SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Delphi Team Up to Deliver Live, In-Car Video
Creative Innovation Paves the Way for Car Manufacturers to Offer Live Video to New Car Buyers
LAS VEGAS and NEW YORK, Jan. 7 -- CES -- Today at the Consumer Electronics Show, SIRIUS Satellite Radio , known for delivering the very best in commercial-free music and premium sports programming to cars and homes across the country, and Delphi Corp. , unveiled the next step in the development of in-car mobile video transmission over a satellite radio network. The video feature was demonstrated at a press conference and is being showcased in vehicles driving through the streets of Las Vegas during the week. SIRIUS and Delphi expect to make video service available to car manufacturers within 18 months.
The video delivery capability utilizes SIRIUS' existing infrastructure. More importantly, video reception by SIRIUS will not require any special type of antenna -- the delivery uses the same standard satellite radio antennas available at retailers and at new car dealerships. Through SIRIUS' three-satellite network, the company plans to offer multiple channels of video to complement its more than 100 streams of audio. Additional system components may need to be integrated, depending on the auto manufacturer.
"In addition to offering commercial-free music, news, sports, entertainment and data, video is a very promising service that will provide additional value to SIRIUS subscribers," said Joseph P. Clayton, President and CEO, SIRIUS. "The automobile industry has been increasingly interested in offering value-added entertainment features to their new car buyers. With an industry leading partner like Delphi, we can now offer in-car video to car manufacturers at an affordable price for their customers."
"We are excited to team with SIRIUS to offer the next leap in entertainment delivery for our valued car manufacturing customers," said Jeff Owens, President of Delphi Electronics & Safety. "As the leader in vehicle electronics, we see this technology advancement as key to furthering the products and services we can provide our partners."
Today's consumer options for in-vehicle video are limited to built-in VCRs, DVDs or multi-thousand dollar satellite television applications.
"The outstanding aspect of SIRIUS' video delivery system is not only that's it's fully mobile, but also that it largely utilizes the company's existing infrastructure," added Larry Pesce, Senior Vice President Product Development and Strategic Planning, SIRIUS. "When you visualize a video signal beamed from 23,000 miles out in space and hitting an antenna the size of a small mouse that's moving at highway speeds, then you can begin to see the remarkable achievement this is. And, unlike other proposed mobile systems, SIRIUS video channels will be broadcast from multiple satellites simultaneously, providing time and spatial diversity. The benefit is uninterrupted content whether you're driving under an underpass, or an eighteen-wheeler passes you.
Currently, SIRIUS utilizes its satellite broadcast technology to transmit more than 100 digital streams of entertainment that include 60 streams of 100% commercial-free music, and more than 40 streams of news, sports and entertainment for $12.95 per month. Unlike traditional radio channels, SIRIUS' digital streams can also carry video signals or other data.
About SIRIUS
SIRIUS is the only satellite radio service bringing listeners more than 100 streams of the best music and entertainment coast-to-coast. SIRIUS offers 60 music streams with no commercials, along with over 40 world-class sports, news and entertainment streams for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95, with greater savings for upfront payments of multiple months or a year or more. SIRIUS is also the official satellite radio partner of the NFL. Stream Jockeys create and deliver uncompromised music in virtually every genre to our listeners 24 hours a day. Satellite radio products bringing SIRIUS to listeners in the car, truck, home, RV and boat are manufactured by Kenwood, Panasonic, Clarion and Audiovox, and are available at major retailers including Circuit City, Best Buy, Car Toys, Good Guys, Tweeter, Ultimate Electronics, Sears and Crutchfield. SIRIUS is the leading OEM satellite radio provider, with exclusive partnerships with DaimlerChrysler, Ford and BMW. Automotive brands currently offering SIRIUS radios in select new car models include BMW, MINI, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep(R), Nissan, Infiniti, Mazda, Audi, Ford and Lincoln-Mercury. Automotive brands that have announced plans to offer SIRIUS in select models include Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo, Volkswagen, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Genmar Holdings, the world's largest manufacturer of recreational boats, Formula Boats and Winnebago, the leading supplier of recreational vehicles and motor homes, also offer SIRIUS. Hertz currently offers SIRIUS in 29 vehicle models at 53 major locations around the country.
Click on www.SIRIUS.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to find a SIRIUS retailer or car dealer in your area.
About Delphi
The first satellite radio receiver system for the automotive market was introduced by Delphi in 2001. Since that time, Delphi has continued to expand its in-vehicle and consumer electronics technologies. Delphi has a broad portfolio of products to answer a wide variety of information and entertainment needs. For more information, visit http://www.delphi.com/media.