KRS Electronics to Supply Small-Sized, Low-Cost HD Radio™ Modules for Portable Devices

Hong Kong Electronics Fair – April 15, 2009 – iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of digital HD Radio™ technology for AM and FM audio and data broadcasting, today announced that KRS Electronics has obtained an HD Radio module license agreement to develop and produce HD Radio module solutions. KRS provides car audio solutions, including head units, portables and navigation systems, to many carmakers in Europe and the United States. KRS Electronics has started sampling the KPM-PH01 solution and mass production is scheduled for the end of May.

KRS has developed the KPM-PH01 HD Radio module based on the iBiquity 2261 reference design in response to market demands for high-quality, low-cost HD Radio modules for portable devices. The KPM-PH01 can be used in various applications such as personal navigation devices (PND), personal media players (PMP), MP3 players and other portable devices.

The KPM-PH01 module is based on Samsung EM’s chipset, which consists of the RF frontend (SEMHDR100A), digital baseband (SEMHDRC200A) and all of its external components such as Flash, SDRAM, Crystal and other passive components. A surface-mount solution, the KPM-P01 module is in a small shielded, packaged solution measuring 22.7 mm (L) X 18.6 mm (W) X 2.8 mm (H).

Jeff Jury, iBiquity’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “iBiquity is excited to welcome KRS Electronics to our module supplier base. KRS has key experience in the growing segment of automotive and portable devices deploying HD Radio technology. Our ODM partners will be able to quickly turn around new portable designs with the KRS module solution and expedite time to market.”

“I am pleased to start our HD Radio module business,” said D.C. Kwak, Chief Executive Officer of KRS Electronics. “The KPM-PH01 was developed based on knowledge of the automotive field, and we can provide high-quality performance and full customer support. The KPM-PH01 is an excellent solution that supports various types of HD Radio portable devices with the lowest cost structure, including features such as HD-TMC (which is 10x faster than RDS-TMC), iTunes® Tagging and conditional access. In addition, the module does simultaneous audio and data decoding,” Mr. Kwak added. “I expect the HD Radio market to be a good opportunity for KRS to approach the US market with these enhanced products. I'd like to expand the module business not only for portable units but also for in-car units based on our experience in the automotive field in the near future."

About KRS Electronics
KRS Electronics was established in March 1997 by President Mr. D.C. Kwak. KRS Electronics is based in Kyonggi-Do, Korea and has a branch office in Shenzhen, China, with over 90 R&D employees.

About iBiquity Digital Corporation

iBiquity Digital Corporation is the developer of HD Radio™ technology, which is fueling the digital radio revolution in the United States and around the world. The digital technology enables broadcasters to offer new FM channels through multicasting, crystal-clear sound and data services on both the AM and FM bands – all free, with no subscription fee. Leading broadcasters, consumer electronics manufacturers, automakers and retailers are committed to HD Radio technology. The only digital broadcast system approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for AM and FM radio in the U.S., HD Radio technology is now being used by nearly 2,000 stations with an additional 1,000 plus new HD2/HD3 channels available across the country. 

Nearly 100 unique HD Radio products are available from well-known brands in more than 14,000 retail outlets across the country. And the HD Radio system is gaining momentum in the automotive industry with 13 brands committed to factory-install the technology in their vehicles: Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes, Mercury, Mini, Scion and Volvo.

Due in large part to HD Radio technology’s ability to deliver digital-quality sound and services while leveraging existing analog spectrum, commercial implementation is gaining momentum in various countries, including Brazil, Mexico and The Philippines. Testing and demonstrations of the system are also underway in Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Indonesia, Jamaica, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam and various other countries around the world.

iBiquity Digital's investors include 15 of the nation's top radio broadcasters, including ABC, Clear Channel and CBS Radio; leading financial institutions, such as Grotech Capital Group, J.P. Morgan Partners, New Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, and strategic partners Ford Motor Company, Harris, Texas Instruments and Visteon. Founded in 2000, iBiquity Digital is a privately held company with operations in Columbia, MD, Auburn Hills, MI, and Basking Ridge, NJ. For more information, please visit http://www.hdradio.com and http://www.ibiquity.com.

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To arrange interviews or for additional information, please contact:

iBiquity Digital: Vicki Stearn, 443-539-4345; stearn@ibiquity.com; Nancy Zakhary/Scott Cianciulli (Brainerd Communicators) 212-986-6667, nancy@braincomm.com, cianciulli@braincomm.com. 

Note to editors: HD Radio™ and the “HD Radio” logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp. The “HD” in HD Radio is part of iBiquity Digital’s brand name for its advanced digital AM/FM system. It does not mean hybrid digital or high-definition digital; both of these are incorrect.
 

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