The DigiCeiver concept developed by Blaupunkt is a revolutionary technology that stands to make a large portion of conventional AM /FM receiver design obsolete. By converting radio signals into digital data, Blaupunkt DigiCeiver® technology offers major improvements in reception capability, sound quality, and convenience compared to conventional radios.

Although so called "digital radios" have been sold for years, these only have numeric frequency displays and use digital oscillators to generate analogue tuning signals. They do not process the signal in a digital form - the signal path is completely analogue from aerial to loudspeaker.

DigiCeiver technology operates in a manner similar to digital audio, but at radio not audio frequencies. Just as analogue sound waves are converted into the bits of digital audio data, DigiCeiver converts analogue radio signals into digital data. Once this is done, digital software is used to produce high quality stereo sound, reduce interference and distortion, extract RDS (Radio Data System) and other data subcarriers, and to provide a high level of digital control over the functioning of the analogue amplification circuitry.

DigiCeiver technology is not to be confused with DAB - digital audio broadcasting. DigiCeivers have advanced circuits for improved reception of conventional radio broadcasting, not the new generation of DAB broadcasting channels.

In addition to improving radio reception, DigiCeiver technology will provide a digital pathway through the radio which enables it to integrate well with other digital signal sources such as CD players, RDS, computers, navigation and other future vehicle systems.

DigiCeiver technology is made possible by the development of high speed A/D (analogue to digital) converters operating at 14.25 MHz, roughly 325 times faster than the A/D converters used for digital audio. This A/D converter digitises the modulated 10.7 MHz IF (intermediate frequency) carrier from the RF front end circuitry. Once this is done, all further filtering, demodulation, and multiplex processing are performed as mathematical calculations in the digital domain. The only analogue circuits are the antenna input RF amplifier, mixer and the first IF filter.

With two integrated circuit chips and digital signal processing software, DigiCeiver eliminates a whole range of conventional radio circuits -- IF filters, IF amplifiers, stereo detectors, demodulators, multiplex filters, RDS detectors, SCA detectors, FM deemphasis, etc. -- all replaced by software code. Furthermore, this code can be reprogrammed as needed to change operating parameters, to fine tune performance or to accommodate new features.

Offering vastly superior station separation, the digital IF filter has automatic, dynamic bandwidth control that adapts instantly and continuously to changes in the signal. In addition, the shape of the IF bandpass has a steep, almost vertical roll-off, compared to the broad, bell-shaped curve of a less selective conventional filter.

To further take advantage of the digital environment, DigiCeiver has digital loudness and tone controls, which can be custom matched to the acoustics of a particular model of car.