Stateline, Nev. – OEM integration
supplier
and
tabletop Internet radio supplier
are teaming up to offer aftermarket integration kits that will enable a
vehicle’s factory-installed sound system to play thousands of Internet radio
stations through a connected iPhone.
At January’s International CES, Dice
and Livio will launch a Livio Car Internet Radio app and an optional user-installable
firmware upgrade for new Duo and MediaBridge vehicle-specific integration kits.
When the upgraded kits are added to select factory radios, users will be able
to select, display and play thousands of Internet radio stations through an
iPhone connected to the kits via USB cable.
Upgraded MediaBridge kits will be
available for Acura, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Scion, BMW, Mini, Nissan, VW and
Audi vehicles. The Duo will be designed for BMW, Mini, Toyota, Scion, Lexus,
Honda, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti, Mazda, and VW.
The Duo and MediaBridge kits will
be rolled out beginning early January, with kits for all of the above vehicles
available in the first quarter.
The Silverline Duo integration
kits enable factory-head control of both an iPod/iPhone and a Sirius satellite
tuner. In the top-end Media Bridge kits, Dice adds USB control of other-brand
MP3 players, playback of music files stored on USB drives in various formats,
and included stereo Bluetooth with hands-free capability. It also captures the
PCM audio output of an iPod/iPhone, whereas the new Duo captures analog audio.
The downloadable Dice firmware
and the Livio Car Internet Radio app will be available in the first quarter at
a price to be announced. The Duo and MediaBridge are user-updatable via USB.
The Duo kits will retail for a
suggested $189 and begin shipping in January. Upgradable versions of the
company’s currently available MediaBridge kits will retail for a suggested $299
and ship in the first quarter.
Both the Media Bridge and Duo
kits feature built-in translator to convert the Sirius protocol to the protocol
used by OEM entertainment systems.
