This handbook is intended to give the broadcast industry an authoritative guide to the Radio Data System (RDS), also called Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS). Since the standard's adoption, about 700 stations have begun broadcasting RDS in the United States. There is a wide variety of encoding equipment with prices starting as low as $400, and over 30 models of RDS receivers have been introduced for
cars, home receivers, portable and even PC receivers. Automobile manufacturer's such as General Motors, Ford, Audi, and Porsch now offer RDS on new vehicles. Yet despite all the support equipment in place, the FM broadcaster has been reluctant to implement and utilize this service, mainly because of a lack of understanding of what RDS can do for the station.