TI and RadioScape
Announce World’s
First DRM Chips
and Modules
June 2005
Inside this Issue
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TI & RadioScape
Announce DRM
Chips and Module
Landmark: DRM to
Extend its System
DRM Members
DRM Associate
Members
VT Communications
Brings Commercial
Broadcasts to the UK
Samsung,
HARMAN/BECKER
Join DRM
TDF Launches
DRM France
Web Site
Project Office
Contact Information
DRMTM members Texas
Instruments Incorporated (TI) and
RadioScape have just announced
the world’s first chips and modules
for DRM.
TI is the first company to release
an integrated digital baseband that
supports both DRM and DAB
(Digital Audio Broadcast)
standards. RadioScape, using its
innovative Software Defined Digital
Radio approach, is the first
company to announce a module
supporting not only DRM, but also
DAB, FM-RDS and analogue AM
standards. This module approach
speeds the development and
deployment of cost-effective, multistandard consumer receivers.
"Although TI joined the DRM
Consortium only last year, it has
already become the first company
to provide silicon for this standard,”
says DRM Chairman and Deutsche
Welle COO Peter Senger. “Backed
by a complete module developed
by RadioScape, we expect that
OEMs will be able to provide DRMcapable consumer receivers by the
end of the year."
The modules enable manufacturers
to begin immediate development of
multi-standard receivers, including
table-top radios, CD boom boxes,
micro hi-fis and tuners.
firmly committed to the
development of the DRM
technology," said Thomas Rabe,
chief financial officer at RTL Group.
"We continue to work closely with
both TI and RadioScape to ensure
a successful launch of a costeffective DRM/DAB-capable radio
receiver for the mass market later
this year."
Pricing for both the DRM300 and
DRM350 chips starts at $18 in
sample quantities of 1K or less and
are expected to be available in the
third quarter of this year.
RadioScape’s DRM module is also
expected to be available in the third
quarter of this year.
DRM will highlight DRM-capable
products this September at IFA in
Berlin, and at IBC in Amsterdam.
Landmark Vote: DRM
Will Extend Its System
The DRM consortium reached a
landmark decision this spring,
when it voted to begin extending
the DRM on-air system to the
broadcasting bands up to 108
MHz.
This will enhance the range of nonproprietary, digital radio solutions
offered worldwide by the DRM
Consortium and the World DAB
Forum, which work together on
projects of mutual interest.
(continued on page 2)
Events Calendar
"We have been broadcasting for
several months in DRM to both
Germany and France and remain
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
June 2005
(continued from page 1)
DRM, a non-proprietary system
endorsed by the ITU, IEC and
ETSI, currently covers the
broadcasting bands below 30 MHz
(short-wave, medium-wave/AM and
long-wave).
“Broadcasters and regulators in
many countries are closely
examining the digital options
available to them, in search of nonproprietary systems that fit their
own, unique technical and market
criteria,” says DRM Chairman
Peter Senger. “DAB Digital Radio
has established itself as a
successful solution for the higherfrequency bands in many
countries, and broadcasters are
increasingly implementing DRM for
the medium-wave and short-wave
bands. DRM’s expansion will
supplement these existing
solutions.”
"The clear message coming from
our cooperation is that the World
DAB Forum and the DRM
Consortium continue to actively
pave the way for digital radio’s
future," says Annika Nyberg,
President of the World DAB Forum.
More than 1.5 million DAB-capable
receivers have already been sold,
and more than 150 different DAB
receivers are now on the market.
DRM will begin work on its band
extension project right away.
The design, development and
testing phases are expected to be
completed by 2007-2009.
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DRM Members
Antenna Hungaria (Hungary)
Atmel Germany GmbH (Germany)
BBC (U.K.)
Broadcast Electronics, Inc. (U.S.A.)
Coding Technologies GmbH (Germany)
Continental Electronics Corporation (U.S.A.)
