The new DABmotion ROLA DAB digital radio conversion kit has been released to the trade by UK distributors Celsus, who are keen to highlight key benefits of the next-generation kit.
Initial DABmotion ROLA stocks are scheduled to arrive into the Poole-based in-car entertainment specialist’s European distribution centre ‘within weeks’. With the popular DABmotion DAB1001 now nearly sold out, pre-orders are already being taken for the new DABmotion ROLA kit (part number: DAB1002).
DABmotion ROLA marks the most important release from the fast-growing in-car digital radio brand since the initial DABmotion DAB1001 conversion kit arrived to take the market by storm in July of last year.
The number one change is the replacement of the previous ‘match box’ sized controller with a new ergonomic ROLA wheel RF remote control. This has been custom-designed to locate easily in the palm of one hand, for easy driver operation. The ROLA control also offers extended battery life, audible low battery warning alert, as well as improved button configuration. This assists intuitive navigation of pre-set stations for even faster access to the UK’s growing wealth of digital radio content.
There’s also now a single button to quickly activate the popular AUX IN function on the DABmotion kit, meaning all stored MP3 music is literally at drivers’ fingertips – and now with much improved sound quality. DABmotion ROLA is fully compatible with both DAB and DAB+ for European travel too, whilst the improved antenna can now be more easily mounted on either side of the vehicle windscreen for added flexibility.
Celsus stress that DABmotion ROLA keeps the same fundamental operating principles as the original DABmotion DAB1001 kit, so installers need not do anything different, but benefits from a number of refinements ‘under the hood’. Reception and real-world performance have been noticeably enhanced through rigorous testing over a period of several months. This further refines the existing automatic frequency control (AFC) so DABmotion ROLA stays perfectly tuned and delivers clear audio on the move. Inclusion of the latest chipset technology makes DABmotion ROLA fully compatible with the new government ‘Tick Mark’ increasing sales potential further.
“DABmotion DAB1001 was the first digital radio conversion kit of its kind sold into the UK,” said Mark Baker. “Since then we’ve been working not only with our loyal customers to deliver the right mix of products, training and support needed to maximise the DAB opportunity but also of course with our manufacturer partners to continue to innovate. The result of all of that is DABmotion ROLA”.
On the ‘Tick Mark’ approval Mark added: “DABmotion ROLA is 100% ‘Tick Mark’ approved; this will be clearly shown on all outer packaging. We expect this to become increasingly important as marketing activity from Digital Radio UK intensifies.
“The revisions to the AFC technology have improved performance, alongside the better usability ROLA gives, so we can deliver even more enjoyment to DABmotion users. The pricing policy is simply our vote of thanks to the loyal trade customers who’ve inputted ideas to help improve what was already an award-winning product.”
Despite considerable investment to create the improvements now available in DABmotion ROLA, Celsus say they will continue to take a long-term view on the market opportunity. They are publicly committed to helping maximise the profit opportunity for the growing number of garages and audio specialists developing their digital radio retrofit customer propositions under the DABmotion brand. Keeping the pricing pegged down whilst investing in improving the DABmotion ROLA kit is simply intended to help customers sell even more.
