# Rio Audio

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{{Short description|Brand name of a line of digital audio players}}
{{Infobox information appliance
|name=Rio Audio
|logo= Rio logo.svg
|image=
|caption=
|lifespan=1998–2005
|developer=[Diamond Multimedia](/source/Diamond_Multimedia) (1998–1999)<br />[SONICblue](/source/SONICblue_Incorporated) (1999–2003)<br />[D&M Holdings](/source/D%26M_Holdings) (2003–2005)
|type=[Digital audio player](/source/Digital_audio_player)s (DAP)
|units_sold=
| storage =
| related =
|website=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050104020207/http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/shop/category.asp?cat=35 Rio Audio (archived January 4, 2005)]<br />[https://web.archive.org/web/20040713000711/http://www.rioaudio.jp:80/ Rio Japan (archived July 13, 2004)]
}}
'''Rio''' was a line of [digital audio player](/source/digital_audio_player)s and related audio products. Its first release, the [Rio PMP300](/source/Rio_PMP300) [digital music player](/source/Portable_media_player) (also known colloquially as simply the ["Diamond Rio"](/source/Rio_PMP300)), released by [Diamond Multimedia](/source/Diamond_Multimedia) in 1998, was one of the earliest notable and commercially successful devices in its category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diamond Rio model PMP300 portable MP3 player |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1851035 |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=National Museum of American History |language=en}}</ref> It also became known as the target of an early [lawsuit](/source/RIAA_v._Diamond) regarding the legality of such devices. Following the PMP300, various music players were released under the Rio brand name by a number of companies until the brand was retired in 2005.

==History==
thumb|left|upright=.6|The Rio PMP300
Rio was originally a brand of California based [Diamond Multimedia](/source/Diamond_Multimedia). Rio Audio was best known for producing the [Rio PMP300](/source/Rio_PMP300) model that was the impetus for [a lawsuit](/source/RIAA_v._Diamond) in 1998 by the [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America).<ref name=mp3>{{cite book |last=Hart-Davis |first=Guy |author2=Rhonda Holmes |title=MP3 Complete |publisher=Sybex |location=San Francisco |year=2001 |isbn=0-7821-2899-8 |page= 613 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sandler|first=Adam|date=1998-10-12|title=RIAA sues to stop Rio sales|url=https://variety.com/1998/music/news/riaa-sues-to-stop-rio-sales-1117481324/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-09|website=Variety|language=en}}</ref> That lawsuit eventually failed,<ref name=mp3/> leading the way for the portable digital music industry to take off.

Diamond Multimedia merged with [S3 Graphics](/source/S3_Graphics) in 1999 - the resulting company was renamed [SONICblue](/source/SONICblue_Incorporated). Rio, Inc., a subsidiary of SONICblue, was formed in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/rio-800-le-nouveau-baladeur-mp3-2061928.htm |title=Rio 800, le nouveau baladeur MP3 |date=23 December 2000 }}</ref> The company referred to itself as Rio Digital Audio<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/top-execs-to-launch-slacker-inc-1326039/ |title=Top Execs to Launch Slacker Inc |magazine=[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) }}</ref>{{mdash}}{{tsp}}in later years this changed to simply Rio Audio. During this time, Rio's president was Jim Cady.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/08/technology/news-watch-a-new-music-player-marries-mp3-s-with-cd-s.html |title=NEWS WATCH; A New Music Player Marries MP3's with CD's |newspaper=The New York Times |date=8 February 2001 |last1=Marriott |first1=Michel }}</ref>

On March 21, 2003, SONICblue filed for [Chapter 11](/source/Chapter_11) bankruptcy protection and then sold off its main product lines; Rio Audio was sold to Japanese firm [D&M Holdings](/source/D%26M_Holdings),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/160366/sonicblue-3.html |title=Rio maker SONICblue files for bankruptcy protection }}</ref> which owned audio brands such as [Denon](/source/Denon), forming part of their Digital Networks North America subsidiary. Rio Audio was based in [Santa Clara, California](/source/Santa_Clara%2C_California).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/rio-audio-to-launch-rio-carbon-player--446861 |title=Telecompaper }}</ref> Its president from that time until March 2004 was Jeffrey Hastings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://content.edgar-online.com/ExternalLink/EDGAR/0001193125-17-286740.html?hash=75360083e4f446bbe9e3e7fa67e7d8451cae60865b195e2778d8498908e8de98&dest=D403225DEX41_HTM#D403225DEX41_HTM |title=ROKU, INC (Form: S-1/A, Received: 09/18/2017 06:11:53) }}</ref>

