Digitising your studio to transmission chain: Aaron Alphonso’s technical advice
7 March 2019 · News · Technology News
“Soundcards are so very 2005.”
Macquarie Media’s Chief Technology Officer Aaron Alphonso, this week delivered a wide ranging technology presentation in Malaysia at the annual Digital Broadcast...
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I am pleased to see Aaron Alphonso's recommendations.
We started DAB+ broadcasting full time just under 10 years ago. Even from the start DAB+ has been capable of slideshows, Journaline and traffic data but if you go into the shops to buy a DAB+ radio, virtually all DAB+ radios are only capable of one line of scrolling text. Aaron's recommendations could make radios with much larger screens to show images and text more attractive to the audience.
Aaron makes no mention of the transmission of traffic data which is occurring on FM's RDS which has limited capacity. DAB+/DRM is able to transmit much more detail in the same time to GPS systems easing traffic congestion in cities.
It's about time we looked switching off AM/FM radio in capital cities and use the considerable money saved to implement the visual capabilities of digital radio. In all other areas of Australia DRM is capable of covering from local the whole country and it has exactly the same visual and text capabilities and specifications as DAB+.
Lastly, the use of IP is great, provided that the data only circulates in a closed system to keep the hackers out
I agree with St John about the capabilities of DAB in being able to transmit more than scrolling text. You can purchase DAB development boards that include an LCD screen. But given that most DAB radios only allow for a single line of text, I cannot see DAB radios being sold with graphic displays.
In another posting, I suggested that the due to the slow nature of scrolling text on DAB and that the display options allow the date/time display and station information (news, music, talk), it would be difficult to monetise the DAB scrolling text for advertising, promotions and competitions.
Regards
Anthony of exciting Belfield