[cma-l] Ofcom and DRM
Ian Hickling
transplanfm at hotmail.com
Tue Jun 16 16:18:30 BST 2009
Alex wrote
> ".....a service carrying one or two stations essentially occupies as much bandwidth on air as a full multiplex....."
I'd disagree Alex.
You only have to look at the actual content of a multiplex which isn't
full to see that although the transmitter occupies a specific piece of
spectrum (the term Single Frequency Network is a technical nonsense), it
will operate perfectly correctly with sixteen, eight, one or no services
provided to the audience.
A nearby transmitter carrying other services with differing signatures
on the same multiplex could occupy the same bandwidth with no interference.
It's politics and money that stops it happening - not technology.
Ian Hickling
> From: tlr at gairloch.co.uk
> To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
> Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:38:00 +0100
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Ofcom and DRM
>
> Just as Ian says. There are some relatively affordable small DAB
> solutions possible, but if there are already other 'conventional' DAB
> licences in place, then getting it licensed might be hard as a service
> carrying one or two stations essentially occupies as much bandwidth on
> air as a full multiplex.
>
> The existing multiplex operators have, in my personal opinion, been
> far too keen on making big early profit from the multiplexes, leading
> to wholly unreasonable carriage charges. Investments in transmitter
> chains are more reasonably written of over 12 or even 20 years, but
> the present investors want a payback within 2 or 3 years. As
> 'gatekeepers, they also sometimes seem to act rather like the owners
> of large fancy shopping centres who would rather have a few empty
> units (multiplex slots) than let them out at reduced rents to small or
> low budget companies, because these might bring down the 'image' they
> want for their centre (multiplex), even though it would add
> value for their shoppers.
>
> In a 'green field' site for DAB of course it may be different. We are
> examining the options here on the north-west coast of Scotland for a
> community-owned DAB multiplex operating not-for-profit, carrying local
> community-based stations and, hopefully, BBC.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ian Hickling" <transplanfm at hotmail.com>
> To: <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>; <comradio-l at commedia.org.uk>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 3:28 PM
> Subject: [cma-l] Ofcom and DRM
>
>
> Bill
>
> An excellent analysis, except possibly for this part:
>
> > The drawbacks of DAB broadcasting are widely known and few, if any,
> > community broadcasters will ever find it a suitable platform.
>
> The reason that CR operators don't want to and in this current climate
> won't ever get onto DAB is simply that the cost is controlled by the
> big players who simply don't want them there.
>
> That, and the present licensing system operated by Ofcom at the behest
> of the CRCA as I said, which requires services to be mounted as full
> regional multiplex coverage.
>
> There is nothing technically to prevent a single service being
> transmitted as CR on a stand-alone low-power transmitter on a
> different mux from the large ones already in the area.
>
> Ian Hickling
> transplan UK
>
> > From: bill.best at commedia.org.uk
> > Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:22:25 +0100
> > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] [comradio-l] Fw: DRM+ successfully trialled in
> > Paris
> >
> > Alan
> >
> > Many thanks for your email.
> >
> > Of course Ofcom is very much aware of the DRM+ platform and its
> > variants. To clarify things a little, I understand that Ofcom's
> > stance is 'technology neutral', and Ofcom works in partnership with
> > the BBC and commercial broadcasters regarding the viability of
> > different digital broadcasting platforms.
> >
> > As technology advances there will always be better solutions for
> > broadcasting that are not currently being used. For example, the
> > systems that are currently in place for television broadcasting are
> > not 'leading edge', and there is always going to be a gap between
> > the widespread deployment of a particular technology and the most
> > up-to-date technical solutions that have been developed.
> >
> > The drawbacks of DAB broadcasting are widely known and few, if any,
> > community broadcasters will ever find it a suitable platform. But
> > community radio is here to stay and for the foreseeable future that
> > will remain on AM and FM.
> >
> > Lord Carter's Digital Britain report published today will outline a
> > future for broadcasting in the UK and community radio will certainly
> > be present in that. The CMA has been very interested in DRM+ for
> > some time and we will continue to investigate this platform and feed
> > back more results from our counterparts in France, and continue to
> > work with Ofcom to ensure that there is a future for digital
> > community broadcasting in the UK.
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> > Bill
> > --
> > Technical Manager
> > Community Media Association
> > http://www.commedia.org.uk/
> > http://twitter.com/community_media
> >
> > Canstream Online Multi-Media Solutions
> > http://www.canstream.co.uk/
> >
> > 2009/6/16 Alan Coote <alan.coote at btinternet.com>
> > >
> > > Let's hope that Ofcom finally realises that DAB is NOT a viable
> > > platform. A fact which has been obvious to many for years.
> > > Unfortunately Ofcom have encouraged the radio industry at large
> > > into a technical cul-de-sac, from which it's difficult to get out.
