Cork City And Sourroundings To Get Low Cost DAB+ Multiplex Twelve Month Trial Commenc

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

From August technology company eir dab are to trial a low cost DAB+ Multiplex in Cork City and Sourroundings after been awarded a licence by Comreg and are hopeing to offer at least twenty radio stations to a around 250,000 people in Cork City. With RTE seeing fm as the future of radio broadcasting in Ireland a d the independent radio sector seening DAB and DAB+ as been too expensive maybe eir dab will come up with a cheaper option for all radio broadcasters in Ireland to broadcast their content via DAB+. I wish them well and I hope all radio broadcasters get on board. You can find the coverage area man via their website http://www.eirdab.com/

Delta2113

I'd be surprised if eir don't take some legal action against the name. I am correct in thinking eir have nothing to do with this venture?

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Delta2113 wrote: »

I'd be surprised if eir don't take some legal action against the name. I am correct in thinking eir have nothing to do with this venture?

Yes you are correct eirdab is part of a trading style called Viamux LTD authorised by Comreg who awarded the DAB+ small scale license. It will be Interesting to see once the trial is up and running if eir will take issue with the name.

Delta2113

The first thing I thought about was Eir when I saw the name.

The Cush

Viamux are also the technology providers for RTÉ's 2 small scale DAB muxes at Donnybrook on Blocks 5A & 5B - https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057776519

http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/ireland.html#tests
http://www.viamux.com/

Viamux are a Niocom company, another Niocom company, Niocast Digital holds the small scale DAB mux licence for Manchester which carries 28 services - http://www.niocast.co.uk/

The Cush

Due to go live Aug 10th

On August 10th 2018, éirdab is launching a digital radio multiplex in Cork - Ireland's second largest city …

The monthly carriage fee for your radio station is just €249 per month with no longterm commitment

http://www.eirdab.com/

https://twitter.com/viamux/status/1026725673895976960

dulpit

Any ideas on what stations will be on it? Nothing showing on their site...

The Cush

dulpit wrote: »

Any ideas on what stations will be on it? Nothing showing on their site...

This the only info I've seen

https://twitter.com/eirdab/status/1020965633016647680

dulpit

The Cush wrote: »

This the only info I've seen

https://twitter.com/eirdab/status/1020965633016647680

Wow.. :rolleyes:

I wonder if it will include Midlands 103 and Tipp FM? Seen as they mentioned it in their tweet above?

The Cush

dulpit wrote: »

I wonder if it will include Midlands 103 and Tipp FM? Seen as they mentioned it in their tweet above?

Might do, they are both carried on the Dublin small-scale mux.

cc

8radio, redfm and a few others are following their twitter account so a good chance we might see those also

galtee boy

I wonder how far out from Cork City will their signal go ?

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

galtee boy wrote: »

I wonder how far out from Cork City will their signal go ?

It's a small scale DAB MULTIPLEX that will only cover a small area of Cork City. So the signal won't go out too far. Here is a link to eir dab website which has a coverage map. http://www.eirdab.com

galtee boy

Thanks, but I can't get that map to open out any bigger, from what I can see, the signal looks like it will go well out into parts of the county surrounding the city, but can't get that map to expand, I must be doing something wrong.

namloc1980

galtee boy wrote: »

Thanks, but I can't get that map to open out any bigger, from what I can see, the signal looks like it will go well out into parts of the county surrounding the city, but can't get that map to expand, I must be doing something wrong.

galtee boy

namloc1980 wrote: »

galtee boy wrote: »

Thanks, but I can't get that map to open out any bigger, from what I can see, the signal looks like it will go well out into parts of the county surrounding the city, but can't get that map to expand, I must be doing something wrong.

Thanks for that, signal is going well beyond city limits, particularly in elevated areas.

dulpit

Are the sections not covered inside the main circle area because of hills in the way?

The Cush

https://twitter.com/viamux/status/1027639057118048257

dulpit

I used work underneath that mast for a few years. Fun.

Just did a scan before heading to work. Looks like nothing has been switched on yet, still only getting the usual RTÉ stations...

