Hackers enter EBU digital radio week 2012
24.02.2012
- European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
WorldDAB Member
- Switzerland 
Don’t’ worry, this has nothing to do with criminal activities. These hackers were developers, engineers, students interested in tweaking, modifying software, playing with prototypes to make radio more attractive for color screens and innovate. They were gathered in an event called RadioHack that kickstarted this year’s radio week. In a context of tablets and multimedia devices proliferation, radio hackers can take the opportunity of the scalability of such devices. Hybrid radio applications using DAB/DAB+ and RadioDNS have been on the center of this event thanks to the active participation from BBC R&D, Global Radio labs, IDAG and EBU labs. A real high power DAB+ local transmission using open CRC mmbTools from roof of EBU also took place to demonstrate that digital radio has become affordable for local and community radio. CRC was here to explain to participants how to use their tools to make transmissions and tests or for hybrid radio.
On the Digital Radio Summit side, the event gathered more than 107 participants despite a late program announcement. After a long absence of representation in the summit program, we can note the return from France with the overview on the multiplatform strategy from Radio France and the local/community radios coming into play with DAB+. The present is now clearly multiplatform and terrestrial digital radio is part of it as shown also by other country representatives from Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and manufacturers. Everything is now ready for the migration of the full radio ecosystem to digital. However, harmonization efforts are still needed to keep the radio experience simple for the listener.
Resources from EBU Digital Radio (presentations, links to Radiohack ressources) can be found on http://tech.ebu.ch/events/digital-radio-summit12 If you are interested already by an active participation for next year or have suggestions or remarks, please contact coinchon@ebu.ch