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.
Product News
PHILIPS
The Philips DA1000 handheld DAB digital radio launched at the end of February. It’s the first DAB product from Philips and features FM reception as well as DAB. Priced at £149, its two rechargeable AA batteries deliver up to ten hours of listening.
BUSH
Also new for February is the PSDAB2003 handheld from Bush. Smaller than a pack of cards, it’s the latest in the Bush range of DAB radios that includes a clock radio and a retro portable model. The PSDAB2003 is DAB only and delivers up to 12 hours of continuous listening via two AA batteries. It’s priced at around £99.99.
PURE DIGITAL
Coming later this year from PURE Digital is a mini-hi-fi system with a difference. The Legato breaks new ground for this form factor delivering DAB, FM, CD and MP3 playback, along with features such as Pause and Rewind. Priced at £349.99, Legato was launched at the Bristol Hi-fi show in February and is expected in stores this summer.
SHARP
Japanese manufacturer Sharp will launch a kitchen portable-style DAB radio in the UK in the second quarter of 2004, to be followed by a wider range of products later in the year and into 2005.
In Car News
Following last month’s news that Lotus is offering the Blaupunkt Woodstock DAB53 digital radio as an upgrade on the new Elise 111R, several other car manufacturers have announced a similar upgrade option.
Vauxhall’s New Astra and two models of the new Daewoo Lacetti are also available with DAB digital radio as an upgrade.
Daewoo is offering visitors to special showroom launch evenings the chance to win an Acoustic Solutions Portal 2 DAB radio for home use.
Marketing News
Virgin Radio has teamed up with DAB manufacturer Intempo, for a unique give away that will run until the end of 2004. The national UK rock and roll station will give away £50,000 worth of Intempo DAB digital radio sets across the year.
Technology News
DAB technology has enjoyed a surge of new developments in February/March.
TRI-BAND MODULES
New low cost tri-band digital radio modules were announced by both Frontier Silicon and RadioScape. The new modules will support DAB Band III and L Band, as well as FM radio with RDS and should enable inexpensive DAB receivers to become available across Europe.
DMB SUPPORT
Both Frontier Silicon and RadioScape also announced their support of the DMB specification (Digital Multimedia Broadcast) which will enable broadcasts of video and audio through hand-held terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs.
Both companies were part of the WorldDAB stand at 3GSM World Congress demonstrating the latest technology for mobile DAB.
Frontier Silcon teamed up with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to produce a miniature low power DAB receiver module specifically targeted for integration into mobile phone handsets, smartphones and PDAs.
RadioScape demonstrated live end-to-end multimedia broadcast and receiver technologies.
FRONTIER SILICON EXPANDS
In March, Frontier Silicon announced the establishment of its first overseas operation, Frontier Silicon (HK) Ltd, and the opening of a new sales and technical support operation in Shenzen, in the People’s Republic of China.
The new centre provides technically qualified local engineers for sales and support to new and existing manufacturers of digital TV and radio equipment, and will assist local authorities in China and Hong Kong to set up facilities to broadcast DAB digital radio transmissions.
SONARICS LABS
Sonarics Labs has announced it will use the Analog Devices Inc (ADI) Blackfin Processor for a new DAB digital radio solution called ClearSignal.
Sonarics’ software solution implemented on ADI’s Blackfin Processor delivers a range of functionality including MP3 and WMA playback and recording on memory cards and CDs, as well as DAB/FM/AM radio reception.
The ClearSignal product is priced at about $5 per processor in quantity.
DAB ROADSTER MODULE FROM FRONTIER SILICON
A new DAB radio module for the automotive industry was announced by Frontier Silicon in March. "Roadster" is a vertically mounted module based on Frontier’s Chorus multimedia DAB processor. It allows manufacturers to fit DAB into integrated head units in cars and supports user features for the automotive environment such as DAB to FM service linking.
Electronic Programme Guide
Field trials are about to launch in the UK and Canada using an open EPG standard developed by the WorldDAB TaskForce and chaired by Unique Interactive.
Taking part will be public and private broadcasters, network operators, and chipset and receiver manufacturers from the UK, Canada, Sweden and Germany. Prototype receivers will test the specification in a real life environment.
A second trial will follow later this year and by the end of 2004 the EPG specification document should be completed, paving the way for broadcasters around the world to launch standard EPG services on new DAB home receivers.
