[Discuss-gnuradio] [Fwd: [Cumbre DX] More on DRM Receivers]

[Michael Clark]

G'day - this was on the Cumbre DX list last week. Since there was a brief
mention on this list a while back I thought I'd post this update.

Michael

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Merlin Press Release on DRM Receivers

DRM To Introduce 2 Major Advances in Special Live Preview
at IBC, Saturday, September 14th

For Radio Amateurs and DXers, a Peek at DRM's First Publicly Available
Software Radio and an Invitation Into Its Testing Project

Plus, a Glimpse into the Future with DRM's First Consumer Receiver

Amsterdam - The DRM* Consortium will unveil a production-ready world-band
consumer receiver, made by Coding Technologies together with the BBC and
German device manufacturer AFG, and a preview version of its first
publicly-available receiver, the DRM Software Radio made by Fraunhofer
IIS-A, in a special preview with live transmissions at IBC 2002. At the same
time, DRM will open the doors to radio enthusiasts who want to be the first
non-members to access its transmissions when the DRM Software Radio Project,
managed by VT Merlin Communications, begins this December. Qualified radio
amateurs and DXers who plan to purchase the software (price: 60EUR) may
register their interest during IBC. The special live preview, featuring DRM
Chairman (and Executive Director of Marketing, Distribution & Technology at
Deutsche Welle) Peter Senger, will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
September 14th at the DRM Booth in the Radio Hall (Hall 8), Stand 485.

DRM is made up of 75 broadcasters, network operators, manufacturers and
researchers who have created a digital system (also called DRM) for the
broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. DRM is the world's only non-proprietary,
digital AM system for short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave with the ability
to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With near-FM
quality sound offering a dramatic improvement over analogue AM, DRM will
revitalize the AM broadcasting bands in markets worldwide.

"This is an exceptionally fast-moving time in DRM's development," says
Senger. "As we close in on our 2003 launch with test transmissions across
the globe, we invite radio enthusiasts to listen to DRM for themselves and
report their findings in our Software Radio Project. Furthermore, we are
delighted to present the first DRM consumer receiver, which offers equipment
manufacturers a low-cost track toward mass production of DRM receivers."

DRM Software Radio Project

The DRM Software Radio, designed for private use, is a downscaled version of
an existing, professional Fraunhofer receiver. Its features include: audio
MPEG-4 AAC +SBR decoding, multimedia reception, selection of service and the
possibility to log the reception quality (which can later be sent back to
DRM). Its audio decoding library has been provided by Coding Technologies.

Radio enthusiasts may register their interest in the Software Radio Project
at the DRM Booth during IBC 2002, or at the DRM Web site at www.drm.org
<http://www.drm.org>. When the project launches in December, the web site
will be set up to support and distribute the software for a 2-year period,
and to analyse received DRM transmissions. It will also contain a discussion
forum, worked examples of receiver modifications, an analysis section, and
general information about the project.

Participants must meet the following technical criteria: Operating system:
Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 98. An AT-compatible PC with 500 MHz
Intel Pentium processor (or equivalent), 64 MB RAM, 50 MB free disk
space,16-bit SoundBlaster (or compatible) soundcard that supports full
duplex at 48 kHz sampling rate for input and output; the input must be
without AGC (Automatic Gain Control); for example: Creative SoundBlaster
Live! or "USB One" USB audio interface. Notebook soundcards are not always
compatible, and a compatibility list will be published. A front-end receiver
is also required, an AOR7030 or another receiver which can be modified. The
modification is the addition of an extra circuit board to produce an extra
Intermediate Frequency (IF) of 12kHz. Several companies already sell these
conversion boards. Participants will need a receiver with a 12kHz IF,
because this frequency is within the range of PC soundcards. Many radio
receivers have an IF of 455kHz, so the extra circuit board mixes this down
to the soundcard range. The PC soundcard is used to analyse the DRM signal.

DRM Consumer Receiver

The world-band consumer receiver, developed by Coding Technologies together
with the BBC and German device manufacturer AFG, is based on a modular
system design made up around standard components. It is a production-ready
OEM receiver sample integrated in an enclosure of a commercially available
multi-band radio receiver.

The DRM system also uses aacPlus(tm) by Coding Technologies as the standard
audio coding format. aacPlus is a combination of MPEG AAC (Advanced Audio
Coding) with Coding Technologies' groundbreaking SBR(tm) (Spectral Band
Replication) bandwidth extension algorithm.

About DRM

The Digital Radio Mondiale* Consortium was founded in 1998. DRM's membership
is rich in its diversity, with members from 29 countries as varied as
Ecuador, Tunisia, Germany, China, the U.S.A., Nigeria, Finland, India, the
U.K., Japan, Spain and Australia.

Moving fast toward universal standardization, the DRM system has been
endorsed by the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC), which
published its DRM Publicly Available Specification (PAS 62272-1). The IEC
approval, together with DRM's existing certifications by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI), puts DRM a step closer to its 2003 launch.


DRM audio samples are available online at www.drm.org <http://www.drm.org>.

About Coding Technologies

Coding Technologies, the Swedish-German technology leader in audio coding,
develops and implements unique audio compression technologies for the
broadcasting, Internet and telecommunication markets. Coding Technologies'
SBR(tm) (Spectral Band Replication) technology is used in the MP3 successor
mp3PRO as well as in the highly efficient coding method aacPlus(tm). It is
part of open standards like Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) and is reference
model in MPEG-4. The company's customers include system designers,
chip/device manufacturers and content providers.

Coding Technologies, a privately held company with offices in Stockholm,
Sweden, and Nuremberg, Germany, combines the exceptional skills of a Swedish
company specialized in audio compression technologies and a spin-off from
the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, the inventor of
MP3.

For more information, visit <http://www.codingtechnologies.com>.

About Fraunhofer IIS-A

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft founded in 1949 is the leading organization of
applied research in Europe. It operates 56 research establishments. The
headquarters are located in Munich, Germany. Most of the 11,000 staff
members are qualified scientists and engineers. Founded in 1985, the
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen ranks first in
terms of staff count and industrial revenues among other
Fraunhofer-Institutes. The spectrum of services ranges from consulting,
concept development, hardware and software design to system development and
prototype implementation. Research topics are: Audio coding including
significant contributions to international standards (MP3, MPEG-4 Audio),
video coding at very low bit rates, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM),
RF-circuitries, complex digital systems on silicon, vision systems for
automated quality assurance, ultra fine focus X-ray computer tomography,
high speed camera systems and analog and digital ICs. 13,500 square meters
of office and laboratory space are available for 450 staff members to carry
out contract research. The budget of 49 million Euros is mainly financed by
projects from private industries and public sectors. Less than 20 % of the
budget is subsidized by federal and state funds.