RadioScape & ARM Team Up on DAB Chip

Computergram International, June 4, 1999

RadioScape Ltd, the UK- based digital audio broadcasting (DAB) software pioneer, has inked a deal with ARM Holdings Plc to integrate its decoder with the ARM4 core. The company claims the deal will give prospective manufacturers of portable DAB radios a low cost, low power DAB baseband ASIC.

RadioScape has ported its DAB demodulation and decoding software stack to the ARM architecture. RadioScape's managing director, Peter Florence, said of the potential for the DAB chip, "think how popular MP3 players have been and then think about audio being broadcast wirelessly, in real-time, no waiting for downloads, at near CD quality. Someone has got to be interested in that market."

The London, UK start-up introduced its software last April, claiming that it would break the cost barrier to widespread digital radio broadcasts. DAB services and pilot schemes are up and running in 20 countries including the UK, Germany Singapore and India. DAB broadcasts offer interference-free transmissions and can also carry data services as well as voice and music broadcasts. These services could include information about music being played, stock market info or sports results. Florence said that any data broadcast could also be encrypted, allowing subscription-based news or financial services to be broadcast over the air waves.