Mixed messages on Oz digital radio

chris

An Australian government pronouncement on a move to digital radio broadcasting will be forthcoming at some point but a commitment to the technology does not seem likely any time soon, judging by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s words at the Australian Broadcasting Summit.
Services will start on or before January 1 2009, with some likely to appear in the second half of 2008. But there is no word from the government on whether it wants to move over totally to the new technology in the medium term.

At least one company is readying for the market launch of DAB+ services in 2008, with Frontier Silicon having “taken the strategic decision to develop the Venice 5.1 module so that our customers are ready to supply digital radios during the second half of 2008 as the market develops,” according to CEO Anthony Sethill.

Venice 5.1 can be used as either the main controller in a tabletop or clock radio, or as a serially-controlled slave in a micro Hi-Fi or other audio system. The module supports DAB+/DAB and also FM-RDS and gives audio manufacturers the ability to quickly release a range of DAB+ capable products based on existing radio designs.

Sethill added: "The availability of a good range of receivers is a prerequisite for the successful launch of DAB+. Since we already have over 50 customer designs using the Venice 5.0 module for existing DAB regions around the world, we know that these can be quickly adapted for DAB+ reception using Venice 5.1. This will ensure that retailers can swiftly stock a line up of attractive DAB+ products as broadcasters roll out new services."

But Senator Conroy sounded decidedly lukewarm on Australia’s move to digital radio. "This is a very tough set of economic circumstances the government is in,” he said. “People shouldn't underestimate the challenges we have here at the moment.

"I'm still engaged in discussions with my colleagues about digital radio, I'm just not able at the moment to make any announcement about that."


source: Rapid TV News

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