The DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau) produces a monthly news bulletin designed to keep all those in the DAB digital radio chain informed and updated on the latest developments in the industry.
Look out for....
The DRDB’s consumer website, www.digitalradionow.com, is relaunching in October with a new design and new functions to make buying a DAB digital radio even easier for consumers. Watch out for it!
Ofcom supports DAB in the UK and Europe
At the Social Market Foundation seminar on Digital Radio in September, Stephen Carter, chief executive of Ofcom, the government division responsible for legislation of radio in the UK, said:
* "DAB is now really beginning to take off"
* "Digital Radio sets may now be on the long sharp up-stroke of the typical ’S-curve’"
* Ofcom research shows that owners of DAB digital radio found that it exceeded their expectations:
They expected better sound but hadn’t known how much better
They expected more channels but hadn’t known how many more
They expected ease of use, but hadn’t known how easy it would be to use
* On the question of analogue switch-off, Ofcom believes "there needs to be a sufficient combination of services, technology, simplicity and price or discount, to provide a value proposition for the consumer. We believe that digital radio is likely to be able to meet those conditions, and we will do what we can to help that process."
Carter said that Ofcom "will be actively engaged in facilitating the drive to digital radio."
He added: "Critical volume mass will require action at a European level. Parts of Europe are going through the same uncertainty point that hit DTTV. Ofcom will use all its powers of advocacy and persuasion for digital radio in Europe, alongside government and the industry."
Market Update * Cumulative penetration of DAB digital radios in the UK is 682,000 to the end of July 2004
* Awareness of DAB in the UK is at 52% to the end of August 2004, up eight percentage points in six months, and up 18 percentage points in 12 months
* There are now more than 100 different DAB digital radio products available in the UK, made by 43 different manufacturers
* There are 161 different radio brands brodcasting 398 services on DAB in the UK. Of these 398 services, 217 are only available with a DAB digital radio and the rest are simulcasts of FM services.
Product News
August and September have seen more than 20 new DAB digital radio products launched in the UK market. Check below for details:
New range from Intempo
* Intempo’s latest DAB digital radios - the KT-01, the KTB-01,and the KTC-01, are all FM/DAB radios operated by mains or battery and priced around £79.99. Available in pink, grey and cream respectively.
PURE Digital’s Evoke upgrade
* PURE Digital launched the PURE EVOKE-1XT DAB digital radio, the enhanced follow-up to the EVOKE-1, available at around £99.
Hi-fi tuner from Cambridge Audio
* The Azur 640T is the latest hi-fi tuner from Cambridge Audio priced around £199.
Perstel moves into kitchen
* Perstel has extended its DAB range with the launch of its first kitchen radio, the tri-band DR-601 at a pricepoint of around £119.
Hitachi and Dixons
* New Hitachi products exclusively available from Dixons and Currys include:
The KH-35D, a kitchen radio with FM/DAB and pause, rewind, record technology available for £129
The CD500 boombox with DAB/FM/AM, cassette and CD at £129
The KH1000 kitchen radio with DAB/FM at £129.
CD500 Boombox
Goodmans extends range
Four new products from Goodmans in store since August include:
* The 1104 DAB only, CD micro hi-fi system at around £90
* The DAB500 DAB only, CD micro-hi-fi system, exclusive to Comet at around £90
* The GPS285DAB boombox with DAB/FM/AM, CD and cassette priced around £99
* The GSR75WDAB kitchen radio, DAB only at £79
GPS285DAB
New PausePlus radios from Roberts
Roberts Radio continues to expand its range of DAB digital radios with three new products. All come with the company’s PausePlus technology allowing listeners to pause, rewind and record live radio:
* Gemini 1 at around £199
* Gemini 7 at around £139
* Gemini 8 at around £159
Roberts Gemini 1B
Panasonic micro system
The Panasonic SC-EN9 is also new to the market since the last newsletter. This comprehensive product delivers DAB/FM, CD, MP3, CD-R/RW for around £167.
Philips boombox
Philips adds to its DAB range with the launch of the DAB AZ6000 boombox with DAB and FM reception plus CD-R/RW compatible CD player. Priced around £149
New manufacturers in the market
Other products coming to market in August and September include several from manufacturers new to the DAB world:
* Ferguson FRG810D handheld DAB/FM radio, exclusive to Dixons and available for around £159
* Crown launched the first of a reported range of DAB radios in September with the CDR140 kitchen radio. DAB and FM, mains only for around £65
* Harman Kardon’s TU970 FM/DAB hi-fi tuner marks that company’s entry into DAB at a price of around £300
* Orbit comes to market with the Escapade kitchen radio delivering DAB and FM for around £129
* A hi-fi tuner from Technisat is now available for around £125
Vauxhall fits as standard
Vauxhall has launched an additional model into its new Astra range, the SXi Digital. The first car in its class to offer DAB digital radio as standard.
