DRM Digital broadcast on the AM Tx Infrastructure

eoinm1

Hi Lads

Just wondering if any of you have any thoughts on DRM, see here.
This months Enginers Journal from the IEI has a very good artical on it.

Just thought it may be of interest to you, let me know what you think.

Eóin

DMC

Hard to know if it will take off.. it is an interesting concept. While DAB has had a slow gestataion period, its just about taking hold in the UK now...

SKWei

I think DRM will be a success, mostly because of the recent decision to extend its range above 30 MHz, to a potential top of 120 MHz. As it is, DRM on shortwave and mediumwave doesn't extend the reception rage greatly, though the power requirements seem lower, and the sound quality is much better.

For Long, medium and shortwave, just imagine how it could allow national networks – even single frequency networks – of decent quality sound. Think here of Virgin in the UK.

International broadcasters are pushing it most currently. It's easy to see how Europe-wide stations would love it, and how some countries, even here in Europe, would not like that idea, so I don't think this will help make it a reality, at least in Ireland! Still, imagine the public service benefits: All the European Parliament's languages, using two freq each, one for night and one for day, available to the electorate anywhere on the continent, without the need for a satellite dish pointed at the right place…

I think mobile devices, with DVB-H and -T and whatnot, and mobile internet, will be the defining technologies in radio in the 21st century, so DRM will need to find a "niche": I think DAB will eventually move to higher bit rates, and mostly provide music to Hi-Fi buffs, at home with a permanent antenna. It's not really suited to community broadcasting, and I don't think L-band on the move would outperform mobile phones/devices…

But DRM can provide access radio, anywhere from 26 MHz to band II. Imagine how many stations could be fitted in compared with today: 20 KHz allowing pretty much the same as a regular FM station!

And finally (phew!) I think DRM is probably better suited to hybrid systems than satellite distribution, or indeed it may even be used for satellite in the future!

Edit: Also, apparently they hope to have a sub €200 rx available for next years IBC in the autumn! Someone said this at the recent meeting in the US http://www.usdrm.com/

rlogue

With a perfectly good AM TX capable of (mostly) island wide coverage sitting mothballed in Athlone, it strikes me that RTÉ could put out DRM programming on the old 612 kHz frequency and get national coverage in one go.

eoinm1

Thanks for the feed back lads.

I for one think RTE should try it out.

See ya,
Eóin

Antenna

I dont believe TV licence payers/taxpayers money should be spent on DRM testing at this stage - it is still at a development/trial stage - we can only follow, not lead, other countries in what happens in new broadcast technology. However if some other broadcaster such as the BBC - or equipment manufacturers - wanted to fund the costs of DRM test transmissions from Athlone on its now disused 612kHz frequency I would say why not.

DRM is still at a development stage - the real test will be to see how it performs on mobile receivers.


BTW can anyone confirm that the Athlone aerial actually still stands or has it been dismantled?

The suggestion of using DRM at VHF frequencies sounds interesting - perhaps this is a new use that the now disused (in this country and many other countries) Band 1 (low VHF) TV band could be put to? - if DRM technology proves sucessful

eoinm1

Thanks for the info Antenna.

Eóin

Ulsterman 1690

I dont believe TV licence payers/taxpayers money should be spent on DRM testing at this stage - it is still at a development/trial stage

But didnt RTE do much of the original R&D on DAB and RDS (Yet Ironically they are dragging their heels on introducing DAB)