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Just checked eir dab's website and still no update on what radio stations that will be carried on their multiplex. I wonder if many stations singed up?

galtee boy

dulpit wrote: »

I used work underneath that mast for a few years. Fun.

Just did a scan before heading to work. Looks like nothing has been switched on yet, still only getting the usual RTÉ stations...

Where is that mast located ?

xabi

2 stations

dulpit

galtee boy wrote: »

Where is that mast located ?

Holyhill, if you're driving to apple it's after the Applegreens garage on the right.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

I just checked eir dab's website and it has listed only two radio stations broadcasting on their 11A MULTIPLEX. These stations are UCB Ireland and Radio Maria with more to come. I guess there doesn't seem to be any interest from most of the independent radio sector in joining the trial or even broadcasting in DAB. I know a lot of independent radio stations said they were not interested in DAB as it is too expensive. Eir dab's carriage fees are very reasonable at €249 a month so i'm surprised more radio stations haven't singed up.

dulpit

natashaob6 wrote: »

I just checked eir dab's website and it has listed only two radio stations broadcasting on their 11A MULTIPLEX. These stations are UCB Ireland and Radio Maria with more to come. I guess there doesn't seem to be any interest from most of the independent radio sector in joining the trial or even broadcasting in DAB. I know a lot of independent radio stations said they were not interested in DAB as it is too expensive. Eir dab's carriage fees are very reasonable at €249 a month so i'm surprised more radio stations haven't singed up.

It'd be a hard market to break into though. What type of broadcaster could compete with the existing fm offerings?

ShaneOC

In the last week or so the 2RN DAB signal in Cork seems to be breaking up quite a bit. I have a DAB receiver at home and in my car and both are dropping in and out making it pretty much impossible to listen to. Prior to this is has been rock solid (with the exception of multistory car parks) in and around the city.

Do anyone know if they have reduced power or something?

And now it's gone completely

The 2 EirDab channels are there but not exactly the broadcasts I am looking to receive.

Schorpio

Dunno why it's happened, but I have had the same experience with 2RN DAB over the past few days. Previously rock solid, but practically impossible to listen to recently. EirDAB still coming in strong.

Hissing Sideban

While I wish the trial the best of luck, I doubt it will succeed where others failed. I Was involved with the first independent trial of DAB and DAB+ in Ireland in the South East from 20010 until 2014, we had around 12 stations on most of the time, both simulcasts of local stations and some content that wasnt available at all on FM. We pioneered the low cost technology that is now used widely in the UK and by EirDAB. We even did SFN with 3 transmitters (it is not actually that much more difficult or expensive to do this)
Most locals had no real interest in being on it, and wouldn't be interested even paying a similar contribution to what EirDAB are asking. From their point of view, its of now benefit to them by and large and they dont want to enncourage more competition as the advertising market is hard pressed as it is.
Dusty Rhodes and BTS also put a lot of effort into their trial in both Dublin and Cork, again all to no avail.
It's a shame but I fear that the market is not big enough to support the extra choice that DAB can bring, unless the BCI were to dramatically lower the cost of doing business for the incumbent FM broadcasters, (Which I can't see happening, at least in the near future)

Scotty66

I've heard that the BCI are only charging around €50 per month for the Section digital license fee - plus an application cost of €350. That doesn't seem to expensive.

SimonMaher

Scotty66 wrote: »

I've heard that the BCI are only charging around €50 per month for the Section digital license fee - plus an application cost of €350. That doesn't seem to expensive.

Just for info - BAI Section 71 application fee for inclusion on DAB trial MUX is €750+VAT (non refundable) and the licence fee is 500+VAT per year payable in advance. Ideally the regulator would like you to sign up for 5 years minimum for your Section 71 which would be 2500+VAT up front. Can't imagine they would stick to that though, probably more likely 2 years in advance.

The above is a hefty discount from the regular fee which is 2000 per year + VAT! So basically the discounted fee is €1750 + VAT up front.

Waiting time for applications to be processed is up to 5 months from date of application.

8Radio is currently broadcasting via the éirdab Mux in Cork for 15 days as part of our Temporary FM licence.

Simon

Apogee

Cork Independent