1. Digital radio platforms in Europe
Eurosonic conference - Bruxelles – 10th May 2007
Mathias Coinchon
EBU Technical department

2. Presentation plan Overview of digital systems
Aspects to consider, categorisation, frequencies
Focus on European digital radio broadcasting systems
DAB family of standards: DAB/DAB+/(T-DMB)
Digital Radio Mondiale
Future and conclusion
This presentation does not cover on-demand, delayed delivery platforms (also called non-linear radio)

3. Analogue broadcastingAM
1906 FM
~1955
(published: 1936)

4. Digital systems...
ISDB-T
and more to come ....

5. Aspects to consider Network costs User Associated data
Coverage objectives: % country/population, audience, indoor reception
Number of programmes / audio quality
User
Free to air services
Simplicity of use/installation, portability, receiving costs, battery life
Zapping time, service following
Associated data
Pictures, text, interactivity, (video)
Other information: traffic information, announcements

6. Nature of systems Terrestrial: small to large scale coverage, indoor
Radio: DAB, DRM, IBOC/HD radio (USA)
TV: DVB-T, DVB-H, T-DMB, MediaFlo, ISDB-T
Satellite: large scale coverage, no indoor
Radio: Worldspace, XM/Sirius (USA), ESA
TV: DVB-S, DVB-TH (hybrid terrestrial/satellite)
Telecommunication systems: designed for one to one
Mobile phones: 3G UMTS
Internet using Wifi, Wimax,....

7. Resources: frequencies
Long, medium and short waves (<30MHz): DRM
Band I (47-68MHz): (DRM+)
Band II ( MHz): FM, (DRM+)
Band III ( MHz): DAB, DVB-T
Band IV & V ( MHz): DVB-T/DVB-H
Band L ( MHz): DAB, Satellite radio
Antenna size
Transmitters density
Low frequencies: large scale terrestrial coverage
High frequencies: local terrestrial coverage
All European countries now have band III spectrum available for DAB

8. The DAB Family 1993 2005 2005 2007 Eureka-147/DAB Family
Initially: Audio.
Now: Audio, video & other data services.
Common DAB transmission system
“Bouquet” of services (Multiplex) on a single DAB frequency
Coexistence of different types of services is possible

9. DAB Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting transmission system
Robust for Mobile (up to 300km/h)
Single Frequency Network: no frequency changes, combined power
Audio services with MPEG Layer II
kbps for good quality stereo, 128kbps for moderate quality
Data services
PAD: Program associated data (text, pictures, web, guide)
Announcements, traffic information
>350 receiver models, starting from 50€

10. DAB+ System for transporting MPEG-4 AAC audio over DAB
Good audio quality at low bitrates => more audio or other services
Inherits all DAB features designed for radio
DAB receivers are incompatible but DAB+ ones will receive DAB
First receivers in 2007, chipset already available
Good option for new comers
Australia has already chosen DAB+
Others: migration plans can be considered
New services with DAB+

11. DAB/DAB+ Capacity DAB stereo audio at 128kbps
up to 9 services per multiplex
DAB+ stereo audio at 64 kbps
up to 18 services per multiplex

12. DAB+ Audio at 48kbps DAB+ Audio at 48kbps Audio demonstration
Normal DAB at 48kbps (stereo)
DAB+ at 48kbps
Original extract
Audio quality improvement
Higher bitrate necessary for Hi-Fi
Planned EBU listening tests (B/DABA group)
24 audio services

13. T-DMB: Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting
Mobile television system over DAB
MPEG-4 video and audio (BSAC or AAC)
~150 receivers models: Car GPS, mobile phone, portable devices
Can be used for radio with pictures but
Increased overhead => less programs (~normal DAB)
Video component is necessary for the receivers
Longer zapping time
T-DMB receivers include normal DAB reception
Mobile TV trials: radio and TV programs, radio had highest listening time

14. DAB-IP IP transport over DAB
Flexibility of IP for transporting multimedia services
No specification for service description, formats,...
Suitable for vertical markets like mobile operators who control their mobile receivers park
BT Movio in the UK: Multimedia services (video) + DAB radio programs
DAB-IP enabled phone receive normal DAB (and probably DAB+ in the near future)

15. DAB multiplex composition example
DAB+ receiver
T-DMB receiver
Legacy DAB receiver

16. DRM: Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital system for long, medium and shortwave
Improved audio quality compared to AM (but lower than FM)
Easy tuning
Large scale coverage with few transmitters
Limited capacity, sensitivity to interferences
DAB(+)/DRM receivers (alliance)
Complementary to DAB standards
DRM+: project of modified DRM for frequency bands I (TV) and II (FM band)
Interference of PLT

17. Internet radio receiver
Home device that enable Internet radio listening (streaming) without a PC
Wifi or cable (Ethernet) connection
Huge choice of stations
Not so trivial to install/configure
Broadband connection necessary
Some technical knowledge necessary for the setup and configuration
Limited range (home device)
Suitable for small audience programs
Big audiences leads to high distribution costs for the broadcaster

18. Digital world The digital world construction.....
(Picture: The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel, 1563)

19. Software defined radio
Similar hardware for different standards
Software demodulation/decoding => updates/adaptations possible
Issue: costs of standard patents (IPR licences)
FM/DAB/DAB+/Wifi Receiver module

20. Conclusions Consider the objectives for radio and network costs
Availability of frequencies
European radio broadcasting standards
DAB/DAB+: national/regional/local coverage, large audience, multimedia
DRM: international/national/(local) coverage, large audience
Don’t get confused with plethora of systems
Marketing overload
Interoperability with multi-standard receivers (DVB-H/DMB/DAB+)
Integration of broadcasting standards in mobile phone devices (like FM in today’s mobile phones)

21. Thank you !
Questions ?
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