Deutsche Welle (Germany)
DeutschlandRadio (Germany)
Digital One Ltd. (U.K.)
Digita Oy (Finland)
Dolby Laboratories Incorporated (U.S.A.)
Fraunhofer IIS (Germany)
HARMAN/BECKER Automotive Systems
GmbH (Germany)
Harris Corporation (U.S.A)
Hitachi Kokusai Electric Ltd. (Japan)
IBB/Voice of America (U.S.A)
Imagination Technologies Ltd. (U.K.)
Kintronic Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.A.)
Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya)
Micronas GmbH (Germany)
Nautel Ltd (Canada)
Nero AG (Germany)
NHK (Japan)
Nozema (Netherlands)
QinetiQ (U.K.)
Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada)
Radiodifusao Portuguesa (Portugal)
Radio France (France)
Radio France Internationale (France)
Radio Netherlands (Netherlands)
RadioScape Ltd. (U.K.)
Radio Vaticana (Vatican City)
Riz Transmitters (Croatia)
Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany)
RTL Group (Luxembourg)
RTRN/The Voice of Russia (Russia)
Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. (Korea)
Sangean America, Inc. (U.S.A)
Sender Europa 1 (Germany)
Sony International Europe (Germany)
Swedish Radio International (Sweden)
SWR Südwestrundfunk (Germany)
TCI International, Inc. (U.S.A.)
TDF (France)
TDP (Belgium)
TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin AG
(Germany)
Telenor/Norkring (Norway)
Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France)
Texas Instruments Incorporated (USA)
T-Systems International GmbH (Germany)
Voice of Nigeria (Nigeria)
VT Communications (U.K.)
WRN (U.K)
DRM Associate
Members
Academy of Broadcasting Science (China)
ADDX (Germany)
Agentschap Telecom (Netherlands)
A.P.R. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Privater
Rundfunk (Germany)
Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia)
Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia)
Basamad College, Tehran (Iran)
Broadcasting Centre Europe (Luxembourg)
CCETT (France)
Christian Vision (U.K.)
Commercial Radio Australia (Australia)
Communications University of China (China)
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
(U.S.A.)
DLM Direktorenkonferenz der
Landesmedienanstalten (Germany)
DRF Committee
European Broadcasting Union (Switzerland)
ESPOL (Ecuador)
Georg-Simon-Ohm, University of Applied
Sciences Nuremberg (Germany)
Government of Catalonia (Spain)
HCJB World Radio (Ecuador)
HFCC (Czech Republic)
Institut für Rundfunktechnik (Germany)
International Committee of the Red Cross
(Switzerland)
International Telecommunications Union
(Switzerland)
Kymenlaakso Polytechnik (Finland)
Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt/Digitaler
Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt (Germany)
National Association of Short-wave
Broadcasters (U.S.A.)
National Communications Authority Hungary
(Hungary)
Radio New Zealand International (New
Zealand)
TDP Radio (Belgium)
Technical University Delft (Netherlands)
Universidad del Pais Vasco (Spain)
University of Applied Sciences, FH
Merseburg (Germany)
University of Hannover (Germany)
University of Ulm (Germany)
Via Licensing Corporation (USA)
VPRT (Germany)
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June 2005
VT Communications
Delivers Commercial
Broadcasts to the
UK in DRM Trial
DRM member VT
Communications is providing the
first DRM pilot service in the UK
to include commercial
broadcasters.
Virgin Radio, Asian Sound
Radio, Classic Gold Digital,
Premier Christian Radio and
CVC are participating in the 2month trial, which was
announced at the Digital Radio
Show in London in early June.
This trial is the first of its kind
targeting the UK. It allows
commercial broadcasters to
assess the benefits of DRM,
such as superb reception, real
time text and data-based
information services.
The programming is being
broadcast from transmission
facilities in Western Europe
reaching the whole of the UK as
well as northwest continental
Europe, demonstrating the
exceptional coverage offered by
DRM, which enables
broadcasters to cost-effectively
reach mass audiences from a
single transmitter.