The impressive CDC40 infotainment system comes as standard fitment and incorporates a six-CD changer, seven-band graphic equaliser and seven-speaker system as well as a DAB digital radio.
The launch was supported by a four-week on-air advertising campaign across 265 analogue radio stations.
Vauxhall has also rolled out DAB as a factory-fitted option across the Vectra, Corsa, Meriva, Signum, Corsavan and Combo.
In addition, several models of the Vectra - the Design, Elite and GSi - come with DAB digital radio as a factory-fitted standard.
A big screen and intuitive controls on the Vauxhall DAB digital radio
Own brand DAB digital radio for Sainsbury’s
Leading UK supermarket, Sainsbury’s, launches an exclusive DAB digital radio under its new RED (For Living Life) brand.
The RED DB7 DAB digital radio appears on Sainsbury’s shelves in September/October and is the first product in the group’s new, generic home brand for selected consumer electronics products. Sainsbury’s is the first supermarket to launch an own-brand DAB digital radio.
The radio was conceived and designed in the UK exclusively for Sainsbury’s by Apro Technology Ltd, who worked closely with the company to deliver the first ever design led consumer electronics product project undertaken by Sainsbury’s Supermarkets.
Mains or battery operated the RED DB7 delivers both FM and DAB reception and will retail at around £79 in Sainsbury’s stores within DAB coverage.
More coverage, new multiplex
DAB digital radio coverage is now 86% for Digital One’s national commercial multiplex, and nearly 85% for the national BBC multiplex.
New transmitters in the west mean listeners in Winchester and Bristol can now enjoy national BBC digital stations.
Local multiplex operator NOW Digital has added listeners in Essex with a new transmitter in Sudbury.
On September 30, NOW Digital launches a new local multiplex broadcasting to 265,000 people in the Cambridgeshire area with six stations on air:
Q103FM, The Storm, Vibe FM, Smash Hits, Zeta Digital, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. An Access Channel for community radio will join the multiplex later.
News from Frontier Silicon
Frontier Silicon says it has now shipped one million of its DAB digital radio system-on-chip devices, the Chorus IC. The chip and derivative module products are currently at the heart of over 50 different digital radio products that enable DAB functionality, including those made by TEAC, Philips, Grundig, Hitachi, Sharp, Sony, Roberts and PURE Digital.
EPG update
UBC reports the first international trials are about to launch in the UK and Canada using an open EPG standard developed by the WorldDAB EPG Task Force, chaired by Unique Interactive’s Chris Gould.
Taking part will be public and private broadcasters, network operators and chipset and receiver manufacturers from the UK, Canada, Sweden and Germany.
For the purposes of the trial the prototype receivers will test the specification in a real-life environment. It is hoped that by the end of 2004 the EPG specification will be completed, paving the way for broadcasters around the world to launch standard EPG services.
At the IBC trade show in Amsterdam this month, both RadioScape and Ensigma, a division of Imagination Technologies, were separately demonstrating their EPG solutions for DAB Digital Radio.
RADIOSCAPE RadioScape demonstrated a complete EPG solution using the latest version (v5) of its Professional Broadcast System, received and displayed using RadioScape’s recently launched RS300L™ DAB module.
An EPG makes personal audio recording possible by using the information on forthcoming programmes displayed on the EPG screen to automatically schedule the recording facility of the RS300L to store programmes for later listening. The RS300L uses commercially available MMC and SD removable memory cards giving potentially hours of recording time. A USB connection is also available which enables audio to be transferred or streamed to a PC, as well as enabling the PC to control the receiver if required.
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ENSIGMA
Ensigma’s EPG receiver and front-end software enables users to browse programmes for a single station or all programmes on at a particular time, and to select them for scheduled listening or recording to SD memory card.
The EPG enables radio listeners to search the listings of digital stations they receive, then select a programme, or set a reminder up to seven days in advance.
ENDS
September 23, 2004
The Digital Radio Development Bureau is funded and supported by BBC, Digital One, Emap Digital Radio, CE Digital, MXR, Capital Digital and Now-Digital. The DRDB's task is to ensure digital radio's wide accessibility and swift adoption in the UK with consistent and effective marketing.
Visit the DRDB's consumer web site www.digitalradionow.com, or our Business to Business site, www.drdb.org.
If you have any news you would like included in the next DRDB news bulletin, please email mandy@drdb.org
If you do not wish to receive future copies of this news bulletin please email mandy@drdb.org
Mandy Green
Press and Publicity Manager
DRDB
The Radiocentre
77 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DU
020 7306 2636
07973 184995