[cma-l] Mixed messages over DAB

[Ian Hickling]

It's getting more and more complicated - mostly because the people who are spouting in public either don't understand what's happening or are using inappropriate words because they seem to be fashionable.

 

I would summarise as follows:

 

National and Regional broadcasters want to move over to a digital radio broadcast format and would be content for their services on FM to cease once enough listeners have digital radio receivers.

 

However, the present DAB format is incompatible with the systems proposed by most other countries and existing DAB receivers won't be able to resolve broadcasts using other countries' formats.

 

The proposed new "multichip" receivers would be capable of decoding DAB and a range of other digital formats.

 

Motor manufacturers in particular are declining to equip new vehicles with DAB receivers and and are understandably reluctant to offer OE digital receivers until some form of standardisation evolves.

 

Set up and administered as it is, use of the existing DAB network is inappropriate and expensive for small broadcasters who are generally content to remain on FM.

 

There will eventually be a "digital switchover" of major services (implying cessation of their parallel FM broadcasting) once there is universal agreement as to what format will be used in the UK and other countries. This is unlikely to be achieved by 2015 with progress as seen at the moment.

 

There will not be a general "FM switchoff" (or "switching off the FM signal" as the BBC seems to like to put it) at all because there simply is no need for it.

 

Ian Hickling

Partner

transplan UK
 


Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 16:41:25 +0100
From: gary.jackson1 at btinternet.com
To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Mixed messags over DAB

On 08/07/2010 15:52, Two Lochs Radio wrote: 



This morning RadioToday (http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6070) suggested that the new minister would announce renewed vigour behind Digital Radio Switchover. By sheer coincidence (?) the BBC also announced 61 new DAB transmitters today. However, Reuters' take on what Ed Vaizey would say was rather different.
 
If it is true that Mr Vaizey said that a date for switchover would not even be settled until 50% of listening is digital, it could be a long way off.I don't understand the lemming style race to DAB. Are other countries doing it? I know America isn't. They appear to be heading towards wifi radio, and I understand that Baltimore is well on the way to being completely wifi, with other cities following.

In the home, there is no competition for me. It's wifi radio all the way. The problem comes with listening in the car, but 3 network already has a mi-fi dongle that I believe can be used in the car, and whilst coverage is not brilliant, neither is it with DAB.

The cynic in me wonders whether DAB is more of a way to maintain the "radio establishment" (OFCOM etc) and protect their future than giving the public what they want. There would be a lot of radio infrastructure no longer wanted with an efficient wifi radio network, using the existing mobile phone networks.

Gary
 		 	   		  
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