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 Our Thinking Invro FM Radio Invro Earpiece Radio |
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Answers- Can the Invro FM Radio receive AM broadcasts?
Yes, but for really good AM reception a more expensive power module needs to be used.
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- Can the Invro FM Radio receive short-wave broadcasts?
Not yet. If there was serious demand for this facility we would produce a power module for use with shortwave receivers, but since shortwave is a form of AM reception the module would be more expensive than an FM-only module.
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- Can the Invro FM Radio use any single-cell (1.5 Volt) battery?
Yes. It can run on a D, C, AA, or AAA battery provided a suitable battery holder is fitted. The battery can be alkaline, zinc-chloride or zinc-carbon. As long as the battery has even a little life left in it, the radio will operate normally.
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- Aren't low power consumption earphone radios already available that can run from a single cell (1.5V battery)?
Yes, but they cannot drive a loudspeaker. That requires a higher voltage which we generate in the Power Module.
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- Can you fit a battery holder that will accommodate AAA, AA, C, and D size batteries?
We would like to do that and we are presently trying to source such a battery holder.
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- The radio appears to be simple to use. Is this deliberate?
Yes. There are many features which can be added – different types of controls and multiple power sources – but we think it best to get the basic FM radio established first so that the impact of the basic concept can be judged, free of complicating factors.
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- The loudspeaker in the demonstration radio looks quite large. Is it essential to use a loudspeaker of this size?
It is not essential but advisable. A loudspeaker of this size (10 cm diameter) couples well with the air, aiding power efficiency. We are happy to help with loudspeaker selection.
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- How does the Power Module work?
The module processes the power from the battery so that it is delivered to all parts of the radio at the voltage required for maximum efficiency and minimum power consumption. The module also contains a highly efficient audio amplifier to drive the loudspeaker.
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- Can the Power Module turn any FM radio into a low power consumption radio?
Almost. For maximum benefit though it may be necessary to change the receiver chip to one that we recommend because its power consumption is especially low.
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- Is the Power Module patented?
Yes.
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- The radio cost includes the cost of the Power Module. How long does it take recover this in the money saved on battery purchase?
It depends how much the radio is used each day. With heavy usage the payback time is shorter. It also depends on battery cost, which can vary quite a bit from country to country, and depends on the price of the radio to the user. In wealthy nations the radios will be sold through normal retail routes with the final price including all the mark-ups of each stage of distribution. In developing countries, we hope the radios can be delivered to the end user in the most efficient way possible with minimum add-on costs. The burden of buying batteries is then minimal, even in areas and societies in which the price of a battery can be a significant part of a daily wage.
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- Does the radio performance decline as the battery voltage falls?
Absolutely not! This is a significant advantage of the Invro FM Radio. As long as the battery still has some energy left the radio will provide normal reception and normal volume.
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- Is this invention backed up by research?
Yes. The University of Bristol, U.K., has been researching this technology for a number of years. This technology is licensed to Invro Ltd. for commercialisation. Invro Ltd.
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- What is the research behind this invention?
We have shown that using special techniques, it is possible to use a form of power processing and audio amplification in a radio that would not normally be compatible with radio reception. The benefits of using this technology are very low power consumption.
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- Is there room for improvement?
Of course! We have a programme of continues improvement, to squeeze out cost, improve the acoustic performance and appearance of the case, reduce the size of the Power Module, and generally investigate what other advances we might make.
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- Do you plan to produce radios in the U.K?
Only in pilot quantities. Manufacturers in the Far East, and China in particular have access to low cost components which allow them to produce complete radios very economically. We may initially undertake Power Module production in the U.K.
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- What is the future for FM broadcasting? Won't it be replaced by digital radio?
We don't think so. Digital radio (DAB) is inherently power hungry. Because of the way DAB signals are transmitted the electronics used in a DAB receiver has to be of a very high quality and consume a lot of power. FM reception, on the other hand can be accomplished with a relatively simple circuit and as we have demonstrated with the Invro FM Radio can be achieved with very little power consumption. If FM broadcasting stopped a great section of the world's population would be disenfranchised from affordable broadcasting.
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- What is the future for AM broadcasting?
AM broadcasting will probably survive because as with FM receivers are cheap and, as with FM, receiver power consumption can be made low. But AM sound quality is inferior to FM and the transmitters generally consume a lot of power since they are usually broadcasting to a large geographical area (e.g. to a whole country). FM broadcast from multiple low-power repeater transmitters can meet the requirements of nationwide broadcasting as well as retransmitting stations available from satellites or the internet. In all these cases the quality of sound achieved with FM broadcasting is compatible with the original broadcast method, a quality that AM broadcast cannot hope to achieve.
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- How many stations can be accommodated in the FM broadcast band?
As many as 50 stations could be accommodated in the normal FM band.
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- How much power does an FM transmitter use?
It depends on the range you are seeking and on how well the transmitter is sited - an elevated position being best. As a rough guide, a 20W transmitter could have a range of 6 km, enough to cover a town.
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FAQs 
Re: Invro FM
Radio