VT Communications owns and
operates three DRM-capable
transmitters in the UK.
Following successful service
trials in 2004, these transmitters
already carry programming for
several international
broadcasters into Europe.
Bryan Coombes, General
Manager for Broadcast at VT
Communications, commented:
“VT Communications is
delighted at being able to offer
our customers the opportunity to
evaluate the benefits of DRM
technology on their home
territory. This really is an
exciting taste of the future of
radio, today.”
Virgin Radio's Development
Director Jason Bryant said:
"Virgin Radio is committed to
making its program services
available on a wide variety of
platforms. We believe that DRM
is an exciting, and potentially
wide appeal new platform and
have been impressed with the
technology on this trial.”
John Baish, Managing Director
at Classic Gold Digital,
commented: “We’re all excited
by the opportunities that DRM
will create, and this trial has
given us a lot of encouragement
about the potential of the
platform. This is a
groundbreaking initiative.”
Asian Sound Radio's Managing
Director Shujat Ali commented:
"We see DRM and other digital
radio platforms as an excellent
means for covering the ethnic
and Asian community niche
markets, enabling us to stay at
the forefront of this key market
area."
Samsung and
HARMAN/BECKER
Join DRM, Boosting
Consortium to a
Record 90 Members
As DRM’s global implementation
increases, DRM Consortium
membership continues to rise.
With the addition of new DRM
members Samsung Electronics
Co., Ltd. from Korea and
HARMAN/BECKER Automotive
Systems GmbH from Germany,
the DRM Consortium has
achieved a record high of 90
members from 30 countries.
The DRM Consortium formed in
1998, when a small group of
pioneering broadcasters and
manufacturers joined forces to
create a universal, digital
system for the broadcasting
bands below 30 MHz.
With access to the DRM
consortium’s private meetings
and information, DRM members
are instrumental in shaping the
promising future of digital radio.
DRM’s members are
broadcasters, broadcasting
associations, network operators,
manufacturers, research
institutions, regulatory bodies,
NGOs, and others.
DRM offers two types of
membership – Full Membership
and Associate Membership.
Associate Membership is for
non-profits only.
(continued on page 4)
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June 2005
.
(continued from page 3)
Full members have the right to
vote and participate in DRM
General Assemblies,
Commercial Committee,
Technical Committee and other
groups, while Associate
members have the right to
participate, but not vote. Full
members may also be
nominated to serve on DRM’s
Steering Board.
If your company is interested in
the benefits of DRM
membership, please contact the
DRM Project Office at
projectoffice@drm.org.
TDF Launches DRM
France Web Site
In May, DRM member TDF
launched a French Web site
dedicated to DRM, at
www.drmfrance.com.
Created with the participation of
several of DRM’s French
members, the Web site
showcases DRM promotional
activities in France as the
European commercial launch of
DRM approaches.
The site contains a multitude of
technical information about
DRM, including audio files
comparing DRM to analogue
AM.
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DRM:
Visit DRM Online at
www.drm.org
www.drmfrance.com
DRM France
www.drm-national.de
DRM KoordinationsKomitee Deutschland
http://www.radiostation.ru/
drm/index.php
Цифровое мировое радио
www.usdrm.com
USA DRM Group
DRM Project Office
P.O. Box 360
CH-1218 Grand-Saconnex
Geneva, Switzerland
projectoffice@drm.org
Phone: + 49 228 429 3510
Fax:
+ 49 228 429 3110
Revitalizing Radio in
Markets Worldwide
You can find DRM
exhibits and/or
speakers at these
upcoming events:
Broadcast Asia 2005
Singapore
June 14-17, 05
IFA 2005
Berlin, Germany
September 2-7, 05
DRM Stand in the
TWF (Hall 5.3)
IBC
Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
September 8-13, 05
DRM Stand 8.490
NAB European Radio
Conference
Athens, Greece
October 23-25, 05
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