Like some other competitors in the digital audio player business, the Rio brand was unable to compete effectively against Apple's dominant [iPod](/source/iPod) series of audio players.<ref>{{cite news|last=Turi|first=Jon|title=Gadget Rewind 2004: Rio Carbon|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/04/12/gadget-rewind-2004-rio-carbon/|accessdate=13 April 2014|newspaper=[Engadget](/source/Engadget)|date=12 April 2014}}</ref> 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](/source/SigmaTel) the month before.<ref>{{cite press release |title=D&M Holdings Inc. to Exit Mass-Market Portable Digital Audio Player Business |publisher=D&M Holdings Inc. |date=2005-08-26 |accessdate=2008-04-17 |url=http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/company/press.asp?ID=614 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201191338/http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/company/press.asp?ID=614 |archivedate=2014-02-01 }}</ref> The Rio brand and trademarks were retained by D&M Holdings.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ipoddailynews.com/index.php/ipoddailynews/comments/more_blood_on_apple_ipods_click_wheel_rio_is_dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122175645/http://www.ipoddailynews.com/index.php/ipoddailynews/comments/more_blood_on_apple_ipods_click_wheel_rio_is_dead |archive-date=2005-11-22 |title=More blood on Apple iPod's Click Wheel: Rio is dead |website=iPodDailyNews |date=August 26, 2005 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

==Products==
[[File:Rio 500.jpg|thumb|upright=.6|[Rio 500](/source/Rio_500), Rio's second player (1999)]]
[[File:"Rioport" earbuds from the Rio 500 music player (cropped).jpg|thumb|"Rioport" [earbud](/source/earbud)s from the [Rio 500](/source/Rio_500) music player]]
thumb|upright=.6|Rio 800 (2000)
[[File:Rio Audio - Rio Carbon 5GB Player.jpg|thumb|The [Rio Carbon](/source/Rio_Carbon) 5 GB HDD player (2004)]]

===Rio USA===
;Portable digital audio players<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mobile-review.com/mp3/articles/rio.shtml|title=Mobile-review.com История торговой марки Rio Audio|website=mobile-review.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! style="width: 20pt;"| Release Year
! Player !! Memory type
!Memory space
! style="width: 10pt;"|Display backlight
! style="width: 10pt;"|WMA
! style="width: 10pt;"|FM radio
! style="width: 10pt;"|Voice recording
! style="width: 10pt;"|Battery type
!Notes
|-
|1998
| [Rio PMP300](/source/Rio_PMP300)|| rowspan="10" |Flash
|32 MB + [SmartMedia](/source/SmartMedia)
|No
|No
|No
|No
|[AA](/source/AA_battery)
|
|-
|1999
| [Rio 500](/source/Rio_500)
|64 MB + SmartMedia
|Yes
|No
|No
|No
|AA
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2000
| Rio 600
|32 MB/64 MB + "Backpack"
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|AA
|
|-
| Rio 800 (incl. 800 Extreme)
|128/256 MB + "Backpack"
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|[Li-ion](/source/Lithium-ion_battery)
|
|-
|2001
| Rio One
|32 MB + SmartMedia
|No
|Yes
|No
|No
|AA
|Silver PMP300 design with updated internals
|-
| rowspan="6" |2002
| Rio 900
|192 MB + "Backpack"
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|Li-ion
|Stripped down Rio 800
|-
|Rio S10
|64 MB + [MMC](/source/MultiMediaCard)
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|AA
|
|-
| Rio S50
|128 MB + MMC
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|AA
|
|-
| Rio S30S
|64 MB + MMC
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|[AAA](/source/AAA_battery)
|Sports-oriented
|-
|Rio S35S
|128 MB + MMC
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|AAA
|Sports-oriented
|-
|[Rio Riot](/source/Rio_Riot)
|Hard disk
|20 GB
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Li-ion
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |2003
|Rio Fuse
| rowspan="3" |Flash
|128 MB
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|AAA
|Keychain style
|-
|Rio Cali (Sport)
| rowspan="2" |128/256 MB + MMC/SD
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|AAA
| rowspan="2" |Successors to the S series
|-
|Rio Chiba
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|AAA
|-
| Rio Nitrus (incl. Nitrus-S) || rowspan="4" |Hard disk
|1.5 GB
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|Li-ion
|
|-
| [Rio Karma](/source/Rio_Karma)
|20 GB
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|Li-ion
|Also supports [Ogg Vorbis](/source/Ogg_Vorbis) and [FLAC](/source/FLAC) playback
|-
| rowspan="3" |2004
| [Rio Carbon](/source/Rio_Carbon) (inc. Carbon Pearl)
|4 GB
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|Li-ion
|Upgraded Nitrus with faster drive
|-
|Rio ce2100/ce2110
|2.5 GB
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|Li-ion
|Similar to Carbon, but no microphone
|-
| [Rio Forge](/source/Rio_Forge)|| Flash
|128/256/512 MB + MMC/SD
|Yes
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|AAA
|Successor to the Cali/Chiba. Also has FM radio recording.
|}
thumb|The Rio Chiba (2003)

