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Trevor
M5AKA
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Ofcom Chief Executive enthusiastic over DAB/DRM chipset
From Trevor M5AKA
In the Guardian Lecture to the Radio Festival
in Edinburgh, the Chief Executive of UK media regulator Ofcom expressed
enthusiasm for the development of combined DAB/DRM chipsets.
Stephen A Carter said in his speech:
"The fact that manufacturers are now talking seriously of a combined
chip that offers both DAB and the Digital Radio Mondiale standard, is
good news. DRM is a complementary technology. And combined DAB/DRM sets
in volume production could well assist the universal adoption of digital
radio. How? It could overcome the economic hurdle facing the smaller stations
making the transition to digital since DRM can be allocated on a single
channel rather than single multiplex basis.
"We are already working with Chris Smith's Digital Radio Development
Bureau's task force to explore possible routes to an all digital future,
including for smaller stations.
"So if industry shares our analysis, we will look towards releasing
some of the currently under-used shortwave or, even better, mediumwave
spectrum to enable such combined DAB/DRM chip radio sets; and work with
our European partners to provide the clarity of direction, Europe-wide,
to give the chip manufacturers the certainty to manufacture in volume
and hence at low-cost."
(Media Network)
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