Frontier Silicon's has introduced a slave-mode-only DAB module for adding digital reception to audio products that have a separate host processor.
Called Venice 9 it is a simplified version of the master+slave Venice 7 module, loosing the display, keyboard interface and intelligence that allows Venice 7 to handle everything in simple DAB/FM receivers.
"Venice 9 offers a cost-effective way to integrate digital radio into home audio products giving brands and manufacturers a rapid route to providing customers with digital radio," said Karen Parnell, director of product Marketing at Frontier Silicon
Requiring only an aerial connection and digital control, and producing digital or analogue audio, it is designed for mini and micro Hi-Fi systems, iPod docks, home theatre in a box (HTiB) and other home audio products.
It is WorldDMB Profile 1 compliant, working in countries that have adopted the Eureka-147 digital radio standard including the UK, Germany, France, Australia, Switzerland and Scandinavia.
A versions adds L Band DAB to the standard type which supports Band III for DAB and Band II for FM/RDS.
The on-board DAC to produce analogue audio output is also an option.
There is an evaluation and development board called Wolfsburg along with PC based software to emulate the audio system host processor.