;Portable CD players
thumb|RioVolt SP250
*[RioVolt SP50](/source/RioVolt_SP50)
*[RioVolt SP60](/source/RioVolt_SP60)
*[RioVolt SP65](/source/RioVolt_SP65)
*[RioVolt SP90](/source/RioVolt_SP90)
*[RioVolt SP100](/source/RioVolt_SP100)
*[RioVolt SP150](/source/RioVolt_SP150)
*[RioVolt SP250](/source/RioVolt_SP250)
*[RioVolt SP350](/source/RioVolt_SP350)

;Home audio players
*[Rio HT-2030](/source/Rio_HT-2030)
*[Rio Central](/source/Rio_Central) (aka HSX-109)
*[Rio EX-1000](/source/Rio_EX-1000)
*[Rio Receiver](/source/Rio_Receiver)

;Car audio players
*[Rio Car](/source/Empeg_Car) (aka Empeg Car)

===Rio Japan===
thumb|Rio su40 for the Japanese market
*[Rio DR30](/source/Rio_DR30) (OEM BeatSounds EVR150)
*[Rio SU10](/source/Rio_SU10) (OEM A-MAX Technology PA30A)
*[Rio SU30](/source/Rio_SU30) (OEM i-BEAD i-BEAD100)
*[Rio SU35](/source/Rio_SU35) (OEM AVC Technology Si-100)
*[Rio SU40](/source/Rio_SU40) (OEM i-BEAD i-BEAD200)
*[Rio SU70](/source/Rio_SU70) (OEM M-CODY MX-100)
*[Rio Unite 130](/source/Rio_Unite_130) (OEM M-CODY MX-250)
*[Rio SU15-KJ](/source/Rio_SU15-KJ) (OEM AVC Technology)
*[Rio Si-200C](/source/Rio_Si-200C) (OEM AVC Technology)
*[Rio Si-300C](/source/Rio_Si-300C) (OEM AVC Technology)
*[Rio LIVE air](/source/Rio_LIVE_air)
*[Rio LIVE mini](/source/Rio_LIVE_mini)
*[Rio LIVE gear](/source/Rio_LIVE_gear) (OEM Foster)

===Rio OEM models===
*[Nike PSA Play 60](/source/Nike_PSA_Play_60)
*[Nike PSA Play 120](/source/Nike_PSA_Play_120)
*[ESA S11](/source/ESA_S11)
*[Motorola M25](/source/Motorola_M25)
*[Motorola M500](/source/Motorola_M500)
*[Dell Digital Audio Receiver](/source/Dell_Digital_Audio_Receiver)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rio (Digital Audio Players)}}
Category:Digital audio players
Category:Consumer electronics brands

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rio Audio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Audio) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Audio?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.