Kenwood Launching Industry's First HD Radio with Built-In FM Multicasting

LONG BEACH, Calif.--Sept. 6, 2005--With the growing interest in Multicasting FM broadcasts in the U.S., Kenwood USA Corp. is now shipping the new KTC-HR100TR HD Radio(TM) auto sound tuner, the first in the industry built from scratch to feature FM Multicasting. The new external HD Radio Tuner is easy to connect with most Kenwood in-dash receivers and is completely feature-compatible with the KTC-HR100MC.

The eagerly anticipated Multicasting feature supports the simultaneous broadcast of three or more independent audio and text streams on a single FM frequency and will indicate the station name, artist and song title on the head unit display. Multicasting allows a radio station to broadcast multiple genres of music, as well as weather and traffic information from a single FM frequency.

In a recent statement, Mike Bergman, vice president of New Digital Technologies for Kenwood USA Corp. said: "Multicasting is the future of the FM dial. The KTC-HR100TR is available in volumes and shipping now to help enable this revolution in broadcasting." Currently over 500 stations nationwide are on the air with HD Radio technology and hundreds more are expected to be broadcasting by the end of 2005, according to Jeffery Jury, chief operating officer of iBiquity Digital Corp., the company that licenses HD Radio technology. Jury estimates that the majority of FM digital stations will offer multicasting programming as they deploy the HD Radio system.

Kenwood helped usher in the Multicasting feature of iBiquity Digital Corp.'s HD Radio technology by partnering with National Public Radio and Harris Corp. and as a result, the KTC-HR100TR will display the NPR Multicast(sm) logo, also known as Tomorrow Radio(sm). "Several broadcasters are launching Multicasting services even as we speak," said Mike Starling, NPR's vice president for engineering and operations. "With Kenwood making the first receivers available, the picture is complete and we're officially in the Multicasting era."

The KTC-HR100TR receiver was tested extensively by Kenwood, iBiquity and NPR. It is iBiquity certified for HD Radio, and according to Starling: "The Kenwood product is the first HD Radio receiver to be granted NPR Multicast(sm) certification. We are pleased Kenwood has included the NPR Multicast(sm) logo on this ground breaking product."

The KTC-HR100TR tuner can connect with over 40 current Kenwood mobile audio receivers, mobile video receivers, and controllers to provide HD Radio with Multicasting. Models supported go back to the 2003 model year, and display the "HD Radio-Ready" logo. Well over 1 million cars have Kenwood head units that will work with the KTC-HR100TR. The KTC-HR100TR will replace the company's KTC-HR100MC HD Radio. Although it is intended for consumers, the KTC-HR100TR also includes the same "Broadcaster Mode" feature as the KTC-HR100MC and KTC-HR100, for stations to use in calibrating broadcasts.

The new KTC-HR100TR is available now with a suggested retail price of $480.

The HD Radio, HD and HD Radio-Ready symbols are registered trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.

Kenwood Corporate Information

Founded in 1961, Kenwood USA Corp. is a leading developer and manufacturer of audio and video products for home, car, and personal use. Offering more than 250 products, Kenwood is one of the three largest selling brands of audio and video entertainment products in the United States and is recognized by consumers and the consumer electronics industry for providing superior quality, reliability and value.

Kenwood Communications, based in Suwanee, Ga., established in 1983, maintains a leadership position in North and South America for mobile and portable two-way radios and custom systems. Clients include prominent federal, state and local government agencies and first responders and private industry including manufacturing, contracting, security, hospitality and education. Kenwood USA Corp., based in Long Beach, is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corp. (Japan).