena modules.
Frontier also offers best-in-class technologies for automotive aftermarket digital radios (i.e. head units, dealer-fit and self-fit adaptors). These solutions address challenges specific to the automotive sector, such as mobility (including tunnels) and temperature extremes. In addition, our newest release, AUTODAB 2.0, places a particular emphasis on service following (DAB-to-DAB and DAB-to-FM), fast scan times and the provision of up-to-date service lists.
In summary, whatever your digital radio product needs, Frontier provides cost effective, quick-to-market solutions you can trust.
Chips
Kino 4
Kino 4 is the latest generation of low-power integrated digital radio system-on-chip (SoC). It is a fully integrated single chip radio receiver SoC containing RF tuner, baseband, application processor, audio decode and DAC functionality.
Modules
Siena
Siena is Frontier Silicon’s reduced form factor module based on the highly integrated Kino 4-Lite digital radio System on a Chip (SoC).
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Click here to download the Siena product brief PDF
Verona 2
Verona 2 is Frontier Silicon’s latest DAB/DAB+/FM custom digital radio module, designed to enable Digital Tick compliant products, using the new, highly integrated Kino 4 digital radio System on a Chip (SoC).
Tuscany Bluetooth/digital radio
Tuscany – Versatile Bluetooth/DAB/FM digital audio module
The Tuscany FS2230 module is the latest highly flexible integrated wireless speaker module from Frontier Silicon. Incorporating Bluetooth®, DAB/FM radio, USB, iOS and Android smart device connectivity, Tuscany provides superior signal reception at low-power and at a price point suitable for entry level products.
Tuscany’s flexible design enables production of audio devices with any combination of high-performance Bluetooth, dual-band DAB/DAB+, FM with RDS and Apple®Lightning™/USB docking at low-cost. In master mode Tuscany removes the need for any additional host processor and includes a USB device interface for firmware updates. Alternatively Tuscany can operate in simple slave mode. The module provides all interfaces necessary for a fully functional Bluetooth wireless speaker system with iOS docking capability and digital /analogue radio, needing only power supply, display, keypad, audio amplifier and speakers to complete a product.
Verona HD Radio™
The FS2250 Verona HD Radio™ module is the only fully certified master-mode HD Radio module solution endorsed by iBiquity. Designed to enable high-performance FM HD Radio receivers at low-cost, targeting consumer portable, clock radios and music systems.
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Click here to download the Verona HD Radio™ module product brief PDF
Platforms
Venus
Venus Radio is designed to be a Digital Tick and WorldDMB Profile 1 compliant evaluation design for price sensitive, entry level radio applications (DAB/DAB+/DMB-Radio and FM-RDS). Based on the Verona 2 module running DAB 6.x embedded software, Venus Radio provides a flexible architecture, enabling OEMs to use the design as a starting point to speed development of custom products.
Venus Colour
Venus Colour is designed to be a Digital Tick compliant evaluation supporting DAB slideshow for colour display radio applications (DAB/DAB+ and FM-RDS). Based on the Verona 2 module running DAB 6.1 embedded software, Venus Colour provides a flexible architecture, enabling OEMs to use the design as a starting point to speed development of custom products.
Neptune (Tuscany Platform)
Neptune is a cost and performance optimised reference design for portable Bluetooth audio streaming devices, including simple Bluetooth pairing using low cost NFC tag and DAB/FM radio capability.
The platform also demonstrates iOS device docking via an Apple Lightning dock using iAP2 and is compliant to MFi (Made For iPhone/iPad) standards.
Two variants of Neptune are available, with and without physical iOS docking capability.
Neptune can be used to evaluate a number of device applications including full Master mode with graphic display, rotary controls and keypad, Headless device (using LEDs to indicate operation) and Slave mode.
Venus H2
The Venus-H2 provides a DAB/FM digital radio solution for personal radio products. The design is optimized to provide a compact device with excellent battery life. It offers a very flexible input key interface supporting up to 5 hardware keys. This Handheld platform has an integrated Li-Polymer battery for approx. 10 hrs continuous DAB+ operation. A standard Micro USB interface supports both battery charging and firmware upgrade operation.
Running the latest DAB 5.X software, Venus-H2 supports Dynamic Label Plus (DL Plus), which allows parts of DL messages to be stored and filtered in Venus-H2. These can be selected and accessed by the listener independently from the currently transmitted DL messages - i.e. users are able to browse stored DL plus objects by content type. The software also provides audio equalisation (EQ) functionality.
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Click here to download the Venus H2 product brief PDF
Venus HD
Based on Frontier Silicon’s Verona HD Radio™ module the Venus HD Radio reference platform is the only fully certified master-mode HD Radio solution endorsed by iBiquity Digital Corporation. Designed to enable high-performance FM HD Radio receivers at low-cost, targeting consumer portable, clock radios and music systems.
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Click here to download the Venus HD product brief PDF
Software
DAB
DAB SDK version 6.2 embedded digital radio software expands on the capabilities of version 6.1 and introduces a number of performance and user interface enhancements. DAB6.2 supports the latest Frontier Silicon DAB modules; Verona 2 and Siena.
The user interface now offers a selection of themes allowing digital or analogue clock display, a choice of wallpaper backgrounds and audio feedback for the local interface buttons. A night mode and store demo mode are also available.
AUTODAB 2.0
AUTODAB 2.0 is advanced embedded software for Frontier Silicon’s automotive single tuner digital radio modules operating in slave mode. It runs as a component in an automotive audio system to provide DAB/DAB+ audio and data to the manufacturer’s host processor. AUTODAB 2.0 offers a complete DAB decode subsystem from RF to digital or analogue audio output, all controlled through an asynchronous control channel.
Features include autonomous DAB>DAB service following behaviour and simplified service selection.