New ALPINE HD radio tuner now shipping

OFFERS EXPANDED PROGRAMMING, iTUNES TAGGING FUNCTION


TORRANCE, Calif. – When it comes to entertainment in the car, radio remains the primary source for music, news, sports and other updates. For consumers who want improved sound quality and more content choices without subscription fees, upgrading to HD Radio™ Technology is a simple solution. Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., the industry-leading manufacturer of automotive mobile media solutions, is now shipping the new TUA-T550HD tuner, so that consumers can have all-digital HD Radio broadcast content in the car.

The unit is a small hide-away box that can be connected to any of Alpine’s 2007-2008 model Ai-NET head units to add HD Radio reception as a source. When the head unit is tuned to an HD Radio station, the head unit’s display will list artist, album and song information, if this selected station chooses to broadcast this metadata. As an Ai-NET pass-through source, the TUA-T550HD also allows for the addition of other Alpine Ai-NET audio sources, such as satellite radio.

The TUA-T550HD add-on enables consumers to receive new audio channels and static-free HD Radio content in their cars from the more than 1,800 AM/FM radio stations nationwide that are currently broadcasting digitally. Users also may enjoy HD Radio broadcasting’s multicasting benefits. FM multicasting allows consumers to listen to HD2 and HD3 multicast channels above and beyond the main station. More than 900 stations offer this expanded multicasting programming at no additional fee. Consumers can use the Station Guide at www.hdradio.com to find the stations in their area that are broadcasting in digital HD Radio technology.

The iTunes® Tagging functionality of the TUA-T550HD makes it possible for consumers to easily track and purchase new music. iTunes Tagging through the TUA-T550HD is available with Alpine’s iDA-X100 Digital Media Receiver, IVA-W505 double-DIN Mobile Multimedia Station™ and the iDA-X100M Marine Digital Media Receiver. When users hear a song they like on an HD Radio station, they can “Tag” the song by pressing and holding the “Enter” button on the iDA-X100 or iDA-X100M, or the “ * ” (asterisk) button on the IVA-W505. Information about these Tagged songs is stored by the TUA-T550HD and transferred to the iPod®. When the iPod is connected to the computer, iTunes automatically presents the songs in a new Tagged playlist so the user has the option to preview, buy and download the songs.

Each song Tag is only 512 bytes, so a nearly endless number of songs can be Tagged when an iPod is connected to the system. If no iPod is connected, the TUA-T550HD can store up to 50 song Tags. Previous Tags are automatically erased from the TUA-T550HD when an iPod is connected, so new Tags can continue to be added.

“With the new TUA-T550HD tuner, consumers can enjoy better sound quality and a more robust variety of stations from their radio broadcasts. And, we are making it easier than ever for consumers to have a seamless music buying experience through the iTunes Tagging feature,” said Stephen Witt, vice president, marketing, Alpine Electronics.

Pricing and Availability
Alpine products are available through authorized Alpine retailers. To find a retailer, visit the Dealer Locator section at www.alpine-usa.com.