Digital Radio Express Debuts FMeXtra™ at NRB Expo

FMeXtra’s new digital technology enables FM radio stations to broadcast multiple digital channels with existing equipment.


March 14 , 2005 San Jose, California, Digital Radio Express, Inc. (DRE) a Silicon Valley based technology company demonstrated the capabilities of it’s new FMeXtra digital radio technology to radio broadcasters at the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) Anaheim Convention Center Feb 13 – 15. This groundbreaking technology enables a single FM station to simultaneously broadcast multiple digital programs (2,3,4 or more) using the existing analog transmitter equipment and FCC licenses.

In the past FM broadcasters wishing to expand their market had to acquire additional radio stations for 10’s of millions of dollars. DRE’s FMeXtra Multi-Channel Digital Programming (MCDP) offers broadcasters, in effect ,additional stations at a mere fraction of the cost.

MCDP provides broadcasters a extremely low cost method of expanding their audience by not only offering multiple genre of music but more importantly by providing unique and specialized programming to serve those markets not economically practical with todays radio business model.Just one example is serving the community with simultaneous multiple language programming, all while maintaining the regular analog main channel program.

FMeXtra can be easily added to most FM stations worldwide and requires no transmitter or antenna modifications whatsoever; installation in approximately 15-30 minutes without any disruption or interference to the main channel analog broadcast. Operating under existing FCC approved SCA regulations makes installation and going on the air a simple matter; truly plug and play.

Mr. Norman Miller, President of DRE said,” Today's terrestrial radio broadcasters will have to consider some fundamental changes to their business model due to significant changes in the market; the mobile phone industry is claiming some of their space, plus they are being challenged by digital satellite radio, iPod(TM) and many other channels of audio entertainment. FMeXtra's extemely low cost technology will enable even the smallest of broadcasters to go digital with multiple program capabililty thus meeting this challenge".

FMeXtra provides radio broadcasters with the means to provide new innovative services not economically possible with todays radio business model.This radio engineering breakthrough permits any FM radio station, not only in the U.S. but world wide, to broadcast several separate digital programs simultaneously, effectively turning each station into a station group within the listening area, instantly.

Mr. Miller went on to state that DRE was extremely pleased with the enthusiastic acceptance by a significant number of religious broadcasters at the NRB expo and as a result DRE expects to have over 100 station broadcasting with FMeXtra by mid year.

FMeXtra radio receivers are based on ST Microelectonic’s state of the art digital radio chip set TDA 7580 and TDA7515. ST’s advanced digital radio technology chip set is the foundation for next generation radios based on DIF (digital intermediate frequency) architecture. DRE's FMeXtra digital radio design using the ST chip set demonstrates the new features and benefits of digital radio and most importantly, at a cost effective price point for the consumer market. The fact that digital radio brings virtually unlimited new features and benefits not realizable with current analog radio design will result in explosive growth for these products
FMextra radios will be produced by Rikei Corporation of Japan. Mr. Katsuei Aoyagi, President & CEO of Rikei Corporation, said, " The fact that DRE's FMeXtra digital subcarrier system is applicable worldwide is of particular importance since Rikei has extensive sales and marketing organization throughout Asia where there is a significant market for this technology".

About Digital Radio Express
Digital Radio Express, Inc. (DRE) is a privately held Silicon Valley based company founded in 1997. DRE has made significant contributions to the development of digital radio broadcast and receiver technology. DRE has been granted numerous patents in wireless digital communications, particularly in the field of AM and FM digital radio broadcasting. DRE is currently focused on bringing its advanced digital communication knowledge to further expand the digitization of the FM spectrum, offering significant performance, economic and novel future application enhancements to FM radio broadcasters. DRE's FMeXtra digital subcarrier technology is a major milestone in expanding digital capabilities for FM radio worldwide. To learn more about DRE go to their web site www.dreinc.com

About ST Microelectornics
ST Microelectronics is a global independent semiconductor company and is a leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivaled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence trends. ST is also an investor in DRE.

About Rikei
Rikei Corporation is a Japanese leading IT/Telecommunications solution supplier with the world's most advanced products and technologies being used as their core. Establishing solid business relationships with world-class companies is one of the founding principles of Rikei Corporation. Rikei, as an authorized representative of DRE in Asia, will develop digital broadcast market with DRE's FMextra digital subcarrier technology.