DRM would be ideal for RTE...

rlogue

...as either 567 kHz or 252 kHz would be perfect for a DRM version of RTÉ Radio 1.

Shouldn't DRM be the sort of technology that RTÉ should be using? Or will they wait for 10 years after every other country uses it before they adopt it.

L1011

Theres a slight problem with using DRM - who the hell beyond a few enthusiasts has the kit to receive it?

I listed to Deutsche Welle on a borrowed receiver with a DRM board in it, and yes, its impressive quality for the system its using - with the big problem of when the signal drops a bit you lose the audio entirely (being digital) rather than just get interference

(for those wondering what DRM means here, its Digital Radio Mondiale; not Digital Rights Management)

Mossy Monk

digital MW and LW?

or am i missing it entirely

one thing which RTÉ have done correctly is wait and see what the best standard will be

but really, i wish someone in this country would sort it out :mad: i loved DAB when i was using it in London

DMC

In essence, yes, Moss. RTÉ have been dying to use DAB for donkeys, but Comreg dont want to know.

DRM would be ideal to test on 612 kHz, but I think that is now earmarked for the BCI and any MW service they would licence.

Foggy43

I agree with DMC. I just just read http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0493.pdf
previous to visiting here.

No DAB radio in the Irish Republic as we have here in the UK. Trying to protect the conusmer!
I suppose you can see their argument. £80 to £200 just for a radio receiver is a bit expensive. Particullarly with mobile devices which very shortly will have digital TV available on them. Also this WiFi. I can listen to Limerick's Live95fm on my pocket pc. Got all my Rory Gallagher and Thin Lizzy CD's on a memory card installed in it. I can watch some videos on it also. Wirelessly!

I think there is more to it than that. Northern Ireland's DAB is restricted by VHF Band 111 in the south. I think there is no room on Band 111 for DAB in Munster, Leinster and West Connaught. Is it a case of an excuse to put the clock back again. I do not know what line the rest of Europe is taking on Digital Broadcasting.

The only excuse I have heard why Analouge TV is being swiched off here in the UK is the goverment want to sell off the transmitter sites. Sell, sell, sell! They haven't sold the BBC..... yet!

bk

In fairness, most people in the industry consider DAB to be old, inferior and inefficient technology.

DAB uses MP2 encoding, which is an inferior form of MP3. Most of the radio stations in the UK use 128kbps MP2, this is about equivalent to about 64kbps MP3!!! This is far below the sound quality of (interference free) FM radio, never mind coming even close to MP3.

In the UK DVB-T (Freeview DTT), which also has radio stations, uses MP2 in the 192kbps - 256kbps range. This gives a much better sound quality, but still not great.

The new standards DRM, DMB and DVB-H all use the newer and much more efficient HE AAC audio codecs. This is the audio codec from Mpeg4 and will allow for much better sound qaulity at lower bitrates.

In France, they are already talking about getting rid of DAB and using one of the newer systems mentioned above, many other coutries will likely follow. Since we are so late to the DTT and Digital Radio world, we should take advantage of that and make use of the newer technology and standards.

So here for more info:
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk

The ideal seems to be use DVB-T for DTT and use DVB-H for radio and portable TV.