Rio (digital audio players)

Rio was the brand name of a line of digital audio players, best known for producing the "Diamond Rio" model that was the impetus for a lawsuit in 1998 by the Recording Industry Association of America.[1][2] That lawsuit eventually failed,[1] leading the way for the portable digital music industry to take off.

Rio was originally a brand of Diamond Multimedia, which merged with S3 Graphics in 1999. The resulting company was renamed SONICblue. On March 21, 2003, SONICblue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and then sold off its main product lines; Rio was sold to Japanese firm D&M Holdings, forming part of their Digital Networks North America subsidiary.

Like other competitors in the digital audio player business, such as Microsoft's Zune, the Rio brand was unable to compete effectively against Apple's dominant iPod series of audio players.[3] In August 2005, D&M Holdings announced the discontinuation of its production of audio players, after it had licensed its digital audio software technology to chipmaker SigmaTel the month before.[4]

Products
Rio PMP300
Rio 500
Rio 800
Rio su40
The Rio Chiba with 256 MB built in storage and SD Card expansion.
The Rio Forge with 256 MB built in storage and SD Card expansion.
Rio USA (portable audio players)
Rio USA (home audio players)
  • Rio HT-2030
  • Rio Central (aka HSX-109)
  • Rio EX-1000
  • Rio Receiver
Rio Japan
  • Rio DR30 (OEM BeatSounds EVR150)
  • Rio SU10 (OEM A-MAX Technology PA30A)
  • Rio SU30 (OEM i-BEAD i-BEAD100)
  • Rio SU35 (OEM AVC Technology Si-100)
  • Rio SU40 (OEM i-BEAD i-BEAD200)
  • Rio SU70 (OEM M-CODY MX-100)
  • Rio Unite 130 (OEM M-CODY MX-250)
  • Rio SU15-KJ (OEM AVC Technology)
  • Rio Si-200C (OEM AVC Technology)
  • Rio Si-300C (OEM AVC Technology)
  • Rio LIVE air
  • Rio LIVE mini
  • Rio LIVE gear (OEM Foster)
Rio OEM models
  • Nike PSA Play 60
  • Nike PSA Play 120
  • ESA S11
  • Motorola M25
  • Motorola M500
  • Dell Digital Audio Receiver

References
  1. Hart-Davis, Guy; Rhonda Holmes (2001). MP3 Complete. San Francisco: Sybex. p. 613. ISBN 0-7821-2899-8.
  2. Sandler, Adam (1998-10-12). "RIAA sues to stop Rio sales". Variety. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  3. Turi, Jon (12 April 2014). "Gadget Rewind 2004: Rio Carbon". Engadget. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  4. "D&M Holdings Inc. to Exit Mass-Market Portable Digital Audio Player Business" (Press release). D&M Holdings Inc. 2005-08-26. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2008-04-17.


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