> > >
> > > Let's hope someone in Ofcom has got the, proverbial, to admit that
> > > there are much better digital solutions for the radio industry.
> > >
> > > Somehow I doubt it though.
> > >
> > > Alan
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> > > [mailto:comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of
> > > CMA-L
> > > Sent: 15 June 2009 15:36
> > > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
> > > Subject: [comradio-l] Fw: DRM+ successfully trialled in Paris
> > >
> > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > > From: boutterin <snrl at online.fr>
> > >
> > > DRM PRESS RELEASE
> > > Date: 12.06.2009
> > >
> > > DRM+ SUCCESSFULLY TRIALLED IN PARIS
> > >
> > > Paris, 12th June 2009: The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology
> > > for broadcast at higher frequencies was successfully trialled in
> > > Paris on Thursday. The DRM+ signal was broadcast on 64.5 MHz from
> > > Tour Pleyel, North of Paris, and was received at the office of
> > > Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) which regulates the
> > > various electronic media in France. The CSA is located 10 km away
> > > from the transmitter but the signal strength was good with only
> > > 400 watts of radiating power.
> > >
> > > This positions DRM+ as a perfect solution for stations not able to
> > > join multiplexes, even in places where the FM band is full.
> > >
> > > DRM+ extends the DRM standard which is the open, universal,
> > > digital radio standard for broadcast bands, to frequencies up to
> > > 174MHz including the FM spectrum from 87.5MHz to 108 MHz. DRM+
> > > offers a range of features and benefits for radio stations’ around
> > > the world and can lead to a cost-effective migration to digital.
> > > It was first successfully tested on the FM Band in Kaiserslautern,
> > > Germany last year, but this is the first time DRM+ has been used
> > > in Band 1.
> > >
> > > DRM+ has distinct advantages over conventional FM, it needs lower
> > > transmission power for same coverage, opens up new audio
> > > possibilities like 5.1 surround sound, increases spectrum
> > > efficiency and offers electronic data services such as programme
> > > guide and supporting information.
> > >
> > > David Blanc, SNRL (Syndicat National des Radios Libres) says:
> > > “Professor Dr Andreas Steil and his team (Mr. Schad and Mr.
> > > Köhler) from the University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern,
> > > was able to put together a complete DRM+ broadcast system on Band
> > > 1 and agreed to test it in Paris. SNRL, which gathers over 300
> > > local stations in France, has been trying to find a technical
> > > solution for the many stations which cannot join multiplexes for
> > > various reasons,
> > > including coverage area, cost and desire to remain in control of
> > > their broadcast operations".
> > >
> > > “DRM+ seems to be an excellent choice, offering over 100 kbps of
> > > usable bit rate, enabling CD audio quality, slideshow and other
> > > data to be broadcast from a simple privately-owned transmitter. We
> > > now recommend integrating DRM+ in all digital radio receivers,
> > > from 60 to 108 Mhz.”, he added.
> > >
> > > This test was performed by the help of University of Applied
> > > Sciences, Kaiserslautern and Fraunhofer IIS, Erlangen.
> > >
> > > Ruxandra Obreja, Chairman, DRM Consortium says: "Through this
> > > trial in France, we have yet another proof that the DRM standard
> > > can offer a most versatile, economical range of options for big
> > > and small operators for the benefit of audiences that want good
> > > quality radio.
> > > We hope that the trial in France will be positively noted and
> > > actioned by the French radio authorities. It is an excellent extra
> > > step that will preface the expected all- band extension of the DRM
> > > global standard."
> > >
> > > About DRM and DRM+
> > >
> > > DRM+ uses the same audio coding, data services, multiplexing and
> > > signaling schemes as the established part of the DRM standard for
> > > short, medium and long wave up to 30 MHz, but operates in higher
> > > frequencies between 30 and 174 MHz (including the broadcasting bands
> > > Band I and Band II). The DRM Consortium has completed the technical
> > > development of DRM+. The technology enhancement to the DRM system
> > > specification is currently in the ETSI standardization process.
> > > Digital Radio MondialeTM (DRM) is the digital broadcasting system
> > > for the broadcasting bands below 30MHz (long, medium and short
> > > wave). DRM has near-FM sound quality plus the ease-of-use that comes
> > > from digital transmissions, combined with long range and low power
> > > consumption.
> > >
> > > For more information and DRM updates please visit www.drm.org or
> > > subscribe to DRM news by writing to pressoffice at drm.org
> > >
> > > For more information on SNRL : (33) 4 91.55.56.85, snrl at online.fr,
> > > and http://www.snrl.org
> > >
> > > \\
> > >
> > > Community Media Association
> > > --
> > > http://www.commedia.org.uk/
> > > http://twitter.com/community_media
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