Already, several broadcasters have signed up to an EPG Management service operated by Unique Interactive in the UK. Data for the Capital and Chrysalis Radio Groups provide listings for more than 30 commercial radio stations on DAB multiplexes around the UK. And the BBC also operates an EPG service for its national digital multiplex.
The only way to access these EPG services at the moment is via a PC based DAB receiver such as the Modular Technologies PCI card, or the Psion Wavefinder. Free EPG software can be downloaded from www.dabbar.co.uk
The trials will assess reception of EPG services via new prototype home receivers.
Companies taking part in the trials include Unique Interactive, BBC, Capital Radio, Chrysalis Radio, GWR, Virgin Radio, Scottish Radio Holdings Bosch, Panasonic, Fhg, ntl, Imaginationa Technologies, RadioScape, DABBar, CBC Radio-Canada.
Coverage extended
BBC
Since the last newletter, the BBC has switched on seven new transmitters bringing DAB digital radio to more than 900,000 potential listeners.
DIGITAL ONE
National commercial multiplex operator Digital One has increased the power at nineteen transmitter sites and switched on two new transmitters bringing new or enhanced listening to nearly 700,000 people.
International Market Growth
New legislation in Sweden, France and Italy, and the launch of DAB broadcasts in The Netherlands, expands the international DAB Digital Radio market.
SWEDEN
The Swedish Parliament’s Committee on Digital Radio has sanctioned an expansion of digital radio in Sweden. The proposal allocates a national multiplex to Swedish Radio (the public broadcaster) and the majority of capacity on 19 regional DAB ensembles to commercial broadcasters.
Swedish Radio’s DAB coverage in Sweden currently stands at 35% of the population and Swedish Radio is the sole broadcaster. Parliament is due to pass this new bill by the end of the year, which will, for the first time, allow commercial broadcasters to enter the market.
The report adds that the transition from analogue FM to digital radio will probably take another 15 years. A new evaluation in 2008 will determine how well the radio industry has succeeded in attracting Swedish radio listeners to digital radio.
ITALY
In Italy, the Broadcasting Law, which was passed last December, is awaiting signature and will ultimately allow Italy a strong regulatory framework for digital radio and television.
In the mean time, Italy continues to expand its DAB coverage as EuroDAB launch new transmitters in areas of Tuscany, Bologna and Naples. This brings DAB stations to around 4 million potential listeners. Next on air will be Palermo, followed by Perugia and Pisa. Services include 5 simulcast and 3 digital-only music channels, with approximately 20 transmitters already in place.
And Club DAB Italy is a step closer to achieving a national DAB presence as authorisation has been received for 16 transmitters which will start to build the national multiplex network over the coming months.
FRANCE
In France, a new bill relating to electronic and audio-visual communications has been voted on by the French National Assembly. One important step this legislation takes is to pave the way for launching digital radio in France by proposing a permanent legal framework. Since the end of an earlier temporary legislation, France has had no legal framework for the roll out of digital radio platforms.
NETHERLANDS
Meanwhile, the Netherlands has started its first regular DAB services. NOS, the Dutch national public service broadcaster, has three simulcast stations on air, and by mid November 2004, about 70% of the Dutch population will be covered by DAB, including new digital only services. Throughout 2004, the government will allocate DAB licences to commercial broadcasters, bringing more choice to Dutch listeners. The next step will be to ensure that there is sufficient DAB product on the Dutch market to meet demand.
AUSTRALIA
Radio broadcasters have called on the Australian Government to adopt a policy framework, in consultation with incumbent terrestrial radio broadcasters, to fast-track the introduction of digital radio.
The policy calls for digital radio implementation to adopt Eureka 147 as the digital technology for Australia, to be based on a full conversion model with incumbent commercial and public broadcasters the first to migrate, and a simulcast period of 20 years with periodic reviews to assess the take up rate of digital radio receivers.
Trials in Sydney are progressing well, with the first phase successfully demonstrating that digital radio broadcasts can be transmitted between two television stations on the VHF spectrum without causing interference to the television broadcasts. The trial has also signed a deal with Unique Interactive, the software division of British broadcaster UBC Media, to supply dynamic scrolling text services.
ENDS
March 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.
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Mandy Green
Press and Publicity Manager
DRDB
The Radiocentre
77 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DU
020 7306 2636
07973 184995