Imagine being able to listen to music that’s been beamed from the other side of the world and plays perfectly in your car radio without interference or interruption. That’s what satellite radio, also known as digital radio, offers. It’s near CD quality music broadcast from space, and it’s accompanied by a wide range of programming and virtually no advertisements. Both Sirius and XM, which merged in 2008, offer satellite radio services to millions of subscribers who pay monthly subscriptions for access to this unique entertainment option.
The roots of satellite radio go back to 1990, when ex-NASA engineer Robert Briskman founded a company called Satellite CD Radio in Washington, D.C. The firm secured a broadcast license in an FCC auction and started offering service in September of that year, partnering with carmakers like GM, Ford, Honda, and Toyota to get their product into vehicles.
A specialized processor in the receiver converts the satellite signals into digital audio and outputs it over a Serial Peripheral Interface. A 16MB SDRAM memory buffers four seconds of one of the two satellite signals to bring them into time coincidence for maximal-ratio combining.
As more and more cars were equipped with satellite radio, the market for specialized portable receivers grew. Products such as the Delphi MyFi and the Giant International Tao have built-in antennas, rechargeable batteries, and a small form factor that makes them ideal for use on the road. They’re also great for RVs and boats, where you can take your favorite Sirius or XM stations with you and enjoy all the programming you want, anywhere in the country.
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