10 Nov DRM at the ABU GA in New Delhi
The ABU Technical Committee organised a very useful workshop on the first day of their meeting in New Delhi (Technical Committee, Thursday 3rd Nov). This was devoted to discussing DRM and issues surrounding its introduction around the world. It was a unique meeting because it brought together ABU participants from countries like India, China, Turkey, Germany and a full contingent of DRM Consortium members representing transmitter manufacturers, broadcasters and, for the first time, DRM receiver manufacturers. After a brief presentation, participants had a chance to ask their own questions like: Why go digital? Will there be DRM in mobile phones? Could the same receiver have DRM30 and DRM+ capabilities and FM too?
Moderated by the DRM Chairperson Ruxandra Obreja and stimulated by the ABU TC Director Sharad Sadhu, the last minutes of the workshop were devoted to the thorny issue of content. Is there need for special content when going digital? Going by the roll-out in the UK and most recently Germany, the answer was yes. Representatives of All India Radio, currently in the process of a DRM roll-out, gave their vision – a mixture of simulcast, new content and new additional information to accompany audio. The forum was well attended and it ended with people wishing for more answers and … more time to discuss them.
Besides taking part in the various sessions (where updates on DRM activity around the globe and the DRM+ trial in the UK were given), DRM also displayed new receivers. Stand alone, in USB stick form or car versions these receivers from MSway, Chengdu Newstar, Uniwave and Frontier Silicon were displayed at the DRM booth where visitors could hear and understand more about both DRM30 and DRM+. Other DRM member companies attending ABU were: Fraunhofer IIS, RFmondial, Nautel, Thomson, Transradio, Analog Devices, BBC, Deutsche Welle and TDP.