Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) at Asia Broadcasting Union General Assembly
This year’s annual General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union hosted by the Indonesian public broadcaster, RRI, in Bali featured presentations from the DRM Consortium, plus a special live medium wave transmission on 20-24 October from one of the RRI MW transmitter in Denpasar, Bali. The DRM broadcasts carried special messages for the ABU participants, presentations on RRI, the DRM emergency warning functionality, music, as well as the Journaline service accompanying the audio, allowing listeners to look-up the latest news on demand, free-to-air, on their receiver screens and in multiple languages simultaneously. The DRM demonstration run by RRI was actively supported by GatesAir, Transradio, Fraunhofer IIs and RFmondial members of the Consortium. During the conference, Babcock International also transmitted BBC World Service content ( both members of the DRM Consortium) in DRM short wave from Singapore. Read more
Photographs from the event available on the DRM flickr site
RRI Takes Centre Stage at ABU Conference
The Indonesian public broadcaster, RRI, gave a press conference before the start of the ABU meeting which the public broadcaster of Indonesia hosted so well. The press release referred to aspects of the ABU but included also some considerations on the actual theme of the meeting: Media for the Future.
“The Director of RRI, Mr Rohanudin, said that today's Indonesian radio technology is not inferior to that of other countries. The digital radio technology known as Digital Radio Mondiale will also be implemented in Indonesia”. See the full article here (in Indonesian).
Another article speaking to Mr Rohanudin stated that:
... the digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) has also become one of the central issues in the 53rd ABU meeting in Bali.
Moreover, a number of countries have introduced such radio digitization in India, Saudi Arabia, countries in the Middle East region, including Australia and Malaysia that lead to implement DRM.
In some countries digitizing radio format, he added, there are two versions of DRM and the "Digital Audio Broadcasting" (DAB) imposed by Singapore.
"But in Asia Pacific were more likely to choose DRM," he added. See article here (original script in Indonesian).
Read more: Indonesian Radio Station promotes national radio digitalization
Pakistan Underlines Interest in DRM at ABU
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation also participated in the ABU General Assembly where the Pakistan Secretary for Information, Ms Saba Mohsin Raza delivered a speech on the Role of the Media in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction. The Titus II software defined DRM receiver solution was demonstrated to visitors at the conference including the delegation from Pakistan and a subsequent report on the Radio Pakistan’s website stated that:
“The (Pakistan) delegation showed keen interest in the device since PBC has planned for trial transmission of digital radio in near future”.
Focus on a DRM Receiver at ABU
George Ross, of TWR in Guam, gives his impressions on the way in which DRM receivers were received at ABU. He refers mainly to Titus II which is the first SDR multi-platform software based tablet having digital as well as analogue receiver embedded within in addition to other features. Read more
License Programme for DRM’s Audio Code Mpeg xHE-AAC Launched
The patent pool license for Digital Radio Mondiale offered by Via Licensing has been adjusted to reflect updates of the DRM technical specification. This has been designed to simplify the licensing process for companies who are already covered under the AAC licensing program and to ease the deployment of multi-standard digital radio sets. Click here and here for full details.
DRMNA Secures Exclusive Interview with PantronX Makers of the Titus II DRM Receiver
The DRMNA blog spoke exclusively to manufacturers PantronX makers of the “Titus II”, the first software defined radio suitable for all analogue bands and DRM AM but to include soon DRM+ and other digital standards. Read more
Who Is Looking After the Little Guy?
The latest blog from DRM Chairman, Ruxandra Obreja, has been published in Radio World. She contends that whilst the recent IBC technology exhibition and conference in Amsterdam showcased a dazzling array of digital wonders, the message was not lost that radio was still very much part of this new world. Read more
DRM Website Updated
We have launched a new design for our website www.drm.org. The new design is all about making it easier for you to find the information you need, and enhancing your user experience whether browsing on PC, Laptop or mobile. Please send any feedback to projectoffice@drm.org.
Drmrx.org - Future Access
The drmrx.org website will close from November 5th 2016. The most relevant information from the site has been transferred to the new DRM website. To continue to contribute to the online forum, please click here.
BBC Schedule Change - October 2016
As the clocks in the UK change on Sunday 30th October (going back an hour), the schedules for the BBC’s DRM broadcasts will also change. The new programme schedules are available on the DRM website. |
