News

Listeners in regions north of Hamburg can now receive DAB+ programming from Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), following the broadcaster switching on a new DAB+ transmitter in the town of Henstedt-Ulzburg.

French radio station Radio FG will expand its DAB+ services to the Lens, Bethune, Arras and Douai regions from Friday. Currently, the station is broadcasting in Marseille, Lille and Nice.

The Maxiva XTE supports a full range of digital broadcast standards, including ATSC, DVB-T/H, DVB-T2, ISDB-T, DTMB, DAB/DAB+/DMB. It is upgradeable to future new modulations, including ATSC 3.0, as they become available.

Xperi will demo the DTS Connected Radio ecosystem at IBC2018 (Hall 14, A41). DTS Connected Radio is what the company describes as “a global hybrid radio solution” for automobiles. It uses an in-vehicle IP connection to deliver DAB, HD Radio and FM broadcasts paired with IP content.

2wcom is highlighting its FlexNsert and FlexXtract solutions for DAB and DAB+ over satellite at IBC2018. Already in operation at national broadcasters in Norway, Germany and the Netherlands, 2wcom says that when FlexNsert+ and FlexXtract+ are integrated into the DAB/DAB+ transmission chain, broadcasters can use existing legacy (ETI) as well as IP-capable transmitters (EDI).

Visitors of IBC2018 will get their first look at the Magic DABMux at IBC at the AVT Audio Video Technologies booth (Hall 8, E76). AVT has also announced the sale of a Magic DABMux multiplexer to Hessen Digital Radio in Germany. In addition, a companion Magic AE1 DAB+ Go audio encoder was installed at a program provider for Hessen to facilitate operation.

The 662 DAB+ SiteStreamer lets users remotely monitor up to 30 sources of DAB+ programming over the internet. Tune-in, switch modes, listen remotely via streamed audio, and receive email or text alarms for various reception problems.

The world's first voice-controlled hybrid radio was unveiled at IBC2018 last Friday. An initiative between European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the NAB's PILOT innovation initiative. "“Radio reaches 85 percent of European citizens every week, overwhelmingly through free-to-air broadcast FM and DAB+. But smart speakers and other voice-controlled devices are becoming an important platform for innovation in radio. By demonstrating that combining the best of broadcast and the internet generates value for both content producers and audiences, the EBU and NAB are working to ensure that the vital role of radio and its benefits for communities and societies are maintained,” said Ben Poor, EBU project manager.

Rai Radio has activated new DAB+ receivers on several highways connecting Trento and Verona, between Verona and Vincenza, between Milan and Como, and between Turin and Mount Blanc on the French border. Rai Radio director Roberto Sergio: "With these further important activities, the coverage of Rai Radio in northern Italy is now excellent, especially along the highway lines. Another tangible sign of Rai's commitment to DAB+."

The significant growth in digital radio in Germany was underlined by the release of the Digitisation Report 2018 last week, which confirmed strong results DAB+ in key markets, access, reach, sales plus market increase against other platforms. The announcement of the findings were supported by the keynote speech from German minister Heike Raab, and by Deutschlandradio director Stefan Raue declaring: "The future of radio is digital".